Jack Antonoff has slammed Ed Sheeran for not taking an appropriate approach amid the Macklemore controversy.
For those unaware, the controversy started in September of this year when the renowned American rapper made pro-Palestinian statements on stage while performing as a supporting act on Sheeran’s Loop Tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Robert Kraft, the stadium and New England Patriots owner, is Jewish and went on to accuse Macklemore of hate speech and antisemitic remarks, issuing an ultimatum that Macklemore could not perform at his or other coordinated venues.
Macklemore was removed from the rest of the U.S. tour dates by tour promoter Messina Touring Group on September 14, 2026. However, the Good Old Days crooner was not left alone by his fellow musicians as Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Irish folk band Beoga did not perform on Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
In response, Macklemore donated his $1 million earnings from the tour to Palestinian aid organizations as well as launched his own Free Palestine tour.
During his recent interview for a Guardian profile published on Sunday, October 25, Antonoff criticized the Shape of You hitmaker for not standing up for his fellow artist.
He said, “[Ed] missed a massive, beautiful opportunity there: just cancel the whole f****** tour, then play for free outside each venue, raise a bunch of money, rather than let a f******* billionaire tell you what to do.”
“The reason it’s not an anomaly or niche issue is because we all live in a world where billionaires are constantly telling us what to do. So stand the f****** up!” Antonoff stated.
It is pertinent to mention that Ed Sheeran’s Lopp Tour is his sixth major concert tour, supporting his eighth studio album, Play, which was released in 2025.
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