Ed Sheeran has been branded a ‘coward’ and ‘bad human’ by his own cousin as the fallout from Macklemore’s removal from his US tour takes a deeply personal turn.
Jethro Sheeran, 44, has launched a blistering attack on the Shape of You singer, 35, declaring himself ‘ashamed’ of his famous relative.
His intervention comes after Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s US Loop Tour following the rapper’s outspoken support for Palestine during two opening sets at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium earlier this month.
Sheeran has strongly insisted the decision was not his, saying Macklemore’s removal was ultimately down to the tour promoter after venues threatened not to host upcoming shows if the rapper remained on the bill.
Jethro, however, wrote: ‘Finally it’s all coming out! I’m ashamed of my cousin Ed and what he’s done,’ he wrote on Facebook.
‘Finally the world and all his fans see through him. He’s not a good person, I don’t like his music so I can’t say he’s even a good artist.’
He went further, claiming: ‘Ed Sheeran! He is shady and he’s dropped Macklemore himself I believe 100 per cent he’s a coward.
‘In my opinion he’s a bad human. Just my opinion from my experiences.’
Jethro’s extraordinary attack comes with plenty of history attached.
The cousins were once close and reportedly spent school holidays making music together before their relationship spectacularly soured as Ed’s career took off.
At the centre of their previous dispute was Raise Em Up, a song Jethro recorded with Ed in 2010 which later featured in the 2013 film All Stars.
Jethro subsequently recorded a remix which credited his cousin and used Ed’s image in its artwork, reportedly hoping its release could help fund the fledgling music career of his daughter, Skyla Rain Sheeran.
However, lawyers representing Ed’s record label Warner Music reportedly contacted him and threatened legal action unless references to the superstar were removed.
Jethro has previously accused his cousin of having ‘screwed him over’ after becoming famous, meaning his latest comments come from a relative with whom Ed has already had a very public falling out.
The fresh family drama arrives amid a considerably bigger headache for the Grammy-winning star.
Macklemore had been due to support his longtime friend for eight of the final 10 dates of his US tour after performing at MetLife Stadium on September 4 and 5.
During those performances, the Thrift Shop rapper delivered speeches supporting Palestinians, wore a keffiyeh and told the stadium crowd: ‘Free Palestine.’
He was subsequently dropped from the remaining dates, triggering a fierce debate over free speech, politics and the extent of Sheeran’s involvement in the decision.
Sheeran broke his silence amid the backlash to insist: ‘Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.’
He explained that Macklemore’s contract was with the promoter rather than him and said venues on upcoming dates had communicated that they would pull the shows if the rapper continued as support.
The singer said he had spent days attempting to find a resolution between the different parties but could not overrule the venues involved.
Sheeran also addressed why fans should not expect him to make political speeches of his own on stage.
He said there was a reason he does not use his ‘professional platform for politics’, explaining that his audiences include young fans and people from vastly different backgrounds who come to his concerts expecting ‘unity, joy, escapism, love’.
The star also described himself as ‘appalled’ by the Israel-Palestine conflict and the human suffering it has caused.
The controversy has nevertheless continued to engulf the tour.
Sheeran’s remaining support acts subsequently withdrew from upcoming shows in solidarity with Macklemore, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga.
Macklemore has also stood by his decision to use the tour as a platform to speak about Palestinians.
Several prominent figures have publicly supported the rapper, including Formula One star Lewis Hamilton, who wrote: ‘Thank you for using your voice, standing with you.’
Climate activist Greta Thunberg offered ‘full solidarity’ with Macklemore and Palestine, while Paloma Faith described him as a ‘rare and important voice’.
Meanwhile, Pink has made it clear she does not support Macklemore’s political statements.
Taking to social media, the 47-year-old Grammy winner began: ‘Last Sunday I reposted somebody else’s post about Macklemore’s set at Ed Sheeran’s show. It said things in words I didn’t write, and I wouldn’t have chosen all of them. Then the comments came, and I did what I do when I’m hurt, which is post snarky memes and act like I’m fine. That’s on me.’
She argued that ‘a repost isn’t a statement, and a meme isn’t a spine’, admitting that ‘social media makes all of us cheap and fast, and we all know it’.
‘But I’d rather be disagreed with for what I actually said than hated for what anybody else wrote, so let me say it.’
She went on: ‘I was born a Jew. I didn’t pick it, and I’ve never hidden it. And this week a whole lot of people decided what I believe without asking me, without checking a single thing I’ve ever said or done, because a repost and the word “Jew” were apparently enough to fill in the rest. But let me fill it in… myself.’
Her 1,000+ word essay then stated that she ‘doesn’t speak for Israel or for any government’. Referring to comments from 2023, she reiterated her stance that ‘Palestinians deserve a future that honours their humanity and their aspirations’.
Others have also criticised aspects of Macklemore’s rhetoric and previous controversies, while venue owners have defended their objections to him appearing.
The row has also had a noticeable impact on Sheeran’s own online following, with the singer reportedly losing more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours as the controversy intensified.
For Jethro, however, the episode appears to have reopened wounds that have little to do with what happened on stage in New Jersey.