Tampa — Macklemore has been removed as an opening act for Ed Sheeran’s November 7 concert at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, according to tour promoter Messina Touring Group.
The promoter said several U.S. venues informed the company that they would not host upcoming shows featuring Macklemore on the lineup. Keeping the rapper on the tour, the promoter said, could have led to cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
The move comes after comments Macklemore made while performing at MetLife Stadium earlier this month. During the performance, he expressed support for Palestinians and Lebanon, prompting strong reactions online.
Macklemore later addressed his removal in a statement posted to Instagram. He said he hoped his relationship with Sheeran would continue despite the disagreement between them.
As of Monday night, Sheeran had not publicly responded to Macklemore’s statement.
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