Pro-Palestinian rappers donate for Palestine

Robert Kraft says Ed Sheeran asked him to donate $2m in aid after Macklemore backlash.

Robert Kraft, the US stadium owner who had pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore removed as Ed Sheeran’s opening act at his venue, says Sheeran has asked him to donate $2m (£1.5m) to “aid in the region”.

The request came after Macklemore said he would donate $1m (£750,000) to Palestinian organisations, challenging Kraft to match the sum.

Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, announced the requested pledge in his second statement this week on the controversy, without specifying where exactly the funds would go.

On Monday, he confirmed he had Macklemore dropped as the opening act from Sheeran’s forthcoming performance at the Gillette Stadium near Boston, accusing the rapper of hate speech.

Facing a backlash, Sheeran has said the decision to drop Macklemore from his Loop Tour was made by promoters and that he would not be drawn into a public debate over Gaza.