Macklemore And His Willingness To Please

By Uloop Archives on February 25, 2016

Taken by Der Robert

Macklemore has been such an interesting pop culture figure to watch over the past few years.

It is somewhat bizarre now, recalling just how huge he was just a few years ago. If I had a dollar for every time I heard any Macklemore song from 2012-2013 — even the older ones — I could have created my own Scrooge McDuck-style swimming pool.

After the ridiculously catchy “Thrift Shop” blew up, there was nary a sound system in America that did not play at least one of his hits. The Heist, the duo’s independently-released full-length debut, became one of the most popular albums of the year and turned them into superstars. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis had convincingly broken through to the mainstream with little major promotion, an achievement rare for most independent artists.

Favorable acclaim followed the duo. Several critics were a fan of Ryan Lewis’ vibrant production and Macklemore’s technically skilled rapping. Besides “Thrift Shop,” singles such as “Can’t Hold Us” and “White Walls” were praised for their pop appeal. “Same Love,” in particular, became a remarkable standout. With a pro-LGBT message in a genre often susceptible to homophobic rhetoric, the song’s success seemed representative of a growing acceptance of homosexuality in both hip-hop and in America’s sociopolitical agenda.

Of course, when such crazy success comes so suddenly, backlash is always imminent. Many music writers were quick to critcize Macklemore’s music as being vapid and corny, claiming The Heist was not much more than a collection of shallow radio singles. Others called out Macklemore himself, claiming he was only successful because he was yet another white artist appropriating a predominantly African-American genre for commercial gain.

Furthermore, his radio dominance was framed as an attempt to capitalize on the current ubiquity of hip-hop without actually contributing to the culture. Similar criticism was leveled against “Same Love;” many found it questionable that Macklemore, a straight male, took it upon himself to be a spokesperson for the LGBT struggle.

The bombshell came in the 2014 Grammys, where The Heist was in the running for Best Rap Album alongside projects by titans such as Jay-Z, Drake, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. At the time, the latter’s good kid, m.A.A.d city was one of the most acclaimed hip-hop records in recent memory, considered by many to be a modern classic. GKMC was not only expected to take home the Best Rap Album Grammy, but the Album Of The Year award as well (which The Heist was also up for).

When Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ended up winning Best Rap Album and Kendrick took home no awards, the whole music community erupted into a collective outrage. Macklemore’s victory was viewed as a typical example of a white artist winning a big award because of, well, their whiteness, a factor seemingly more appealing to the Grammy voters. You could not have calmed down the internet that night if you had tried.

In one night, Macklemore had plummeted from unbelievable adoration to universal spite. In all fairness, it would be a sticky situation for any artist. It was his following reaction, however, that further tarnished his name and sent him free-falling into the pit of never-ending ridicule. It serves as an essential example of what I believe to be his biggest problems: his public apologies and constant pandering.

That night, Macklemore posted a screenshot to his Instagram of a text he supposedly sent to Kendrick Lamar following the ceremony.

A photo posted by @macklemore on Jan 26, 2014 at 10:18pm PST

My text to Kendrick after the show. He deserved best rap album … I’m honored and completely blown away to win anything much less 4 Grammys. But in that category, he should have won IMO. And that’s taking nothing away from The Heist. Just giving GKMC it’s proper respect.. With that being said, thank you to the fans. You’re the reason we were on that stage tonight. And to play Same Love on that platform was a career highlight. The greatest honor of all. That’s what this is about. Progress and art. Thank you. #grammys

The post did not have the effect Macklemore thought it would. Netizens, when outraged, do not make moderate critics. Some found the “Kendrick Real” contact name and the high number of unread text messages a tad suspicious. Others attacked the very sentiment behind the post. Drake was especially harsh, calling the text “cheap” and non-genuine. Kendrick also expressed disappointment at the fact that Macklemore felt the need to post a picture of the text to his fans (although he did say they were still cool). Macklemore would in turn go on to essentially apologize for his own apology. Huh?

Since then, Macklemore has become a bit of a punchline. The critical and popular acclaim he had enjoyed to that point all came crashing down, almost invalidating his previous successes. This blemish on his reputation became just as popular as the man’s music once was, and is even more ingrained in the cultural lexicon. A definitive example of this appeared in the 2015 movie Dope, where the main character, a ’90s rap head, claims that there would never be even a hypothetical situation where he would buy a Macklemore album.

Now, after years struggling with drug use, Macklemore has been attempting to make his comeback. In late August of last year, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released “Downtown,” a sprawling single featuring Foxy Shazam vocalist Eric Nally and old school rap legends Grandmaster Caz, Kool Moe Dee, and Melle Mel. The inclusion of these stalwarts came as a big surprise to many. Hip-hop is a genre that often spurns its pioneers, as its overall sound has shifted monumentally since its heyday. This tension has a second blade, however: many hip-hop veterans constantly chide newer rap music and claim the music of their age is far superior.

What is most interesting is the selection of rappers Macklemore made for “Downtown;” all three emcees are incredibly important to the genre. Grandmaster Caz was part of one of the earliest hip-hop groups, the Cold Crush Brothers. Kool Moe Dee was also a part of an important group, the Treacherous Three, and was instrumental in setting the stage for battle rapping and the hardcore style of early hip-hop. Melle Mel was one of the lead rappers for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the first hip-hop group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Old school rappers and fans of “Golden Age” hip-hop praised Macklemore for including these legends in his song. Still, more attacked him for what seemed another attempt at pandering: to keep his credit in the rap game alive by appealing to old school heads. It appeared as a desperate pitch for new fans as he realized many of his initial ones were slowly backing away. It may not have mattered much in the long run. “Downtown” was a hit, but it did not really revive interest in the old school. Nor did the song feature any special verses of the other three rappers; they remained on background vocals.

Maybe Macklemore’s critics were justified in saying it was just a cheap move to please older rappers. Then again, Macklemore released a later single named “Buckshot,” with more hip-hop legends: pioneer KRS-One and producer DJ Premier, who both have prominent presences on the song. But why favor KRS and Primo over the others?

The gradual comeback process pushed on. Last month, Macklemore announced his upcoming album, cheesily titled This Unruly Mess I’ve Made. The announcement came in the form of an almost melodramatic monologue, backed by an orchestral arrangement.

Soon after, he released a single called ”White Privilege II,” a sequel to a song from one of his earliest solo efforts. It is an ambitious song, with a nine-minute length and epic instrumentation. In a similar fashion to “Same Love,” Macklemore discusses the titular issue as it relates to his place in hip-hop culture and the larger national agenda. The topics examined in the song are remarkably prescient in our current times, as police brutality and institutionalized racism continue to raise important questions.

Once again, the song has proved quite polarizing. Many lauded Macklemore for boldly speaking out on the issue. Others reprimanded him for using his white status to talk on the issue and invite deprecation while overshadowing minority voices on the issue. Some just thought the song was too poorly constructed to be properly effective. All of this was eerily similar to the criticisms of “Same Love.”

With the album release date drawing near, it is time to honestly assess where Macklemore is in his career. It is obvious that he pines for the mass appeal he once held. It is also likely that he thinks he can regain top-of-the-totem-pole status by trying his hardest to make everyone like him again. Unfortunately, the well-known adage that states it is impossible to please everyone rings all too true. Thus, his constant public apologies and attempts at getting everyone to like him ultimately backfire. Instead of learning from the Kendrick text debacle, Macklemore continues to pander further and further. It may gain him some new fans in different areas, but he may ultimately be alienating himself in the process.

Perhaps I am being harsh. Chances are Macklemore’s genuine in his sentiments, and he wishes to be a viable spokesperson for issues many are afraid to approach. Maybe he is really concerned about “the unruly mess” he feels he has created, and is willing to compensate for it. However, it almost appears as though he is trying too hard. He may be sorry about many things, but he is overtly eager to show off how sorry he is. This ultimately defeats the purpose, appearing more whiny and self-pitying than actually genuine.

If Macklemore wants to apologize, if he wants to show he can create truly impactful music, he should ideally let his actions and music speak for themselves. He should not have to push his self-deprecation into other people’s faces. Does he expect sympathy in return? Does he wish for commendation? Is he begging to be praised for his supposed bravery? Or is he just asking to be attacked again?

Perhaps now he is now too deep in the ridicule pit. Maybe his career is damaged to the point that no matter what he does, he will be attacked. Thus, any message he tries to communicate through his music will automatically be shot down.

Ultimately, the payoff to Macklemore’s efforts will be shown off this Friday, when This Unruly Mess I’ve Made is released. Maybe the album will be just as big of a success as The Heist. Maybe he can prove himself a worthy ally to the causes he wishes to champion. Maybe his messages will reach his listeners. Maybe they will fall on deaf ears. Maybe the album will just straight up flop. Maybe Macklemore will fade into ultimate irrelevance.

If Macklemore is real, it will ultimately show.

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