Though Macklemore’s intentions are seemingly in the right place I cannot help but squirm when his fans make him out to be some sort of hero to minorities. Whether or not you believe in the concept of privilege (a term often used by social rights activists to describe the advantages someone is born with), one cannot deny that as a heterosexual, white male Macklemore’s life has been a lot less difficult than those born into other circumstances. While Macklemore shouldn’t be discredited for things outside his control, like his race and gender, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the artist has wildly benefited by rapping about issues that likely have very little effect on his day-to-day life.
Offense #1: “Thrift Shop”
In the catchy song that skyrocketed his career, Macklemore sings of his affection for buying vintage clothes with lines like, “I wear your granddad’s clothes / I look incredible / I’m in this big *** coat / From that thrift shop down the road.” While I fully support Macklemore’s right to save some cash and develop his own unique style, I just can’t overlook the fact that this silly tune makes light of a situation that is a very real plight for some. As a widely recognized musician Macklemore has made quite a bit of money since gaining popularity — this man can easily afford to buy new clothes and though he may find the thrift shop to be trendy and fashionable, I doubt those who have been made fun of for being forced to shop at Goodwill find this track as enjoyable as intended.
Offense #2: “Same Love”
Even if you ignore his nonsensical opening line of “In the third grade I thought I was gay, ‘cause I could draw,” this song is problematic. This hit that criticizes society’s stereotypes towards homosexuality was instantly deemed as a “gay anthem,” but by whom? Judging by the angry responses from many in the LGBTQ community, it certainly wasn’t a decision made largely by homosexuals. There are plenty of issues with a straight man singing about how gay slurs hurt his feelings but one of the biggest ones is that by doing so he is inadvertently silencing the voices of gay individuals who are personally affected by such terms and stereotypes. Yes, he did feature lesbian singer Mary Lambert on the track, but that was truly a lackluster effort in involving the gay community in a song where he makes money off of the pain they as a community have suffered. What if instead he had written the song for Mary Lambert and used his songwriting abilities to give the spotlight to someone who can intimately identify with the problems discussed in the lyrics rather than just sharing it with her in a short part of the song? Hel Gebreamlak describes the problem perfectly in their post on Racialicious when they say, “Whether it is intentional or not, Macklemore has become the voice of a community to which he doesn’t belong in a genre that already has a queer presence waiting to be heard by mainstream audiences.”
Offense #3: Costume “disguise” worn during a surprise performance
Recently at an exhibit opening in Seattle, an unrecognizable Macklemore surprised fans with a performance while dressed in costume. While this in itself is inoffensive, things get tricky when you take a gander at his new look — Macklemore dons a large, fake nose as well as a dark-hued full beard and wig. When pictures hit the web many speculated that he looks disturbingly like a Jewish stereotype. You can look at the pictures yourself and judge whether or not it was just a silly get-up but as a Jewish woman I can tell you that his resemblance to Semitic stereotypes is not a stretch. This offensive costume begs for questioning — why would he choose to do this? Why go in costume at all and after trying it on did he really not see a resemblance to Jewish stereotypes? I guess Macklemore’s just a fan of profiting from communities he is not a part of.
While I’m sure Macklemore’s heart is in the right place, I think the communities he claims to be compassionate towards would be much more appreciative if he put a little more thought into his actions as a public figure and as an ally.
