US RAPPER MACKLEMORE has announced a “Free Palestine” tour and will bring it to Dublin next month.

Paris and London are the other two stops confirmed on the tour so far.

Macklemore made headlines earlier this month when he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour after his chants of ‘Free Palestine’.

He joined Sheeran on tour in two venues across the US earlier this month and used both performances to advocate for Palestinians, wearing a keffiyeh and calling for peace.

After Macklemore was dropped from the tour, all of Sheeran’s support acts pulled out in solidarity with the US rapper.

Sheeran was accused of failing to stand up to the stadium owners, led by billionaire businessman Robert Kraft.

Macklemore previously said that Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium, told Sheeran that Macklemore “would not be allowed to perform in his stadium”.

“Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues,” said Macklemore.

Last week, Sheeran addressed the controversy in his first gig since Macklemore was cancelled as a support act and acknowledged that he made “mistakes”.

In a comment on social media announcing the tour, Macklemore said: “If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years.”

He said 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”.

He added: “Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. 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.”

Macklemore said that being dropped as a support artist for Sheeran was “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 then quipped that his “schedule freed up a bit” and he has been “reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences”.

While he said the “schedules and details are still being worked out”, Macklemore confirmed a Dublin date in the 3Arena on Monday, 26 October.

Related Reads

Classic Hits Radio to remove Ed Sheeran music 'for foreseeable future' amid Macklemore row

Opinion: Ed Sheeran says he’s apolitical. His Macklemore decision tells a different story

'Free Palestine': The Irish artists standing by Macklemore and pulling out of Ed Sheeran's US tour

Macklemore Macklemore

Other dates will include Paris on 29 October and London on 30 October.

Macklemore said “all proceeds will benefit organisations supporting the Palestinian people and movement”.

A Three+ presale for the Dublin show will take place from 10am on 28 September, with general sale from 10am on 30 September.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin weighed in on the controversy today when he spoke to reporters in New York, where he’s been attending the UN Assembly.

“I think Ed Sheeran has acknowledged he’s made mistakes here, but I don’t want to embroil myself in that,” he said.

“I’m very much focused on how do we, how does the world change Israel’s strategic approach? In other words, there needs to be a fundamental shift in terms of policy towards Palestinians.”

Martin said a “critical mass” of countries have come together, but countries such as the United States, which has significant influence over Israel, will need to be brought on side.