Macklemore, a 43-year-old rapper who won a Grammy more than a decade ago, was invited to open for Ed Sheeran on a North American tour. A Townhall columnist wrote that Macklemore used the slot to criticize Jews and the United States and to defend terrorists and communists rather than simply perform.

The columnist said paying Sheeran fans had not come for lectures from one of several opening acts and that the appearance showed disrespect toward the headliner who had given Macklemore access to a large audience. The writer contrasted Sheeran’s lasting career with Macklemore’s earlier brief success.