Macklemore Donates $1M, Kraft Pledges $2M After Tour Removal

Rapper Macklemore announced he would donate his entire $1 million net earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour to six Palestinian relief organizations after being removed from the tour lineup. The decision followed his pro-Palestinian comments during a New Jersey concert, which led to his dismissal from the remaining dates.

In a social media post, Macklemore urged the public to focus on Palestinians "who are still being killed" and living under military occupation rather than the tour controversy. He specifically challenged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match his donation.

“I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, who still live under military occupation, and who are still fighting for their freedom.”

Kraft responded hours later, pledging $2 million to address the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. Kraft stated the pledge matched a $2 million commitment from Sheeran, who had privately asked Kraft to contribute. Kraft emphasized his dedication to "building bridges between all people."

The six beneficiary organizations include Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, American Near East Refugee Aid, Gaza Soup Kitchen, and UNRWA. Aid leaders welcomed both the funding and the renewed global attention to ongoing suffering in Gaza and the West Bank.

The episode began when Macklemore was dropped from the tour earlier in the week. Four supporting acts subsequently quit in solidarity, while confusion persisted over whether Sheeran or promoters made the removal decision.