Macklemore: ‘I Wanted to Write About What's Going on in America'

The rapper on raising uncomfortable questions around drug abuse and white privilege in his songs.

- Riddhi Chakraborty

Whether he’s strutting down the street in a fur coat in the viral music video for 2012’s “Thrift Shop” or donning a wig onstage during his India debut at VH1 Supersonic last month, American rapper Ben Haggarty aka Macklemore is wholly unapologetic about making a statement or two. Although known primarily as one half of the Seattle-based hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and the man behind “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us,” it’s actually his body of work outside these tracks which really hits home.

From lending his voice to the LGBT community with 2012’s “Same Love” with American singer-songwriter Mary Lambert to opening up about his personal struggles with drug abuse on tracks like “Starting Over” and “Kevin,” the rapper has never shied away from speaking his mind and using his platform of fame to bring several issues to light.

“White Privilige II” continues the conversation Macklemore started in 2005 with “White Privilege” from his solo album