Whether it’s banning books or preventing Macklemore from touring, silencing artists often backfires

If the goal was to silence rapper Macklemore by preventing him from touring with singer Ed Sheeran, it clearly backfired. Macklemore delivered a monologue in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and performed his pro-Palestinian protest song “Hind’s Hall” during a Sept. 4, 2026, concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he was an opening act for Sheeran. Ten days later, Macklemore was dropped from the tour after Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium – a future stop on Sheeran’s “Loop” tour – thought the 43-year-old rapper had crossed a line. In a Sept. 14 Instagram post, Macklemore detailed how Kraft had pressured Sheeran to drop Macklemore from the tour and had convinced other stadium owners to prevent him from performing at their venues. Yet the ensuing media coverage sent the rapper’s profile soaring. There was little to no interest in Macklemore’s Sept.

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