New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has confirmed his involvement in preventing rapper Macklemore from performing at Ed Sheeran’s upcoming shows at Gillette Stadium in Boston. Kraft released a statement explaining that the decision stemmed from Macklemore’s recent actions and statements made during performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, as well as what Kraft characterized as a pattern of antisemitic rhetoric throughout the artist’s career.
According to Kraft’s statement, Macklemore’s participation in the Gillette Stadium events would violate the venue’s commitment to preventing hate speech. The controversy began when Macklemore performed at Ed Sheeran’s tour stops and publicly expressed support for Palestinians, including chanting “Free Palestine” and displaying images related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Kraft, who is Jewish and a prominent supporter of Israeli causes, framed his decision as necessary to protect the Jewish community from offense.
In his own statement, Kraft emphasized that his objection was not to Palestinian advocacy itself, but rather to what he views as selective information and a failure to address Hamas’s actions. Macklemore had previously alleged that Kraft pressured Sheeran directly and coordinated with other stadium owners to issue an ultimatum regarding his continued participation in the tour. Kraft’s statement did not address these specific claims about coordinated action among venue owners.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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