Macklemore Says Nine U.S. Arenas Rejected His Palestine Tour, MSG Fires Back
WHO:
The Guardian - Rapper Macklemore said nine major U.S. arenas refused to host his Free Palestine fundraising tour.
The Guardian - The arenas named were Madison Square Garden in New York City, Crypto.com Arena and Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, UBS Arena and Prudential Center in the New York tri-state area, Kia Forum in Inglewood, Chase Center in San Francisco, and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
The Guardian - An MSG Entertainment spokesperson told TMZ that Macklemore was “not an arena level act”; the Billboard headline quoted MSG as saying, “He’s Not an Arena Level Act.”
The Guardian - Macklemore said more Palestine benefit shows would follow and that he would continue working with artists and organizers.
WHAT:
The Guardian - Macklemore said Ed Sheeran dropped him from Sheeran’s U.S. tour after Macklemore made an onstage speech supporting Palestine.
The Guardian - Sheeran said U.S. venues told him they would refuse to host a show if Macklemore remained a supporting act. Sheeran said, “I am not complicit,” and explained that choosing not to speak publicly did not mean he lacked personal views or did not care.
The Guardian - All four opening acts and Sheeran’s live band quit the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.
The Guardian - Macklemore said he would rather lose every opportunity in the music industry than protect people who value business relationships with Israel over Palestinian life. He said he dreamed of a world where saying “Free Palestine” was expected, and artists valued freedom of speech and collective liberation over brand deals.
The Guardian - Macklemore said the U.S. political mood was changing after Democrats swept the midterm elections, and cited Abdul El-Sayed winning a Senate race on a platform that included ending the genocide in Gaza and stopping U.S. arms sales to Israel. Macklemore said AIPAC spent $42 million trying to defeat El-Sayed and “still couldn’t win.”
The Guardian - Macklemore said that after weeks of outreach, nine major American arenas turned down the tour.
The Guardian - Macklemore said arenas initially provided available dates through the end of the year, but the dates were taken off the table after venues learned the shows were benefits for Palestine.
The Guardian - Macklemore described the outcome as “The doors were closed” and said the shows would not be allowed at those venues.
Deadline - Macklemore described his three European benefit concerts as “the most beautiful [shows] I’ve ever been a part of.”
The Guardian - The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis praised the European shows as “a triumph”; Macklemore said the Dublin, Paris and London shows were sold out, drew tens of thousands of people, and included more than 40 artists and speakers.
The Guardian - Macklemore said, “There will be more shows for Palestine,” and that his commitment to raising funds and standing in solidarity with Palestinians remained unchanged.
WHERE:
The Guardian - The benefit shows were held in Dublin, Paris and London; the U.S. venues named were in New York City, Brooklyn, the New York tri-state area, Los Angeles, Inglewood, San Francisco and Seattle.
WHY:
The Guardian - Macklemore said the venues’ available dates were withdrawn after they learned the shows were Palestine benefits. He characterized the treatment as “intimidation, manipulation and suppression.”
The Guardian - Macklemore said those in power use such tactics to keep entertainers quiet, adding: “Shut up and dribble, or you will be punished.”
HOW:
The Guardian - Macklemore announced the arena refusals and his plans in an Instagram post spanning seven slides.
The Guardian - Macklemore said future shows might be held outdoors, saying, “We’ll probably just take that shit outside where it belonged in the first place.”
(UPDATED November 7, 2026 03:02 UTC)
Macklemore says nine major U.S. arenas rejected his Palestine benefit tour after learning its purpose. He says venues withdrew available dates, following pressure that also removed him from Ed Sheeran’s tour. After sold-out European benefits, Macklemore says more shows will follow, potentially outdoors.
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(UPDATED November 6, 2026 22:05 UTC)
Macklemore says nine major U.S. arenas rejected his Palestine fundraising tour after learning its purpose. He says available dates were withdrawn, while an MSG spokesperson called him “not an arena level act.” After sold-out European benefits, Macklemore says more shows are coming, possibly outdoors.