The saga of Macklemore

So, for those of you who have sworn off social media, or who have your heads buried in the sand for other reasons, there's been a huge drama unfolding in the music world.
Here are our three main characters:
P!nk

I really thought she was a good person. She's donated to so many charities that I love, including Human Rights Campaign, ONE Campaign, The Prince's Trust, New York Restoration Project, Run for the Cure Foundation, Save the Children, Take Back the Night, UNICEF, World Animal Protection, One Billion Rising, Youth Off The Streets, Black Lives Matter, Good Ride, Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights Fund, Jeans For Refugees and Family Equality.

Ed Sheeran

No, that's not what you find when your mom says you have Ron Weasley at home. He's a singer, because he likes to perform soft rock and hip hop, I don't think I've ever actually heard a single thing he's performed. What I do know is that he has actively been political when it suits him, opposing Brexit, supporting Jeremy Corbyn, and standing up for Ukraine. He also signed an open letter to expand the Civil Rights Act in the US to also protect LGBT people. This is important to remember later.

Macklemore

Another artist I've never heard, but heard of. Dude's a rapper. Never really been in the spotlight for anything but rap, so I really had no reason to pay attention to him.

Robert Kraft

No, not the macaroni and cheese guy. Different guy. This guy owns a bunch of paper companies, some sports arenas, and the New England Patriots. Standard issue capitalist.


Ed Sheeran was touring with Macklemore and some other bands I'd never heard of. Macklemore took the opportunity to make a speech about something that's apparently important to him. Palestine, and the genocide being committed by Israel.

Something about the idea of equality for everyone and freedom for Palestine made P!nk feel personally threatened, and she freaked out on her Tumblr feed, calling him an anti-Semitic scumbag. You know, because somehow being opposed to genocide makes you anti-Semitic now. 🙄 Fans of P!nk were genuinely shocked that she's drinking the white and blue Kool-Aid now, when she's always had a record of standing up to tyrants. She got such a nasty backlash that she shut down comments on her Tumblr, and you'd think that would be the end of it.

Enter Robert Kraft, owner of the stadiums where Ed and Macklemore were going to perform. He told Ed in no uncertain terms that if he didn't drop Macklemore from the tour, there would be no tour.

Ed said that he's never been a political guy (you know, except for when he stood up for Ukraine, publicly opposed Brexit, and petitioned the US government to protect the rainbow folx), so he agreed to drop Macklemore like a hit shawarma. This went over like a lead balloon, and caused a massive argument on social media. And then, to make matters worse for poor Eddie, all of his opening acts quit the tour, followed by his bandmates.


Oh, and just in case anybody's thinking Macklemore's speech was purely performative, he's gone and put his money where his mouth is. One million dollars' worth. Straight to the Palestine fund.