Macklemore Says U.S. Arenas Are Blocking Free Palestine Tour
Macklemore is claiming that he is unable to bring his Free Palestine Tour to major venues in the United States.
“A lot of you have been asking about U.S. dates for The Free Palestine benefit tour, and I wanted to give you an update,” Macklemore, 43, began a Friday, November 6, Instagram statement. “The shows in Dublin, Paris and London were three of the most beautiful I’ve ever been a part of.”
He continued, “From the beginning, our plan was to bring this tour home to the U.S. but after weeks of reaching out, nine major American arenas have turned us down.”
Macklemore announced in September that he was embarking on The Free Palestine Tour, donating all proceeds to the movement, weeks after he was let go as a support act on Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour. (Macklemore was dropped by Sheeran’s touring company earlier that month after he chanted “Free Palestine” during two concerts at MetLife Stadium. Sheeran, for his part, attributed the decision to the tour’s promoters, noting in a statement, “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”)
As the “Thrift Shop” rapper began cultivating his tour, he claims he “received available dates” at multiple arenas throughout the year.
“Once they found out these were my benefit shows for Palestine, those dates were suddenly off the table,” Macklemore claimed. “The doors were closed. The conversations were all different, but the result was the same. The shows were not going to be allowed to happen in these venues.”
He added, “In over 20 years of touring, I’ve never experienced anything like this. But this is not an isolated incident. For decades, activists, poets, writers, musicians and entertainers who have stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people have faced consequences for doing so. Many have paid a far greater price than I have.”
Macklemore specifically claimed Madison Square Garden in New York City stopped talks about a tour stop.
“We have some of the busiest venues in the world with extremely limited availability and he’s not an arena level act,” a spokesperson for MSG Entertainment tells Us in a statement.
As for Macklemore, he is holding steadfast onto his values.
“At this point, I’m three years past giving two s***s about maintaining any relationships, business or personal with anyone that isn’t riding for a Free Palestine,” the musician stated. “I’d rather lose every opportunity in this industry than spend another day protecting people who value their business relationships with Israel more than they value Palestinian human life.”
While Macklemore refuses to apologize for vocalizing his beliefs, he still plans to perform his benefit concerts.
“There will be more shows for Palestine. We’ll keep working with other artists and organizers, conjuring where we left off in Europe,” he said. “Well probably just take that s*** outside where it belonged in the first place. Our commitment to raising funds and standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people remains the same.”
Macklemore concluded, “There comes a point when the world changes, not because those in power give us permission, but because the people stop asking for it. We will build our own stages. They may own the arenas, but they do not own the people who fill them. And they never will.”
