Perhaps the biggest headline throughout the entertainment industry this week has been Macklemore’s removal from the lineup of Ed Sheeran’s upcoming stadium tour as a result of his vocal support of Palestine. Macklemore said that New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft, who also owns Gillet Stadium, rallied support from other NFL owners to have him removed from the tour. Now, Colin Kaepernick is speaking out.
Kaepernick, who famously claimed that he was unjustly blackballed from the NFL as a result of his protests during the national anthem before games, said that the owners are “openly colluding” to keep Macklemore from performing in their stadiums.
Macklemore Removed From Tour
On Monday, the production company behind Sheeran’s “Loop Tour” announced that Macklemore had been removed from the tour made several onstage statements in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and called for a “free Palestine.” Shortly after the decision was announced, Macklemore took to social media to claim that Kraft refused to allow him to perform and rallied support from other NFL owners to do the same.
“Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said at MetLife, Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners, and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues,” Macklemore wrote via Instagram.
Kraft issued his own statement on the matter where he did not dispute refusing to allow Macklemore to perform in Gillette Stadium.
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real. But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas… I agree with Macklemore. Too many lives have been lost, and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate. Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect. Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism, and hate should not be mutually exclusive,” Kraft wrote in his statement.
“Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds, and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed. I have tremendous respect for Ed and his music, particularly his unique ability to bring people together and spread joy, and I have always been proud to welcome him and his fans to Gillette Stadium.”
Since Macklemore’s removal from the tour, all of Sheeran’s other opening acts have since decided to step away from the tour, including Sheeran’s own band.
‘They are openly colluding’
During an appearance on the MeidasTouch podcast with Ben Meiselas, Kaepernick did not hold back his thoughts on the matter as he claimed that the team owners were “openly colluding” to prevent Macklemore from performing on the tour.
“The part that I hope people appreciate and take away in this moment is what Robert Kraft and what they’re saying by denying Macklemore the opportunity to go out and perform with Ed Sheeran is they are willing to collude,” Kaepernick said. “They are openly colluding.”
Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL in 2017 after he was not given another opportunity in the league following his 2016 protests. The quarterback claimed he was unjustly blackballed from the league. He ultimately settled the grievance in 2019. Kaepernick said that the incident revolving Macklemore is more proof that the league and the owners “want to protect their power.”
“When we filed the grievance, it was like, well, the owners wouldn’t do that,” Kaepernick said. “Everybody just wants to win within the NFL. And the realization is, no. They want to protect their interests. They want to protect their power. They want to protect their money.”
“And they also want people to know that if you take an action that they don’t agree with, they will come for you,” he continued.
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