Macklemore has announced a new series of benefit concerts under the name ‘Free Palestine’, weeks after he was removed from the US leg of Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour following comments he made in support of Palestinians.

The American rapper, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, will perform shows in Dublin, Paris and London as part of the newly announced tour, with the proceeds going towards organisations providing humanitarian and other forms of support to Palestinians.

The announcement comes after a public dispute surrounding Macklemore’s position on Palestine and his removal from Sheeran’s US stadium dates.

Macklemore had been supporting Sheeran on his Loop tour before his appearance on the remaining US dates was cancelled following comments he made on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month.

During his performance on September 4, Macklemore spoke about his support for Palestinians and called for a “Free Palestine”. He also told the audience that he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know that they had not been forgotten.

The comments subsequently became the centre of a dispute involving the tour, with venues due to host Sheeran’s upcoming concerts objecting to Macklemore appearing as a support act. The promoter for the US leg of Sheeran’s tour said it had been notified by venues that they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the line-up. As a result, Macklemore was removed from the remaining support dates.

Sheeran later addressed the controversy, saying he was not responsible for the decision and describing the situation as a complicated dispute involving venue owners and the freedom of artists to express their views.

The situation subsequently developed into a wider debate over whether musicians should use their platforms to speak about political and humanitarian issues.

Macklemore has now announced his own run of benefit shows, beginning in Dublin on October 26. He will then perform in Paris on October 29 before heading to London for a show on October 30.Further North American dates are expected to be announced, although details surrounding the venues and full line-up have not yet been confirmed.

Macklemore said the tour came together quickly and that discussions with other artists were still taking place. He wrote:

“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years. There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.

“It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.

“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.”

The concerts are expected to raise funds for a number of organisations involved in humanitarian aid, healthcare, education, community support and advocacy relating to Palestinians.

The organisations named in connection with the shows include Anera, Glia, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Taawon, Heal Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Middle East Children’s Alliance, Jewish Voice for Peace, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Institute for Middle East Understanding, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and UNRWA USA.

A statement accompanying the announcement said the organisations represent a range of work supporting Palestinian people, including medical care, humanitarian assistance, education, community support, advocacy, organising and media work.

The full line-up for the shows has not yet been revealed, with Macklemore saying that the short timeframe had meant conversations around artists, schedules and other details were continuing.

The new tour follows one of the most public disputes of Sheeran’s current tour. Macklemore had been booked as one of the supporting acts for the US leg of Sheeran’s Loop tour, but his future appearances became uncertain after his comments at MetLife Stadium. The rapper had been outspoken about Palestine for several years, but his appearance alongside one of the world's biggest pop stars brought his views to a much larger audience.

Following his comments, venue owners involved with upcoming dates reportedly objected to his inclusion.

The promoter subsequently confirmed that Macklemore would no longer perform on the remaining US support dates, saying that allowing him to remain on the line-up could have resulted in venues refusing to host the concerts.

Sheeran later said he had attempted to find a solution and had been involved in discussions with stakeholders. In a statement following the decision, he said:

“I am not complicit.”

The controversy did not end with Macklemore’s departure. All of Sheeran’s remaining support acts subsequently withdrew from the tour, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Beoga. Their departures further intensified discussion around the decision to remove Macklemore and the wider question of whether artists should be able to express political views while performing at major commercial events.

Sheeran eventually resumed his tour with a solo performance in Philadelphia on September 19. During that show, he spoke about the devastation in Gaza, describing the situation as “catastrophic and unjustifiable”, while also saying that he wanted his concerts to focus on unity and humanity rather than politics.

Before announcing the new benefit tour, Macklemore also said he would donate the money he earned from appearing on Sheeran’s tour to organisations supporting Palestinians. He announced that he would give away his entire $1 million net earnings from the tour, directing the money towards six organisations working with Palestinian people and providing relief in Gaza.

The decision came shortly after his removal from the tour and was presented by Macklemore as an attempt to redirect attention towards the humanitarian situation rather than the dispute surrounding his own position. He also challenged Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, to match the donation.

The decision has subsequently become part of the discussion around Macklemore’s new tour, with supporters pointing to his financial contribution as evidence that his actions are connected to the cause he has been speaking about, while others continue to question his motives.

The announcement of the ‘Free Palestine’ tour has received a mixture of support and scepticism online. One person praised Macklemore for continuing to speak about the issue despite the consequences for his career, writing:

“He's fighting for a bigger cause and likely lost far more money than he ever gained by risking everything. Now that he's finally getting some exposure for that cause, he's not even trying to milk it. That alone should tell you there's more to this than money.”

Another person expressed support for the new shows, saying:

“This is great and I hope it's successful and I hope he is being honest!!!”

However, not everyone was convinced that Macklemore's intentions were entirely genuine. One sceptical response questioned whether the rapper could have used his position on Sheeran’s tour to make similar statements and gain greater attention, writing:

“Do we think he has good intentions, genuinely? It seems like he could have used Ed's platform to do this all along to gain popularity? I don't know..”

The differing reactions highlight the wider debate that has followed Macklemore since his comments at MetLife Stadium.

While supporters have welcomed his decision to turn the controversy into a series of benefit concerts, others have questioned whether the timing could also benefit his own profile following his departure from Sheeran’s tour.

Macklemore has continued to frame the situation around the Palestinian people rather than his own career. In his announcement, he argued that the controversy surrounding his removal from Sheeran’s tour represented a broader discussion about the role of artists, the influence of powerful institutions and the extent to which performers should use their platforms to address issues outside music.

The London performance will come just weeks after the controversy that saw Macklemore removed from Sheeran’s US tour, giving the rapper an opportunity to perform in front of audiences under a show specifically built around the issue he has been speaking about. More dates in North America are expected, although the locations and performers involved have yet to be announced.

Macklemore has also indicated that more artists could become involved, saying that he has been reaching out to musicians who have publicly supported Palestinians and used their own platforms to speak about the situation.

For now, the concerts will combine live music with fundraising for organisations providing support to Palestinians. The new tour therefore marks a significant change from Macklemore’s position just weeks ago, when he was appearing as a support act for one of the world's biggest touring artists.