Macklemore Returns with 'Free Palestine' Rally at Red Rocks

Macklemore returned to the stage at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, delivering a 17-track performance and a defiant call for 'Free Palestine' ^[1]. The 43-year-old rapper, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, used the platform to expand his message to include Sudan, Congo, Lebanon, Haiti, and people affected by ICE in the US. 'Being a human being in this moment is not complicated,' he declared. 'It is not political. It is human to have a heart, to watch others suffering and to say, 'Not anymore!''

The performance came after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour last month following pro-Palestinian remarks ^[1]. He later announced his own 'Free Palestine' tour across the UK and Europe, with all shows selling out immediately. Proceeds will go to organisations including Anera, Glia, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Taawon, HEAL Palestine, and the Palestinian Youth Movement.

Jack Antonoff, 42, has now publicly criticised Sheeran, accusing him of cowardice for removing Macklemore after pressure from stadium owners like Robert Kraft, who reportedly threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore remained ^[2]. 'Stand the f**k up,' Antonoff told The Guardian, suggesting Sheeran should have cancelled the tour and played for free outside venues instead.

Antonoff, who has long said 'free Palestine' at his own shows, said the sentiment is 'a deeply human thing to say' — not controversial ^[2]. He added he’d rather play for free than let a 'billionaire' dictate his speech.

Sheeran, 35, has faced growing backlash, including an emotional apology in Philadelphia where he admitted to making 'mistakes' and feeling abandoned by friends and family after the fallout ^[2]. He also expressed concern over freedom of speech being restricted in the 'free world'.

Meanwhile, 50 peers have urged UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to ban Macklemore from performing at Wembley, calling the concert 'not conducive to the public good' ^[1]. Macklemore’s three-date tour — in Dublin, Paris, and London — proceeds with artists who have stood in solidarity with Palestine despite consequences. The claim that Robert Kraft threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore remained has not been confirmed by multiple sources, according to ^[2]. The story was first reported by Mirror and Daily Mail Showbiz.