Macklemore was dropped from the remainder of Sheeran’s stadium tour following a ‘pro-Palestine’ statement.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following the recent backlash over Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour due to his pro-Palestine remarks, social media users began unearthing an old controversy. A viral claim circulated online alleging that the American rapper previously performed wearing an antisemitic costume featuring Jewish caricatures, prompting a closer look at the facts.
Claim: Macklemore once performed in a Jewish costume utilizing antisemitic tropes
In the wake of his departure from Ed Sheeran’s tour, rumors spread across major social media platforms—including Instagram, Facebook, and X—racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
Among those sharing the claim was an X account believed to belong to Jewish actor Josh Malina, who accompanied his post with the caption, “Nah. Don’t defend this guy.”
Malina’s post included pictures of a man—identified as Macklemore—wearing a fake black beard, a bowl-cut wig, and an exaggeratedly large hooked nose. The outfit also featured a dark suit reminiscent of traditional Orthodox Jewish attire, with one photo capturing the performer making a gesture that drew comparisons to a Nazi salute.
Fact Check: The costume appearance is authentic
Investigations confirm that the claim is true, and the circulating photographs are genuine. Macklemore (born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) wore the controversial outfit during the opening night of the ‘Spectacle: The Music Video’ exhibition at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture in May 2014.
Getty Images archives verify the event with photographs matching those shared by Malina, and video footage from the performance can still be found online.
While the intent behind the gesture resembling a Nazi salute remains ambiguous, Macklemore issued a formal apology on his website three days after the event, addressing the backlash over his outfit.
Macklemore ousted from Ed Sheeran’s tour over ‘Free Palestine’ declaration
The resurfacing of this old controversy follows Macklemore’s dismissal from the remainder of Sheeran’s stadium tour. The removal came after the rapper used stage time to voice support for Palestine, prompting several other supporting acts to drop out of the English pop star’s tour in solidarity.
“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine,’” the rapper told the audience.