After being dropped from Ed Sheeran‘s tour earlier this month, Macklemore has set his own, three-show “Free Palestine” tour for the end of October.
The Grammy-winning rapper announced the tour Thursday morning on Instagram. It will consist initially of three shows: one in Dublin (Oct. 26), another in Paris (Oct. 29) and a final date in London (Oct. 30). Additionally, Macklemore revealed that all proceeds generated by the tour will go to benefitting “organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.”
“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” the rapper wrote on Instagram. “There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.”
“Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” his post continued. “People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”
“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention,” he added. “This is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done. So we’re going on tour.”
The tour’s proceeds will be donated to Anera, Glia, Gaza Soup Kitchen, HEAL Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Taawon, Middle East Children’s Alliance, UNRWA USA, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestine Children’s Relief Find, Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Institute for Middle East Understanding.
Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran’s Loop tour in mid-September over controversy surrounding “Free Palestine” messaging he shared onstage while performing at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He subsequently received an outpouring of support from other public figures, including YouTuber Ms. Rachel, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder.
The Loop tour’s other openers, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Finneas, as well as Sheeran’s own backing band Beoga, all dropped out of it over the controversy.
In his Instagram post Thursday, Macklemore teased that supporting artist announcements and U.S. dates for his “Free Palestine” tour will be “coming soon.” Presales for the tour start Monday, Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. local time. General access will open days later on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. local time.
Live Nation purports that the rapper’s tour will “bring Macklemore together with artists and friends for a series of performances that center Palestine and Palestinians, and help provide humanitarian aid and support to the movement.”
