Belal Muhammad pulled no punches when addressing pop star Ed Sheeran’s decision to drop rapper Macklemore from his stadium tour following Macklemore’s on-stage pro-Palestinian comments.
Speaking on the fallout that ultimately saw Sheeran lose every single one of his remaining opening acts in solidarity, the Palestinian-American star slammed Sheeran for backing down under venue and promoter pressure.
“Yeah. I mean I think we live in a world now where a lot of these people don’t have backbones, right? And Ed Sheeran just showed that he doesn’t have a backbone. He’s scared,” Muhammad said during an interview.
According to sources, the controversy erupted after Macklemore declared “Free Palestine” during an opening set at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Venue owners and promoters subsequently pressured Sheeran’s team, issuing ultimatums that led to Macklemore’s removal from the remaining tour dates.
Rather than containing the situation, the move triggered a domino effect, with fellow artists Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Irish folk group Beoga all pulling out of the tour in protest.
Muhammad pointed out that the attempt to silence Macklemore ultimately backfired, amplifying his message far beyond the stadium walls.
“And when you’re willing to put it out there like that, it got more attention that he turned it down. It got more attention that he kicked Macklemore off his thing. It got more attention. So for Macklemore, it’s a like a blessing in disguise, right? Kick me off your tour now. Everybody else left off his tour,” Muhammad noted.
Addressing the nature of Macklemore’s statements, Muhammad emphasized that advocating for civilian lives should never be treated as a fireable offense.
“And I think it just shows it’s starting to show the world more. Like who’s real people, right?” Muhammad said. “Like you think that’s controversial. Nothing Macklemore said was controversial…. He didn’t come at any group of anybody. But they’re just looking for certain ways to to cancel somebody, right?”
For Muhammad, the situation highlighted a clear distinction between artists willing to take a financial hit for their principles and those who prioritize corporate safety.
“Real men, real people, real superstars like Macklemore who aren’t afraid to lose money for the bigger cause, that’s what history is going to remember,” Muhammad said. “Then they’re going to remember the cowards like Ed Sheeran who turned it down and money’s green, right? But your soul is black. Like these guys are evil people.”
