Macklemore pledges tour earnings to Palestinian relief

• The rapper invited Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match the $1 million donation to support Palestinian lives.
• The move follows the withdrawal of all remaining openers from Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

Rapper Macklemore announced on Wednesday that he will donate his entire $1 million in net earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour to six humanitarian organizations supporting the Palestinian people.

In a social media statement, the artist invited billionaire Robert Kraft -owner of the New England Patriots- to match his $1 million contribution.

A representative for Kraft declined to comment on the request.

Macklemore was dropped from the US leg of Sheeran's tour earlier in the week after shouting "free Palestine" and delivering a political speech on stage during a early September performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The rapper indicated that Kraft had spearheaded an effort rallying other venue owners to refuse hosting the tour if Macklemore remained on the lineup.

Calls for attention to remain on Palestinian civilians 

In his statement, Macklemore explained that his objective was to redirect international media focus back to the ongoing humanitarian crisis facing civilians.

"With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom," Macklemore wrote. "I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people. And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation. Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth."

Macklemore emphasized that his focus remains on family members, emergency medical staff, and field personnel working in the region.

"I want to center the parents carrying their children into hospitals without the basic resources to treat them, and the physicians, paramedics, journalists and aid workers who keep going back in," he continued. "I want to center the organizers and activists who have paid real costs for standing with Palestine. Their risk is of a far different order than mine."

He concluded his statement by urging supporters not to move on when the media cycle shifts, reiterating his call for a free Palestine.

Donation follows complete departure of Loop Tour supporting acts

The donation pledge comes during a turbulent week for the Loop Tour. On Tuesday morning, Sheeran issued a statement clarifying that he was not involved in the promoter's decision to drop Macklemore, explaining that he maintains a neutral posture regarding political causes.

Following Sheeran's release, all remaining scheduled supporting acts—Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Sheeran's live backing band Beoga—withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore and in support of the Palestinian people.