Venues, including one owned by billionaire Robert Kraft, refused to host Ed Sheeran's US tour if Macklemore performed. Kraft owns Gillette Stadium near Boston. The venues cited Macklemore's public support for a "free Palestine" and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
The reaction was swift. Every guest artist scheduled to join Sheeran on the Loop Tour pulled out in protest after Macklemore was dropped. The tour's promoter, Messina Touring Group, said the decision wasn't Sheeran's: venue owners had forced it by refusing to let Macklemore appear. Keeping Macklemore on the bill, the promoter said, would have meant canceling the entire tour.
Robert Kraft publicly denied blocking the entire tour. He said he had only asked that Macklemore not perform at Gillette Stadium, not at other venues. Kraft, who owns the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, is at the center of the dispute. He reportedly urged other venue owners to follow his lead in banning Macklemore, calling the rapper's rhetoric and imagery antisemitic and offensive to the Jewish community.
The impact reached beyond Massachusetts. Raymond James Stadium in Florida also barred Macklemore from performing. Sheeran, who played at Kraft's wedding in 2022, has tried to distance himself from the decision, saying promoters and venue owners made it, not him.
For Sheeran, the controversy threatens his image as a friendly, approachable pop star. Critics have accused him of abandoning Macklemore, a longtime friend, and avoiding responsibility. Some music journalists have called Sheeran's response cowardly. They argue that as a major artist, he could have challenged the decision but chose not to. The Boston Globe reported that the dispute has grown into a broader public controversy, exposing deep political and value-based disagreements in the music industry that reach beyond a single venue or date.
Kraft's influence reaches well beyond music. As chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group, he oversees businesses in paper and packaging. The group also operates in real estate and private equity, with interests in entertainment. His fortune is estimated at $15 billion. Kraft has become more active in fighting antisemitism, founding Together Beat Hate with a $20 million personal donation and support from other donors.
Kraft grew up in Massachusetts, attended public schools, and won a scholarship to Columbia University, despite his father's wish for him to become a rabbi. He graduated in 1963, earned an MBA from Harvard, and started his first packaging company five years later, beginning a career in the food industry.
Philanthropy is a major part of Kraft's life. His four sons with his late wife, Myra, take part in the family's business and charitable work. They support causes related to children and health, women's rights, and programs in both the US and Israel. Kraft is an emeritus trustee of Columbia University and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He has also served on the boards of Boston College and Carnegie Hall, as well as the Apollo Theater and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
In 2019, Kraft received the Genesis Prize from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sometimes called the "Jewish Nobel Prize." He gave the $1 million award to groups fighting antisemitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel. Kraft's long friendship with Donald Trump has also drawn attention, though he said in 2024 that they had not spoken in several years.
Since buying the New England Patriots in 1994 for $172 million, Kraft has seen the team's value rise to $10.6 billion, making it one of the most valuable franchises in American sports. His focus on fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel has raised his profile in business and politics.
The Macklemore episode shows how business interests and political advocacy can collide with entertainment and reshape major cultural events. Sheeran's reputation as a "good guy" is now under scrutiny, with fans and commentators asking whether his reluctance to challenge the decision will affect his career.
