The rumor emerged in the wake of Macklemore’s departure from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following the widespread backlash over Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour due to his pro-Palestine remarks, a viral social media claim alleged that the rapper stated the Holocaust never happened. This assertion quickly drew severe criticism online, prompting many users to demand an investigation into its authenticity.
The Allegation: Did Macklemore deny the Holocaust?
A widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter) asserted that Macklemore claimed the Holocaust “never happened.”
Amassing close to half a million views, the post ignited intense online debate. While numerous users accused the artist of antisemitism and condemned the supposed comment, a segment of the audience expressed support, believing the statement to be genuine. Conversely, other social media users flagged the claim as fabricated propaganda designed to damage the 43-year-old musician’s reputation.
Verification: The rumor stems from a satire account
In reality, the claim is entirely false. There is zero evidence that the Grammy-winning artist ever uttered such words.
No official statements, press releases, or recent interviews feature any denial of the Holocaust by the rapper.
Furthermore, a review of his social media activity regarding recent controversies shows no trace of statements minimizing historical atrocities.
Given the current global tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict, a declaration of that magnitude from a mainstream celebrity would have immediately dominated headlines across major news networks. Ultimately, the origin of the rumor was traced back to an X profile named ‘Dissident Wire,’ which explicitly identifies itself as a ‘parody news’ source in its biography.
Tour fallout and Ed Sheeran’s response
The fake quote surfaced shortly after Macklemore was cut from the remainder of Ed Sheeran’s concert tour following a public declaration on stage advocating for a “free Palestine.”
During a performance, the rapper told the audience, “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.’”
His subsequent removal led to significant blowback, with several supporting acts dropping out of Sheeran’s tour in protest.
Addressing the controversy, Sheeran released a detailed statement explaining, “I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge,” while adding, “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”