Macklemore is taking his music to the stage once again after his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour in the US over "free Palestine" remarks led to a huge uproar.
The rapper announced the three-city Free Palestine Tour on Thursday, a new series of concerts in Europe, with additional dates expected to be announced.
According to TicketNews, the European shows will begin on October 26 at 3Arena in Dublin, followed by Accor Arena in Paris on October 29 and OVO Arena Wembley in London on October 30.
Ticketmaster is listing the concerts as "Macklemore & Friends", although the other participating artists have not been announced yet. Macklemore said he spent the past week reaching out to artists who have publicly supported Palestinians, with more performers expected to be announced as the plans take shape.
Macklemore said that all proceeds from the concerts will go towards organisations supporting the Palestinian people.
Macklemore Addresses Ed Sheeran Tour Exit
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour. According to TicketNews, the decision came after controversy over his pro-Palestinian remarks during two performances at MetLife Stadium.
While announcing the new concerts, Macklemore said, "What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage." He also questioned how decisions are made about artists performing on major stages.
He added that the new tour came together quickly and that some details are still being worked out. "So we're going on tour," he said
Benefit Shows Extend Macklemore's Aid Pledge
The new tour also follows a financial commitment Macklemore made after his removal from Sheeran's tour.
Last week, Macklemore said he would donate the entire $1 million in net earnings from the Loop Tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians. According to TicketNews, he had performed only two scheduled shows before being removed from the tour.
The upcoming concerts will give Macklemore another platform to raise funds through live performances. However, details about the participating artists, the organisations receiving the proceeds and the additional US dates are yet to be announced.
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