Far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) erupted after woke rapper Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. stadium tour following a pro-Palestinian speech. Ocasio-Cortez accused New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and other stadium owners of using their wealth and control over major venues to silence political speech. She warned that similar pressure could eventually be applied to artists speaking about artificial intelligence or virtually any other political issue.
Ocasio-Cortez made the remarks while speaking with TMZ on Tuesday, September 15th, after she was asked about the growing turmoil surrounding Sheeran’s Loop Tour. Macklemore had been scheduled to open eight of the tour’s remaining ten shows before several venues reportedly objected to his continued participation. Sheeran’s promoter ultimately removed the rapper rather than risk the cancellation of the remaining concerts.
The dispute began after Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4th and shouted “Free Palestine” from the stage. He also performed “Hind’s Hall,” his protest song accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, while images from the conflict appeared behind him. The Israeli American Council subsequently circulated a petition seeking his removal, while Kraft determined that Macklemore wouldn’t be permitted to appear during Sheeran’s September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium.
In the video, Ocasio-Cortez argued that Macklemore’s removal revealed how a relatively small group of wealthy venue owners could exert control over national tours. “I think that what we’ve seen, especially—it’s not just what’s happened with the act and not just in removing Macklemore from the lineup, but when you see what Robert Kraft did to line up all the stadiums to censor speech in that one specific way, it’s become clear that it’s not just about one music artist or two music artists, but about how just a handful of stadium owners and the elite can prevent an entire massive issue—in this case, the genocide in Gaza,” she said.
Ocasio-Cortez offered the characterization as settled fact and expanded her claims well beyond just the conflict in the Middle East, claiming the same pressure could be aimed at performers who address what she described as other controversial subjects. “But it doesn’t stop there. It could be speaking out about AI. It could be speaking out about any issue that you can now just get a handful of stadium owners to ensure that an entire person’s career can be jeopardized if they speak out about any issue,” she said.
Ocasio-Cortez claimed that “a handful of stadium owners” could jeopardize an artist’s entire career over political comments. Kraft confirmed that he barred Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, but he hasn’t publicly confirmed Macklemore’s claim that he rallied the other stadium owners. That broader allegation came directly from Macklemore, who said Sheeran told him Kraft had rallied other stadium owners and helped force an ultimatum for the tour.
Watch Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks here:
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Kraft defended his decision in a statement, saying Gillette Stadium wouldn’t provide a platform for hate speech. He cited Macklemore’s recent conduct, material displayed during the New Jersey concerts, and what he called “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Kraft said advocating for Palestinians should not come “at the expense of the Jewish community” or obscure the responsibility of Hamas for suffering among both Palestinians and Israelis.
Sheeran later said the decision belonged to the promoter and venues because Macklemore’s touring contract wasn’t directly with him. The singer said he’d attempted to mediate between Macklemore, Kraft, the promoter, and the stadiums but couldn’t reach an agreement. “I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so,” Sheeran said, adding that “the venue’s and the promoter’s decision was final.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.