Macklemore’s Free Palestine tour has sold out all three of its shows in London, Paris and Dublin, with the US rapper saying he was “blown away” by the response.
The concerts were announced earlier this month after Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour following comments he made about Gaza.
Tickets for the new shows went on sale on Wednesday. Macklemore said the events had been organised quickly with artists and friends to raise humanitarian aid and support people in Palestine.
“All three shows sold out immediately. I’m honestly blown away,” the 43-year-old wrote in an Instagram post.
He added: “We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like.
“When those in power try to silence our calls for liberation, art will always be a form of resistance.”
Macklemore, known for tracks including Can’t Hold Us and Thrift Shop, said the response showed “how many people across the world are standing together for a free Palestine”. He said the line-up would be revealed soon.
The post attracted messages of support from television presenter Laura Whitmore and singer Paloma Faith, who both responded with heart emojis.
Macklemore had been an opening act on Sheeran’s tour, but sparked controversy earlier this month when he told an audience he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten amid the conflict with Israel.
A petition calling for him to be removed from the remaining shows was launched, while Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, contacted Sheeran to say he would not be able to play the venue unless Macklemore was taken off the tour.
Sheeran said the decision to remove the rapper had been made by the promoter rather than by him. Since then, the other supporting acts on the Loop tour, including Aaron Rowe, Finneas and Lukas Graham, as well as Sheeran’s backing band Beoga, have also withdrawn from the remaining dates.
At his first concert after the dispute, Macklemore apologised for making “mistakes” and described the conflict in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate”.
The Free Palestine tour begins at Dublin’s 3Arena on October 26, moves to Paris’ Accor Arena on October 29 and ends at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on October 30.
