New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has said Macklemore will not perform at Gillette Stadium during Ed Sheeran’s September concerts, accusing the rapper of crossing a line with antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.
Macklemore claimed that Sheeran told him Kraft objected to his involvement in the tour after the rapper’s pro-Palestinian comments at MetLife Stadium attracted widespread attention. Kraft has confirmed that he opposed Macklemore’s participation.
“Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,” Kraft said.
He said the decision followed Macklemore’s “recent actions” and material shared from the stage during Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey. Kraft added that the rapper’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery” was considered deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.
Macklemore’s participation in the concerts on September 25 and 26, he said, “would cross that line”.
Kraft rejected the suggestion that the decision was intended to silence support for Palestinians. “This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf,” he said.
He added: “Their pain and loss are real. But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally (including Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, and Japan) designated terrorist organization whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”
Macklemore has argued that neutrality in the conflict is not an option. Kraft said he agreed that too many lives had been lost, but accused the rapper of presenting selective information and ignoring Hamas’s actions.
“I agree with Macklemore. Too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate,” Kraft said.
He said he had directed resources to Palestine over many decades and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians, adding that support for the Palestinian people could coexist with opposition to Hamas, antisemitism and hate.
Kraft said combating antisemitism had occupied much of his attention over the past decade. “I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed,” he said.
While Macklemore has said the dispute has put pressure on his 13-year friendship with Sheeran, Kraft praised the singer and his music, particularly his ability to bring people together and spread joy.
Kraft also said he would be willing to meet Macklemore to discuss the dispute. “Ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate,” he said.
