Ed Sheeran has seen a significant drop in Instagram followers, losing nearly 500,000 since rapper Macklemore was removed from his "Mathematics Tour." The controversy intensified when Sheeran himself revealed he has experienced estrangement from friends and family due to the situation.
Macklemore announced on September 14 that he had been dropped from the tour following his on-stage calls for a "Free Palestine" and performance of his song "Hind's Hall" at MetLife Stadium. Before this announcement, Sheeran's Instagram follower count was 47.6 million, which has since decreased to 47.2 million.
During a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 19, Sheeran addressed the crowd tearfully, stating, "In these situations you really find out who your friends are. It's been a weird week." He recounted how people he had known for many years began to distance themselves, with many urging him to cancel the tour.
"I look at the end of the week and I see 50,000 people who haven’t abandoned me," Sheeran told the audience, expressing his gratitude. "People will say what they want, but I am doing this for you. I love you. I love this."
Following Macklemore's removal, all of Sheeran's opening acts also resigned from the tour in solidarity with the rapper. Sheeran had previously stated that Macklemore's removal was a decision made by the promoter, not by him directly, as his contract was with the promoter rather than Sheeran himself. He asserted that he attempted to mediate the situation but that the core issue stemmed from how Macklemore delivered his message.
Macklemore, in turn, claimed that Sheeran and his team were pressured by Robert Kraft, owner of the Kraft Group which operates Gillette Stadium, and other venue owners. According to Macklemore, Kraft issued an ultimatum: if Macklemore remained on the tour, he would not be permitted to perform in their venues.
Sheeran's cousin, Jethro Sheeran, publicly criticized the singer, calling him "selfish," "malicious," and "cunning" in a social media post, accusing him of prioritizing endorsements and private performances over genuine support for Macklemore.
Fans have also reacted strongly, with many demanding refunds for their concert tickets and denouncing Sheeran for not supporting Macklemore.
Sheeran's upcoming tour dates include performances at Gillette Stadium on Friday and Saturday.