Robert Kraft reportedly spent 40 minutes on the phone with Ed Sheeran to say Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Kraft-owned stadiums after leading a "Free Palestine" chant at MetLife Stadium. Kraft told Sheeran other NFL owners had aligned with the decision and said he viewed Macklemore's remarks as crossing into hate speech. Macklemore was removed from the tour, several support acts withdrew in protest, and both donations and public demonstrations have followed.
Inside Robert Kraft’s 40-Minute Call With Ed Sheeran That Led To Macklemore’s Tour Exit
What Robert Kraft told Ed Sheeran in 40-min call that saw Macklemore dropped from tour
New details have emerged about a 40-minute phone call in which New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told Ed Sheeran he would not permit Macklemore to perform at Kraft-owned stadiums after the rapper publicly expressed support for Palestinians at a recent concert.
What Sparked the Call
The incident began when Macklemore — known for hits such as "Thrift Shop" and "Same Love" — used his opening set on Ed Sheeran's U.S. Loop tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to deliver a political statement about Israel's actions in Gaza and led the crowd in a "Free Palestine" chant. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Kraft learned of the onstage remarks and contacted Sheeran to raise concerns.
What Kraft Said
According to the report, the 85-year-old Kraft — a longtime friend of Sheeran who even had the singer perform at his 2022 wedding — told Sheeran that stadiums owned by him would not host Macklemore. Kraft also said other NFL owners, including Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, had aligned with that position. None of those owners have publicly responded to the report.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told Ed Sheeran in a 40-minute phone call that he would not host Macklemore at his stadium (Getty Images)
A source familiar with the call told The Wall Street Journal that Kraft said he sympathized with the Palestinian people and acknowledged the complexity of the situation, but believed Macklemore's remarks crossed into hate speech rather than protected political expression.
Context And Past Controversy
Kraft reportedly described Hamas, the militant group responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, as the principal aggressor in the broader conflict. He also raised a 2014 controversy in which Macklemore wore a costume that critics said relied on Jewish stereotypes; Macklemore apologized at the time and said he had not intended offense.
Reactions And Fallout
After receiving what he called an ultimatum, Macklemore announced he had been removed from Sheeran’s tour and said conversations with Sheeran ended in "a place of fundamental disagreement," pointing to Sheeran’s stated desire to remain apolitical.
Sheeran denied being complicit in censorship and said he had no choice in the decision to drop the opening act. The move prompted immediate backlash: four other supporting acts pulled out of the tour in solidarity, hundreds of thousands of people unfollowed Sheeran on Instagram, and public figures from Roger Waters to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the decision.
Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour after making comments onstage in support of Palestinians (Getty)
Protests are expected at Sheeran's next U.S. show in Philadelphia, where pro-Palestinian groups announced plans to demonstrate outside the venue.
Money, Pledges And Challenges
On social media, Macklemore said he would donate approximately $1 million in earnings from the tour to organizations supporting Palestinians and publicly challenged Kraft to match the contribution. Kraft later issued a statement saying that after speaking with Sheeran he intended to match Sheeran's reported $2 million pledge for aid to the region; the statement did not specify recipient organizations.
Neither Kraft nor Sheeran has provided a public comment to some outlets requesting one. Reporting on the details of the conversation relies primarily on accounts in The Wall Street Journal.
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