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Macklemore launches Free Palestine tour in Dublin

· Fact-checked before it aired. Unconfirmed claims from this segment are not shown.

Rapper Macklemore (Benjamin Haggerty) launched his "Free Palestine" tour in Dublin this week, days after being removed from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour. The controversy began when Macklemore, as Sheeran's opening act at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium in early September, told the crowd he wanted to stand in a stadium and say "Free Palestine," and later described the death toll from Israel's military action in Gaza as genocide — a characterization Israel rejects. After pressure from groups including the Israeli American Council and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Sheeran's camp dropped Macklemore from the tour on 14 September. Macklemore has said proceeds from the new tour will go to organizations supporting Palestinians.

The fallout turns on how the slogan "Free Palestine" is received. Macklemore insists his message is pro-peace and not anti-Jewish: he told his "Jewish brothers and sisters" that criticism of Israel, apartheid and genocide "in no way is a criticism of you." Kraft and pro-Israel groups saw the remarks as hate speech and antisemitic rhetoric. The underlying dispute is whether the phrase is legitimate political speech or a dog whistle calling for the elimination of the world's only Jewish state.

Adidas released a new spot with Hasan Minhaj responding to LeBron James' "I don't watch the Three Stripes" comment, and it does mock Drake as "a certain bandwagon fan" facing "FOMO and buried in lawsuits." The ad is part of the rollout for Anthony Edwards' third signature shoe, the AE3.

Macklemore has indeed begun a "Free Palestine" tour — it opened in Dublin — after being dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour in September over his onstage "Free Palestine" remarks at MetLife Stadium. Personal reaction to memes, no checkable factual claim. POST 2113423290718982545: NOCLAIM Personal reaction to memes, no checkable factual claim. POST 2113739498005864950: NOCLAIM Personal reaction to a TV character's story arc, no checkable factual claim. POST 2112508593610400216

Fact-check

VERIFIED TRUE

Adidas released a new spot with Hasan Minhaj responding to LeBron James' "I don't watch the Three Stripes" comment, and it does mock Drake as "a certain bandwagon fan" facing "FOMO and buried in lawsuits." The ad is part of the rollout for Anthony Edwards' third signature shoe, the AE3.

New Anthony Edwards Ad Takes Shots at Drake: ‘A Certain Bandwagon Fan Is Facing FOMO & Buried in Lawsuits’ https://t.co/KquDzfCblG

Original post · @billboard

Yahoo Sports, SI FanNation NAMES: AE3 = Anthony Edwards' third Adidas signature sneaker; PrizePicks = a daily fantasy sports app the AE3 colorway is tied to.

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Macklemore has indeed begun a "Free Palestine" tour — it opened in Dublin — after being dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour in September over his onstage "Free Palestine" remarks at MetLife Stadium. Personal reaction to memes, no checkable factual claim. POST 2113423290718982545: NOCLAIM Personal reaction to memes, no checkable factual claim. POST 2113739498005864950: NOCLAIM Personal reaction to a TV character's story arc, no checkable factual claim. POST 2112508593610400216: NOCLAIM Personal reaction, no checkable factual claim.

Macklemore Calls for Unity During First 'Free Palestine' Show: 'Those Two Words Are So Threatening to Some People' https://t.co/Aak4GJZhNq

Original post · @Variety

BBC, Variety, Boston Globe POST 2113736522293788683: NOCLAIM

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This is the second time Anthony Edwards' camp has responded to the Kevin Durant/Drake Nike commercial from earlier this year. The new Adidas ad, featuring Hasan Minhaj, takes shots at both LeBron James and Drake, including the "bandwagon fan... buried in lawsuits" line.

New Anthony Edwards Ad Takes Shots at Drake: ‘A Certain Bandwagon Fan Is Facing FOMO & Buried in Lawsuits’ - This is the second time the NBA superstar has responded to a Kevin Durant & Drake Nike commercial from earlier this year.

Original post · Billboard

Billboard, Yahoo Sports

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Billboard reported that Chlöe Bailey dressed as "Hot Meg Griffin" from Family Guy for Halloween and that SZA approved of the costume. It is Billboard's own entertainment news report. Promotional segment video, no checkable factual claim.

Chlöe Bailey Dresses Up as ‘Hot Meg Griffin’ From ‘Family Guy’ for Halloween & SZA Loves It - Spooky season is here!

Original post · Billboard

Billboard POST news:466476763e43b6fe: NOCLAIM

Sources

What the hosts said

CMacklemore's answer to getting dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour? Launch his own, in Dublin, with 'Free Palestine' front and center.
LThe same phrase that got him kicked off the Loop Tour after MetLife Stadium, yeah. And he opened this one by repeating it.
CHe says it's not anti-Jewish — and quoted directly, he told his Jewish brothers and sisters that criticizing Israel is not criticizing them.
LWhich is true. The guy's been consistent. He says proceeds from this tour go to Palestinian organizations; he's putting his money where his mouth is.
CBut Robert Kraft called it hate speech and reportedly got on the phone to have him removed. You think that was wrong?
LI think it was an overreaction. 'Free Palestine' is a political slogan, not a call for violence. The head of the Combat Antisemitism Movement even said the phrase alone isn't inherently antisemitic.
CBut when you couple it with calling the death toll a genocide — which Israel rejects — you're not just saying 'I support Palestinian rights.' You're choosing a side in a war, loudly, from a stage.
LChoosing a side? He's choosing to speak for people who are dying. That's not hatred; that's courage. And Sheeran's team folded under pressure from a billionaire.
CIt's a business, Laura. If your opening act becomes a lightning rod, the headliner has every right to say, 'Not on my tour.' That's not censorship; that's private enterprise.
LPrivate enterprise that caved to a donor with an agenda. Kraft's money talks; he's not exactly a neutral party on Israel.
CNeither is Macklemore. He's been on this for years. So both sides have strong opinions. The question is whether a stadium concert is the right venue for it.
LWhere else? The man has a platform. He's using it. You don't have to agree with him, but you can't pretend he's shouting 'death to Jews.' He literally said the opposite.
CFine, but here's my issue: He described the situation as genocide. That's a legal term with a specific meaning, and most democracies, including the US, don't classify it that way. Using it shuts down debate.
LOh, come on. 'Genocide' isn't just a legal term; it's a moral judgment. If tens of thousands of civilians are dead, people will call it what they think it is. You can disagree with the word, but it's not hate speech.
CThen why did the American Jewish Committee's local director call it 'a rallying cry' that can demonize the only Jewish state? That's not nothing.
LBecause they have a perspective, but that doesn't make Macklemore an antisemite. He's been clear: he's criticizing a government, not a religion. There's a difference.
CI'll give you that. But you have to understand why many Jews hear danger in that phrase when it's chanted at rallies where people also say 'from the river to the sea.' Context matters.
LAnd Macklemore doesn't use that phrase. You're lumping him in with others. That's exactly the problem — guilt by association.
COkay, okay. We're not going to settle this. But the tour is happening, it's sold out in Dublin, and he says he's donating the money. That part we can agree is consistent.
LConsistent and, honestly, a pretty punk move for a guy who could have just apologized and stayed on the biggest tour of the year.
CA punk move that cost him a huge paycheck. We'll see if the rest of Europe shows up the same way. Speaking of lawsuits and musicians, Neil Young is reportedly going after Trump again.
LBillboard is reporting a 10 million dollar copyright lawsuit over 'Rockin' in the Free World' at a rally. Again.
CWait, this is the same song he's sued over before. And the same rally context, right, from a midterm election event.
LYeah, and the quote from his lawyers is perfect: 'The song is the opposite of everything Donald Trump stands for.' That sounds like a legal filing with a press release attached.
CSo what's new? If I remember, he already won this fight once, and Trump's team reportedly stopped using it. Why sue again?
LBecause they used it again, apparently. And the damages request is symbolic — it's about making a point, not money.
CWhich is fine. But if I'm Neil Young, I'd rather write a new song about it. Lawsuits are a waste of energy.
LYou're not Neil Young, and he's been fighting this for 40 years. He's consistent too.
CFair enough. But remember, no court filing is public yet — this is just Billboard's report. So take it with a grain of salt until the paperwork lands.
LGot it. And in lighter news, Chlöe Bailey went as 'Hot Meg Griffin' from Family Guy for Halloween, and SZA is on record approving.
CWait, Hot Meg? She dressed as the character after she gets a makeover and becomes the hot version? That's a deep cut.
LExactly. Family Guy did a whole episode where Meg gets hot and the family can't handle it. Chlöe basically did a cosplay, posted it, and SZA commented 'I love this' or something.
CI have to see this. But honestly, Halloween costumes that reference a specific episode of a 20-year-old cartoon are my favorite genre.
LIt's very online, very self-aware. And it's got SZA's seal of approval, so it's basically canon now.
CAnd that's the kind of content that keeps the internet alive.

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