Who is Robert Kraft, pro-Israel billionaire who cancelled Macklemore?
Rapper Macklemore claims Kraft rallied other venue owners against his participation in Ed Sheeran's US tour.
American billionaire Robert Kraft has confirmed that he pressured pop star Ed Sheeran to drop rapper Macklemore from his American tour.
The billionaire is the owner of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, one of the venues Macklemore was due to appear on stage at as the opening act for Sheeran’s US tour in late September.
Letting Macklemore perform in Gillette Stadium would, Kraft said, cross a line, as he describes Macklemore’s recent performances as including a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery”.
Kraft’s public statement on the issue did not address the claim that the billionaire lobbied other stadium owners. He did say he is happy to sit down with Macklemore and talk in person.