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US rapper Macklemore has announced a solo “Free Palestine” tour just 10 days after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour following his public support for Palestinians.
Macklemore said all profits from the new tour would be donated to charities supporting Palestinians.
The European leg will feature concerts in three major cities in the final week of October. He is scheduled to perform in Dublin on October 26, Paris on October 29 and London on October 30.
The rapper said special guest artists would also join the concerts, while dates for the US leg of the tour would be announced soon.
In a statement posted on Instagram on Thursday, Macklemore said artists could not remain “apolitical or neutral” in what he described as a genocidal situation.
“At this point in 2026, there is no possibility of being apolitical or neutral in the face of genocide,” he wrote, urging artists to be aware of events, stand for truth and use their platforms to speak for Palestinian freedom.
He also criticised what he described as censorship by billionaires and stadium owners, saying people should be concerned when wealthy individuals decide which artists can have their voices heard on stage and whose views are deemed dangerous.
Earlier this month, Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium during the opening leg of Sheeran’s “Loop Tour”, wearing a keffiyeh and speaking in support of Palestinians.
Several stadium owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, subsequently pressured Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour, according to reports. They warned that stadium access could be affected if Macklemore remained on the lineup.
The decision sparked controversy in the music industry, with several other artists associated with Sheeran’s tour withdrawing in protest. They included Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Irish band Biig Piig.
Meanwhile, during a concert in Philadelphia, Sheeran described the situation in Gaza as “horrific and unjust”, while reiterating his position of staying away from political commentary.