Macklemore Pledges $1 Million to Palestinian Aid Groups

American rapper Macklemore has announced that he will donate his entire $1 million in net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations providing humanitarian assistance and support to Palestinians, placing the contribution at the center of renewed international attention surrounding the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the controversy over his departure from the tour.

Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, announced the donation on September 16, saying the funds would be directed toward organizations working with Palestinians, including the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA and American Near East Refugee Aid. He also publicly challenged New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft to match his contribution.

The announcement follows Macklemore’s removal from the remaining U.S. dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour after he made pro-Palestinian remarks during a September 4 performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Sheeran subsequently said that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour promoter rather than by him, while explaining that some venues had indicated they would withdraw their shows if Macklemore remained part of the lineup.

Why the donation matters

In announcing the contribution, Macklemore said he wanted attention to return to Palestinians and to humanitarian organizations working to provide assistance on the ground, arguing that financial support should accompany continued international attention to the humanitarian crisis. He described the donation as one of the forms of solidarity available to him and said the organizations receiving the funds were undertaking work while the wider public debate continued.

The six organizations named by Macklemore include groups involved in medical assistance, humanitarian relief, food support and services for Palestinian communities. The donation therefore represents a direct financial commitment from the rapper following the controversy surrounding his role in Sheeran’s tour, while also bringing greater public visibility to organizations involved in Palestinian humanitarian relief.

The disagreement over the tour

Macklemore’s announcement has also intensified discussion surrounding his removal from the tour. Robert Kraft has confirmed that he opposed Macklemore performing at Gillette Stadium, citing what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery, while emphasizing his support for humanitarian assistance and efforts involving both Palestinians and Israelis. Sheeran, meanwhile, has said he has personal views about the conflict but does not intend to make his concerts political.

The controversy has had wider consequences for the Loop Tour, with supporting performers including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Sheeran’s backing band Beoga withdrawing from remaining U.S. dates in solidarity with Macklemore. The developments have placed the tour within a broader discussion about artistic expression, political speech, humanitarian advocacy and the role of performers in addressing international conflicts.

Kraft later said Sheeran had contacted him before Macklemore's public challenge and asked him to commit $2 million for aid in the region. Associated Press reported that a spokesperson confirmed Kraft would provide matching funds, but the intended recipients were not identified. That planned contribution is separate from Macklemore's pledge to the six named groups. The public statements do not establish that all promised transfers have already been completed.

What happens next

Macklemore has said his decision to donate the $1 million is intended to shift the focus away from the dispute surrounding his tour participation and toward Palestinian humanitarian needs, while his invitation to Kraft to match the contribution has added another dimension to the ongoing public debate over humanitarian assistance and political expression.

The remaining tour dates must proceed with a changed supporting lineup. For the organizations Macklemore named, the immediate question is when the pledged money will reach their programs. For concertgoers, the issue is how the tour will respond to the departures of multiple performers. The dispute has brought both questions into the same public conversation, but they are separate outcomes that will need separate updates.