Pink has since shared stories appearing to address the criticism, stating: “’What do you mean?’ Probably what I f***ing said” and “Being liked by everyone is a clown’s job”.
P!NK attends The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, June 7, 2026 (Credit: Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro
Alongside P!nk’s intervention, Culture Club frontman Boy George mocked Macklemore on social media and said: “Good on P!nk”.
He also shared an AI-generated image depicting Sheeran wearing a T-shirt bearing the words “Whack Mack No More”.
He also wrote on X that he had “never been an Ed Sheeran fan and nothing has changed”.
Sheeran himself has yet to address the controversy, but at time of writing, Macklemore remains on the tour.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, performed his pro-Palestinian song Hind’s Hall during the show after telling the audience that one of the reasons he wanted to join Sheeran’s tour was to use his platform to speak about Gaza.
“One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” he said.
“I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.”
Introducing Hind’s Hall, Macklemore said the song was inspired by the “bravery of Columbia University students” who in 2024 set up a Gaza solidarity encampment on campus, a move which he said “opened up hearts, myself included”.
The encampment became one of the most prominent and controversial pro-Palestinian student protests in the US during the war in Gaza.
He later appeared to respond directly to criticism from Jewish audiences. At a subsequent performance, he addressed what he called his “Jewish brothers and sisters”, saying: “Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.
“My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.”
He subsequently shared a video of his speech on Instagram, writing: “Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”
The comments have nevertheless prompted calls for Macklemore to be removed from Sheeran’s tour, with critics accusing him of turning a mainstream music event into a political platform.
The Israeli-American Council has also criticised the rapper, accusing him of using his platform to advance “a one-sided political agenda”.
The episode also marks another intervention by Boy George in the Israel-Gaza debate. The singer recently shared the AI-assisted pro-Israel song We Will Dance Again.
