Legendary singer Roger Waters brands Ed Sheeran a ‘p***k’ in scathing takedown over Macklemore

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has criticised Ed Sheeran following the removal of Macklemore from the remaining US dates of Sheeran’s Loop Tour after the rapper made pro-Palestinian statements during a performance.

Waters shared a video titled “Ed Who?” in which he praised Macklemore for speaking out and directed an insult at Sheeran. “I just have a little message for you. There are two kinds of people in this world. Some people do the right thing. That rapper, Macklemore, would be one of those people,” Waters said. “And there are people who are p***ks, like you, who do the wrong thing. Goodbye.”

Macklemore had been supporting Sheeran on the US leg of the Loop Tour when he publicly expressed support for Palestinians during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During the show, the rapper shouted “Free Palestine,” performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall” and displayed images from Gaza.

Macklemore later said he had been removed from the tour after Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, objected to his participation. According to Macklemore, Sheeran told him that Kraft had said he would not be permitted to perform at Gillette Stadium and had rallied other stadium owners against his continued participation.

Kraft subsequently confirmed that he had decided not to allow Macklemore to perform at Gillette Stadium, although he did not address the rapper’s claim that he had persuaded other venue owners to take similar action. The promoter of Sheeran’s US tour, Messina Touring Group, said venues had informed it that they would not allow concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the lineup, creating the possibility that the remaining shows would be cancelled.

Sheeran later responded to the controversy, saying the final decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter and venues rather than by him. The singer said he had attempted to resolve the dispute and had spoken with venue owners, including Kraft, but was unsuccessful.

Sheeran said he was “appalled” by the suffering in both Israel and Palestine, adding: “There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.” He also rejected claims that his decision not to make political statements publicly meant he was indifferent to the conflict.

“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,” Sheeran said.

He added that he would not cancel his remaining performances because of the effect doing so would have on fans, touring staff and other performers. “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living,” he said.

Macklemore, meanwhile, said he understood the difficult position Sheeran had been placed in but was unwilling to stop publicly expressing his views on Palestine.

“I hope this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed,” Macklemore said. “Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement.” The rapper also said that “antisemitism is real” and told Sheeran that his door “will always be open to continuing that conversation.”

Macklemore concluded: “I didn’t need 10 shows from Ed. I needed two. Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say words that somehow became too dangerous to say.” Several public figures subsequently expressed support for Macklemore, including singer Paloma Faith, Irish rap group Kneecap, climate activist Greta Thunberg and singer Kehlani.

Faith described Macklemore as “a rare and important voice,” while Kneecap wrote: “Free Palestine. They can never silence the truth.” Comedian Jim Norton also cancelled scheduled performances at Gillette Stadium and Lincoln Financial Field Stadium in what he described as an act of solidarity.

Sheeran received public support from UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who said the singer had been placed in a difficult position by the dispute between performers, promoters and venues. “I really feel for Ed Sheeran in all of this, actually, because you know he’s got support acts who he wants to profile and platform,” Nandy said.

“He’s got promoters saying that they won’t when politics is being introduced to the stadium. I think he’s been left in a really difficult and impossible position.” Nandy added: “I hope it doesn’t harm his tour. He’s one of our most successful artists and also one of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with … I have enormous sympathy for the position that he finds himself in.”

She also said she understood why some concertgoers might prefer entertainment events without political messages. “The world is quite a difficult place at the moment, and I think a lot of people do also quite like to have a space where they can go, where they can leave all of that aside,” Nandy said.

“And so I do understand that for a lot of people, they just want to leave politics aside for a bit and be able to enjoy the music.” Former Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon also defended Sheeran, writing that anyone who had met the singer “even for five minutes knows he’s a good person with a good heart.”