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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   10013 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of September 14, 2026

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Macklemore x Ed Sheeran concert: politics cannot be ignored

Ed Sheeran (everyone's favorite dreamy male singer) is holding a big tour across North and South America. Macklemore (everyone's favorite white rapper) got kicked out after (in an earlier concert) saying "Free Palestine", playing a song with pro-Palestine lyrics, and this:

To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you...This message is for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.

Ed Sheeran has defended himself, saying it was not his decision - indeed, one Robert Kraft graciously confirmed he coordinated venues to boycott Macklemore - though Sheeran also remarked he tries to avoid politics in general:

I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict...Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.

There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics - my audience includes young people, often children, from all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore's strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace...

So far, four other performers have dropped in solidarity with Macklemore.

Interestingly, Gillette stadium which banned Macklemore is hosting Kanye West, yes, the guy who was praising Hitler a year ago (albeit later admitting mental illness).

What do you think?

First, let me address the elephant in the room: the music industry is a corrupt dumpsterfire, basically a cartel. This is what cartels do. Besides dropping his pro-Palestine friend, Sheeran must also accept Ticketmaster price-gouging attendees, limited tour dates (I overheard somewhere there used to be far more concerts), and other nonsense. He probably could just find more accomodating venues if every one wasn't owned by Live Nation.

Lots of people are discussing how politics can't be avoided, and they're right. This is an excellent case study of how the endgame of "politics" convolutes everything and makes everyone miserable. Everyone loses here: Macklemore for taking a mild pro-Palestine stance gets kicked out of venues and attacked by Palestine opposers, Sheeran for taking a pro-peace neutral stance gets his tour lineup wrecked and attacked by Palestine supporters. There is nothing these performers can do, even be completely silent, that won't get them attacked by some group.

But the other side of "every side gets you attacked" is that no side is truly best. With no obvious winning strategy, you can be truer to yourself. And as Macklemore says:

I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunity, safety, and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.

Less tyrannical cartels, more people able to say what they want and go home to their families (with careers, money, opportunity, safety, and audiences)...I can defend these by linking them to other axioms, but ultimately they just seem right to me. I think celebrities should express their politics (including neutrality), for authenticity, and moreso because they can: it widens the Overton Window as they avoid life-ruining consequences. Even Kanye and his edgy schizo-manifestations, which I (unsuprisingly) strongly disagree with, but don't hate and even sort of appreciate for some odd reason. Yes my thinking is flawed, but look, his "cancellation" gave him the Streisand effect and today he performs where even Macklemore cannot, so what is flawless?

(Also, holy shit, can news sites link to their actual sources instead of writing articles whose sole content is paraphrasing them? Credit to variety.com of all outlets, the one article I found that did, albeit in the middle.)

I would argue that the attached image is slightly more than mildly pro Palestine stance. Wage the culture war, die by the culture war. He could have gone the whole tour without mentioning Palestine on stage. It is possible. But his narcissism took precedence.

One thing that celebrities should learn is just to keep their fucking mouths shut. Which the celebrities of pre social era managed to do. He is a servant whom I pay to sing to me. I don't care what he thinks about two countries that are just a speck on the map.

For cartels - this is government job. They should break monopolies, monopsonies and vertical integration.

Politically neutral outfit for a rapper.

But his narcissism took precedence.

Disclaimer: I do not know any of the guys (presumably they are guys?) involved.

Perhaps you are right and this is all about him making a scene for the attention and press coverage.

But in the age of DJT, it is easy to forget that sometimes, famous (?) people can be motivated by something besides greed and ego. It happens.

Famous people have reach, and sometimes they decide to use that reach to transmit a message unrelated to the thing which they are famous for. It is a whole thing. My understanding is that plenty of musicians protested the Vietnam war, and this was genuinely a sign of being authentic.

Put it another way: would you also express disgust at him professing his beliefs on stage if it was about his religion, or a cause which you supported? "Can you believe the nerve of that guy, going on stage and asking for a minute of silence for the victims of 9/11? I don't give a fuck about Bush vs Osama, he should just shut the fuck up and entertain me."

I am sure the AI musicians of the future will be more to your liking -- the perfectly bland entertainment machines whose silver-grey surfaces can reflect any message equally well once the advertisement contract is signed or the focus group reports are in.

But in the age of DJT, it is easy to forget that sometimes, famous (?) people can be motivated by something besides greed and ego.

Unfortunately usually they are motivated by stupid.

As you can see in my other post I have explicitly addressed Vietnam. American rockers have the right to bitch about unfair drafting policies of the USG. If he was on 9/11 memorial concert it is ok, if it was 9/11 and he was having a concert also. If it was 23rd of june and he calls for 9/11 minute of silence in Bucharest - yes it is cringe.

My point is that Macklemore's opinion on Israel/Palestine is totally worthless. Like the opinion of Adriana Chechik on OpenAI's solution to Navier Stokes (Adi - if you are reading this, please take no offense, but you are famous for other types of fluid mechanics). He can't add anything to the conversation, he won't change anyone's opinion, so yes - free Palestine is exactly as masturbatory as the people that put posters - Missing for the Hamas hostages in NYC.

He is not that interesting so I could care what is his opinion or belief on anything.

At a U2 concert in Ireland, Bono asks the audience for some quiet. Then he starts to slowly clap his hands. Holding the audience in total silence, he says into the microphone: " I want you to think about something. Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies.".. A voice from the front of the audience yells out: "Then fuckin stop clapping, ya fuckin cunt"

Edit: Not saying that a celebrity has no right/is inappropriate to have or express opinions, but that if you want to help Palestine - create a Food for Palestine tour and donate some of the proceeds to it. Then you can talk as much as you want on stage, because the people going are there for both music and politics. There are also trolls which should be exempt - but proper trolls are rare among a list celebrities.

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