Dropkick Murphys' Ken Casey Slams Ed Sheeran Over Macklemore Tour Exit

Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey has voiced strong disapproval regarding Ed Sheeran's decision to remove Macklemore from his "Loop Tour." The controversy arose after Macklemore made public comments supporting Palestinians and criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza, leading to his subsequent removal from the tour.

Speaking to Boston Public Radio, Casey emphasized the importance of solidarity among musicians on tour.

Anytime we've gone on tour we've selected the bands that have opened for us - that's brotherhood, sisterhood, that's family,

Casey stated. "You live or die with the people you bring on the road.

They're your people."

Casey sharply criticized Sheeran's actions, saying, "And the fact that Ed Sheeran took the knee, no matter what the cause is, and not stood with his fellow tour partner, just doesn’t, you know, sit right with me. And that’s not how Dropkick Murphys would operate." His comments were met with applause during the broadcast.

Sheeran, however, has claimed that the decision to remove Macklemore was not his own, but rather that of the promoter, Messina Touring Group, influenced by pressure from venues. Macklemore also indicated that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft allegedly spearheaded a campaign to have him removed from the tour.

Casey stressed that an artist should always stand by their beliefs, regardless of potential repercussions. He recounted an instance where Dropkick Murphys spoke out against the Trump administration at Rocklahoma Festival, leading to many walkouts and a likely ban from future events.

Once you let that go, then you don't have any worth in your music if you ask me,

Casey asserted.

Macklemore seems to share this conviction, having doubled down on his stance by pledging $1 million to Palestinian support groups and challenging Robert Kraft to match his donation. Kraft responded, stating Sheeran had asked him to commit $2 million to humanitarian aid in the region. A representative for Sheeran has not yet commented on Kraft's statement.

This incident highlights the ongoing tension between artistic freedom, political expression, and commercial pressures within the music industry.

#DropkickMurphys #EdSheeran #Macklemore