Kyle Sandilands blasts Macklemore as a 'soft leftie' after rapper was dropped from Ed Sheeran tour over Palestine stance: 'Can't fill a stadium'

Kyle Sandilands has weighed into the drama between British pop star Ed Sheeran and American rapper Macklemore. 

The performer, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped as an opening act on Sheeran's American tour after making pro-Palestinian comments on stage. 

Shock jock Sandilands blasted Macklemore, and other tour openers, including Billie Eilish's brother, Finneas, who departed the tour in solidarity over Macklemore's sacking, calling them 'soft c**k lefties'. 

'We are paying to come and watch you perform music,' he said on his Kyle Sandilands Live radio show this week. 

'Music is for everyone and no one in that crowd should be made to feel unwanted by anyone that we're paying to come and watch.'

Sandilands suggested that Macklemore should stay silent as he is 'not big enough' to mount his own headline tour. 

'Don't piggyback on someone else's career to push your own political nonsense. No one cares about that,' he said.

'And all these people who also quit that no one ever heard of before. See you then. Good luck ever getting on a concert tour again any of you.'

Sandilands said Macklemore should keep his political opinions to himself, 'until you're going to be big enough one day to fill up a stadium of people'. 

Macklemore was dropped from the US leg of Sheeran's Loop Tour earlier this month. 

The Thrift Shop hitmaker said Sheeran had spoken to Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts through his holding company, the Kraft Group.

'Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,' he wrote.

'Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.'

On Tuesday, Sheeran released his own statement on Instagram, saying it wasn't his decision to remove Macklemore from the tour, but rather the promoter's.

'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,' the British singer-songwriter added.

Sheeran said in the lengthy statement that he has 'personal views on this devastating conflict,' but made the choice 'not to speak publicly.'

He has faced criticism from other artists, including Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, who bashed him on social media for not taking a stand against the decision.

Finneas pulled out of his scheduled appearances in upcoming tour dates, stating that 'artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.'

Tour openers including Aaron Rowe and the band Lukas Graham, along with Sheeran's long-time backing folk band Beoga, also withdrew from the endeavour.

Sheeran also addressed fans at his Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.

He stated from the stage: 'I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry.'

He said, 'I don't want to disappoint fans and I've never wanted to be an activist musician. But this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech in the most complex political issue on the planet.'

The pop star continued, 'Our concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am and that is why I'm here tonight, on my own, and continuing my own tour.'

Sheeran went on to say that he was 'deeply worried' about venues pre-approving the content of a performance.  

'This happens in so many places that I've gone around the world, but it should never happen in the free world,' he said.