Belfast rap group Kneecap have voiced their support for US rapper Macklemore after he was removed from the remaining American dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, had been performing as a support act for Sheeran during the US leg of the tour. However, he was dropped from the remaining shows after speaking publicly in support of Palestine during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month.
Following a statement shared by Macklemore on Instagram, Kneecap expressed their solidarity with the rapper. The Belfast trio wrote: “Free Palestine. They can never silence the truth.”
The group later posted a photograph of themselves with Macklemore on social media, accompanied by a message of support reading: “All love and solidarity to @macklemore. FREE PALESTINE.”
Irish musician CMAT also reacted to the controversy, sharing images of the Palestinian flag online alongside the words “Free Palestine”.
Macklemore announced on Monday that Sheeran and his team had decided to remove him from the remaining tour dates. He said the decision followed a number of difficult conversations with the British singer.
Messina Touring Group, the promoter responsible for the tour, later confirmed that Macklemore would no longer perform at the remaining US shows. The company said it had been informed by venues that they would not permit concerts featuring the rapper to go ahead.
“After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,” the promoter said.
Sheeran has not publicly addressed Macklemore’s departure from the tour.
The controversy followed comments Macklemore made during his 4 September performance at MetLife Stadium. Speaking to the audience, he said he wanted people living in Gaza and the West Bank to know that they had not been forgotten.
.http://All love and solidarity to @macklemore #
Following his remarks, the Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the remaining tour dates.
In his statement, Macklemore said he did not view himself as a victim of the situation, instead drawing attention to the suffering experienced by Palestinians.
Several other musicians and public figures have since shown their support for the rapper, including Paloma Faith, Garbage, Kehlani, Tones and I, and climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Garbage criticised the decision to remove Macklemore, describing it as “sheer madness” and arguing that his comments had not been violent, hateful or radical.
Macklemore has previously been outspoken in his support for Palestinians. Earlier this year, he was among more than 1,100 artists, musicians and cultural figures who backed a call to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest because of Israel’s participation.
Kneecap and Paloma Faith were also among those who signed the letter, organised by campaign group No Music For Genocide.
