Macklemore released “White Privilege II” Thursday (January 21). On the song, the Seattle rapper details various experiences from his perspective as a White rapper. In an interview with Rolling Stone published today (January 25), Macklemore unpacks the process of writing the song and analyzing his experiences. One of the events is his involvement at a Black Lives Matter rally after Darren Wilson was not indicted for shooting and killing Mike Brown.
“I remember streaming it, watching the non-indictment, and feeling sick, physically sick, frustrated and angry,” he says. “I got in my car, and I drove by these people assembled outside of the police precinct. I parked my car as the march was coming down the street, we proceeded to march all over Seattle, and we ended up shutting down the freeway.”
A conversation ensued with “an O.G.” Hip Hop artist whose name Macklemore did not want to share. Macklemore calls the dialogue a “defining moment” for him.
“He sent me a DM on Twitter and then he called me, and he said, ‘I see you, I see what you’re doing,'” Macklemore says. “He was very complimentary about the music we’ve made, and it led into him saying, ‘You have a platform, but silence is an action, and right now, you’re being silent. You’re not saying anything about what’s going on, and because you’re a White rapper you have perspective and an insight onto these issues that you need to be speaking about. It’s very important that you engage your audience.’
On the track, Macklemore also details the question of White rappers and cultural appropriation. He says that when he mentions Miley Cyrus and Iggy Azalea on the song, he did not mean to diss them, but simply include them in the larger discussion. Azalea seemingly took offense at being mentioned on the song and shared her thoughts on Twitter.
“It’s an unpacking moment of internalized criticism and self-doubt, and ‘What have I done,’ and letting the criticism infiltrate who I am,” the “Downtown” rapper says. “‘Why am I insecure at a protest?’ And I think that people get put into boxes, and the conversation around cultural appropriation — I was at the forefront of that, rightfully so. And that conversation also included Miley Cyrus and Iggy Azalea, and that’s why their names are on the record.”
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ This Unruly Mess I’ve Made album is slated for a February 26 release.
For additional Macklemore coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
he wants black people to like him so badly hahahaha
I cut for him. It actually seems like people want to not like him so badly – no joke.
Wacklemore is wack
Macklemore is wack all his political BS wanted fit in so badly w the black culture it is a joke and making a song called white privilege go get fucked man. Thank the lord for GEazy and of course Shady cuz this piece of garbage trying to get his nobody wants to hear his message across. Just make music ….
The second you brought G-Eazy and Eminem into the conversation you lost 100% credit. Your analysis of this man as an artist is flawed. What content have em or G-Eazy brought to the table in the past years? “just make music” yeah just make music that blends in with the rest of the background noise. Great way to ensure no changes are made.
You’ve exploited and stolen the music, the moment The magic, the passion, the fashion, you toy with The culture was never yours to make better You’re Miley, you’re Elvis, you’re Iggy Azalea.
Let’s take a moment to re-evaluate what exactly is being said here and in what connotation :
Continuing his self-questioning and self-reflection, Macklemore questions his own appropriation of Black culture. He does this by drawing comparisons to Miley Cyrus,Iggy Azalea and Elvis.
Presley — artists who have also received this criticism.
This means things that he and all of us have been hearing from news media on the daily about these artists. This doesn’t mean that HE @MACKLEMORE said nor is saying any of this himself about them. This is merely his internal dialogue being conveyed through this song for dramatic affect . Ben would never write a song about anti-hate just to turn around and diss anyone person. So in my opinion Miss. Iggy Azalea should probably go to a quiet dark area and put this song on repeat until she hears and feels the true message and meaning of #WhitePrivilegeII. We mustn’t add to the problem but instead be a part of the solution
Logic is the best white rapper out right now read the reviews he’s killing macklemore and is in a par with j cole and kendrick imo!
He is mixed race. Black dad, white mom.
Logic is not white, just like he’s not black either. He’s biracial .
That means he’s black my friend and if your sister brought him home for dinner you couldn’t convince your lilly parents otherwise… No shade intended
That was shade. “Lilly parents”? I’m black. (Both parents are black) Good night.
Lmao my bad broham I was referring to the 1 drop rule that implies if you have 1 drop of black blood in you that you were in fact of the black race, and I used the word lilly in place of conventional or traditional bit no shade intended
I also want to add that people are very hypocritical. Culture appropriation is culture appropriation, you just can’t exclude someone because they’re good at it or its someone you like.
I got an idea… Gonna sound crazy…
No matter what race you are how about you don’t commit crimes and try and fight cops/resist arrest and you won’t put yourself in a position to get killed.
If I come and try and jack anyone of you and your carrying, your going to protect yourself and shoot to kill.
Did anyone actually look at the statistics for black on white crime vs white on black crime?? Or just what the media shoves down your throat?
For everything else we can just give everyone participation trophy a so no one gets their feelings hurt. Skill won’t matter anymore, everyone will get an award
Here’s a idea for you…go fuck yourself you hermaphrodite
Stfu asshole
logic borin b…i hate that nigga slim jesus but he been in the game for like 6 months had more a impact and buzz then logic…
Macklemore was upset that an innocent man wasn’t given a trial? That seems rather counterintuitive.
A lot of white people share his sentiments on those kind of issues, not a matter of black and white, its about right and wrong, justice and injustice, that’s why its uncool and not right to generalize white people as a whole of being racist cause although racism, and racist people exsist, historically whites have been very instrumental in desegregation and equality, even going back to the underground railroad and the abolition of slavery
He’s not innocent
macklemore’s such a herb, even when he releases an explicit diss he has to backpedal and apologize and look within himself.
Only a real live nerd that doesn’t get pussy uses the word herb smh
The problem is this… he uses “cultural appropriation” but he’s really talking about race. Just say we take black people’s shit then man. Stop saying culture. He’s talking about black people. The problem is, a black person who grew up in the country has more in common “culturally” with his neighbor, whatever color he may be, and a white person who grew up in the city has more in common “culturally” with his neighbor of whatever color. A big part of this is YOUR LOCATION and your ECONOMIC STANDING. It’s not all about race. This fool is talking about race. He has no problem saying race when he names his song. I don’t know what THE hell he’s talking about I guess. He’s bugging. …I don’t know….
I think there’s an honesty to the song that is good to hear, at least he’s not pretend thuggin..
He has an annoying voice though and his flow doesn’t really hit the spot..
I do think that it’s important for artists to make songs that open discussion on serious stuff sometimes and for this he must be applauded because I haven’t heard other mainstream artists black or white really offer much other than the usual gangsta, Molly poppin, I’m richer than you rhetoric to which most of the audience can’t relate to,
maybe we’ll all be inspired to chase cash, worship the dollar above decency and be good little slave consumers..
I’d rather be encouraged to think, discuss and be a more aware and better person..
Maybe Macklemore can get a lil credit for at least ‘saying something’ when it’s not fashionable to do so…
Eminen hasn’t said much other than how he’s a pervert psycho, has a really hard time despite his success, he’s better than everyone at rapping, or hates his ex for as long as I can remember..
I wish we had a modern day PE, intelligent rhymes at the forefront..
How is Migos, Young Thug, Rick Ross and the rest the big names in Hip Hop music letting the corny white dude be the only one to make a statement on this shit in the mainstream?
They scared of biting the hand that feeds them?
Black or white we need revolutionary vibes back in what Hip Hop has become.
Endless drug dealing thugs and party pill popping auto tuned bullshit pretty boys with nothing to say should look at themselves and ask how did it come to this…
Macklemore? How?
Zz.
There is a really popular rapper named Kendrick Lamar…Ever heard of him? His music is 10x more thought provoking then anything Macklemore has ever written or been a part of. Maybe you should google him LMAO
How many songs has Kendrick Lamar made about gay people? None, while you continue to hope for all gays to be killed execution style because of their beliefs.
Eminem did the same thing with his song White America, in addressing white priviledge I respect that they are both real, and forthcoming about their experiences as white rappers in a black male dominated music genra and not always running into the obstacles that most black rappers face, doesn’t have anything to do with fitting in or being accepted by black culture its more of being moved by the music and inspired to do it and how some doors are easily opened up to them because they are white, regardless of the orgin of rap music everyone, every race, color or creed if inspired by it has the right to express and bring fourth their art to the culture, its no different then black artist being inspired by country music thus becoming a country singer