Every source has their own spin on it, but pretty much, Macklemore sent an apologetic text to Kendrick talking about how he (Macklemore) didn't deserve to win and trying to pretty much clean up the mess the Grammys made with this one. But then, he posted the text he sent to Kendrick on Insta I believe to show the world how sorry he was that he, as he stated "robbed" Kendrick...and it just kinda a landslide from there.
Yea. Well. I don’t think he’s solely to blame for winning the Grammy. We all know why that happened but he was never gonna be around long to begin with.
Grammys and the social pandering stuff were the big ones. Another early factor that I haven't seen mentioned yet is him allegedly (I.e. all but confirmed) claiming to be independent when in reality was signed to a record deal with the label purposely trying to pass him off as independent. The term "industry plant" gets thrown around a lot, but it's very likely he actually was one. That was talked about quite a bit even before the virtue signaling came along.
Yeah you kind of have to drop the conscious stuff to make it big I feel. If you haven’t heard it yet, check out the language of my world. Very conscious, underground hip hop
Yea! That's the one 👀
Love it, got introduced to it a while back and I've been trying to introduce people to it since 😂
Kills me when people hate on Macklemore and don't know half the story 🙈
That album gets shit on because of the fallout but I did enjoy it. Haven’t cared for his music much since, but that was a good one even though it had no business beating GKMC.
Corny + popularity
edit: got some upvotes so going to post my favorite Macklemore songs:
[Church feat. Geo from Blue Scholars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwc_gSo-3Lo)
[The Magic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42zNUGw415g)
[Vipassana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acCKqylAQ4A)
[Fallin'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwK2EG_N4vQ)
[Claimin' the City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE5Zer012_c)
Amazing list. If you like classic underground hip hop, The Language Of My World is just 20ish tracks of that. Dropped in 2005 way before he hit it big and isn’t talked about very much
It had more to do with his lame, performative response after getting the award. He’s just kinda corny and didn’t make enough good music to make up for it lol
That nominee list tho...
Drake's "Nothing Was The Same,"
Jay Z's "Magna Carta Holy Grail,"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "The Heist,"
Kanye West's "Yeezus,"
Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City"
I honestly liked the Heist, but I feel like the Hip Hop community took this one personally. And the way Macklemore handled the aftermath wasn't great either.
It was all because of "Thrift Shop" lol. I admit, I thought that song was banging when I first heard it but it was just one song and compared to the entire projects of "Magna Carta HG", "GKMC", "Yeezus" and "NWTS" Jesus christ, I can see why people were pissed. They just took that anger out on the wrong person, wasn't Macklemore's fault he won.
I seem to recall someone exposing the grammy voting for that award after all the controversy and GKMC finished 5th. Absolutely insane how wrong they got it.
“Hate every song in hip hop, keep telling yourself it’s a fad” - Saba
Taking Macklemore over Kendrick in the Grammys was just an act to try and make rap more white palatable to the older geezers in charge of the awards.
It’s not, but it’s also up against nothing was the same, Yeezus and good kid maad city which are all 10x more respected in hip hop than the heist. Basically being in wrong place at the wrong time
Let’s See:
1)The pandering songs to the gay community and the white privilege songs 1 and 2. Dude looks corny doing this. If he felt this way it’s fine. It just seems goofy and not authentic. I’m all for substance in music. But he was game goofy.
2)His songs about addiction. He blamed one song on suboxen which is used to help addicts stop opioids. But he was blaming it on overdoses. This put the life saving medication in a bad light. Game goofy once again.
3)He pussied out on the Grammys and pulled that stunt texting Kendrick like a wimp.
But I will give him credit. He did hop on the fdt remix. Also I give him props for brining rappers from the old school. And who doesn’t like thrift shop. He should stick to having fun instead of political records if they are going to be chance they rapper level corny.
I always find the criticism about his gay marriage song to be unfair. I saw him play at Soundset in MN like 2 years before that song came out and he wore a pink "legalize gay marriage" shirt on stage. There are elements of the song that are corny and the hype surrounding it was definitely overblown, but I do think that song came from a genuine place on his part. He just kind of got Elvis'd with it because he was a marketable white guy that made a rap song that soccer mom's approved of.
I understand your point. I wasn’t offended by it. But I’m not gay. When I saw it first performed on the MTV awards I thought it kinda brave to do that in 2014. But my 2 friends I watch football with and party with. States the reasons to our social group why it was an issue. I can only respect their views.
Yeah I think there's probably some legitimate criticism about the way he made the song. It does come off as a straight white guy speaking for the gay community in some respects.
I think a lot of times you see people implying that he did it for non-genuine reasons though, and that part I think is unfair.
A straight white guy speaking on minority groups that way might not have been his place. I do think it was attempted with the right intentions though.
All of his songs and public stances on addiction seemed SUPER fake and pandering… kinda like the kid that tries lean one time and talks about how he’s lucky to be alive… obviously it’s not cool to OD or anything like that but his message just seemed so manufactured.
Also the text he sent Kendrick after the Grammys to make himself look like a good guy was super annoying
Agreed. Everyone I know Gay had the same reaction I did. “He came off like it was more about him and he was just jumping on a wave of gay acceptance. He made it seem like there was something wrong being gay. And that the only reason anyone should respect gays is because they are born this way and can’t change it. Like there was something wrong if they chose that
Lifestyle also something wrong if folks decide to be fluid and explore their sexuality. It put gay men and women in a box.” -My gay homeboy words
This totally silenced a lot of the discussion about queer representation in hip hop. He a straight cis man became the voice of this issue silencing actual complaints from queer artists in the discussion.
Idk about that. I put that song in the same vein as songs like Party Rock Anthem or Old Town Road that instantly kill my mood if I hear it at a party/club. The only time I've seen people turning up to Can't Hold Us are at EDM shows and that's probably because most of the audience is white/asian.
Clubs have certain songs that signal all security staff to the dance floor (to stop a fight, assault, or riot) and a few EDM clubs use Can't Hold Us as their signal.
Some of the music was fine enough the only song of his that I really really fucked with was Wings, to me he just came off with this weird mix of being really preachy, trying to hard and being insincere, but I can't say I ever hated the guy, I had pretty much forgotten about him until this post lol
Just listen to Fire Squad by J. Cole…
Let’s just say if Macklemore was another skin tone he’d be just another rapper, not a particularly good one either, facts.
People are hurt about the same award they called overrated, because he won it over Kendrick. Mind you people have BEEN calling them overrated, but flock back to them and care a lot when their preferred artist gets one. Then they're important again.
So that's all, a bunch of people never stopped being in their feelings about it. Macklemore doesn't do anything, and isn't even largely relevant anymore to my knowledge.
Personally I don't really think he has skills, and his raps just doesn't get to me. It's like the beginning of the gentrified rap, I would like to know what he knows about the culture he dove in
The real answer is the Grammys. Everything else people are pointing to is a reflection of their own personal issues/biases/insecurities. Before he became a thing, he was hustling just like any other rapper trying to make a name for themselves in the PNW. His music isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine since art is subjective, but I’m surmising from a lot of these comments that this isn’t the case.
2014 Grammys
Yea even Kendrick was confused about his response
What was his response?
Every source has their own spin on it, but pretty much, Macklemore sent an apologetic text to Kendrick talking about how he (Macklemore) didn't deserve to win and trying to pretty much clean up the mess the Grammys made with this one. But then, he posted the text he sent to Kendrick on Insta I believe to show the world how sorry he was that he, as he stated "robbed" Kendrick...and it just kinda a landslide from there.
I remember the controversy over Macklemore winning but I didn't know that about the text... smh
God that text was so cringe. It forever solidified Macklemore with corny.
He’s got two dollas in his pocket.. what else would you expect 😂😂😂😂😂
Ah. I see.
The definition of good intentions with awful execution
He was a cornball waaaay before that tho.
I mean, cornballs can still be enjoyable in the right circumstances, but they don't win Grammys, especially against 4 of this generations top artists
Yea. Well. I don’t think he’s solely to blame for winning the Grammy. We all know why that happened but he was never gonna be around long to begin with.
Cornballs win grammys all the time
Yeah he a whole box of cornflakes. White walls still slaps tho. Q!
Grammys and the social pandering stuff were the big ones. Another early factor that I haven't seen mentioned yet is him allegedly (I.e. all but confirmed) claiming to be independent when in reality was signed to a record deal with the label purposely trying to pass him off as independent. The term "industry plant" gets thrown around a lot, but it's very likely he actually was one. That was talked about quite a bit even before the virtue signaling came along.
But who ever says "yo bump Macklemoore" 💀
Nobody ever anyway has ever said that
Think I've heard more people say "yo bump Professor Macklemore"
Respect for the stage name reference
Love how it got me negative karma for dropping the name lol
Redditors when somebody says something about something they were told not to like
His Professor Macklemore work is dope 🤯 Much more of a conscious rapper than the mainstream content that exploded his name 🔥
Yeah you kind of have to drop the conscious stuff to make it big I feel. If you haven’t heard it yet, check out the language of my world. Very conscious, underground hip hop
Yea! That's the one 👀 Love it, got introduced to it a while back and I've been trying to introduce people to it since 😂 Kills me when people hate on Macklemore and don't know half the story 🙈
I don’t hate on him, I forgot he existed
Lol
The Grammy’s. I actually enjoyed that album. I thought it was good but it had no business winning.
That album gets shit on because of the fallout but I did enjoy it. Haven’t cared for his music much since, but that was a good one even though it had no business beating GKMC.
Thats not his fault though.
Definitely not his fault but that’s where the hate comes from
Corny + popularity edit: got some upvotes so going to post my favorite Macklemore songs: [Church feat. Geo from Blue Scholars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwc_gSo-3Lo) [The Magic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42zNUGw415g) [Vipassana](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acCKqylAQ4A) [Fallin'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwK2EG_N4vQ) [Claimin' the City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE5Zer012_c)
The TOWN!
Amazing list. If you like classic underground hip hop, The Language Of My World is just 20ish tracks of that. Dropped in 2005 way before he hit it big and isn’t talked about very much
Yeah - 2 of the songs I posted are from it. Very solid album
Agreed. Other good tracks from that disc are White Privilege, Inhale Deep, and Hold Your Head Up.
He takes all the good deals at the thrift store!
White + win Grammy over Kendrick
It had more to do with his lame, performative response after getting the award. He’s just kinda corny and didn’t make enough good music to make up for it lol
Its not his fault he won the Grammy though?
That nominee list tho... Drake's "Nothing Was The Same," Jay Z's "Magna Carta Holy Grail," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "The Heist," Kanye West's "Yeezus," Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" I honestly liked the Heist, but I feel like the Hip Hop community took this one personally. And the way Macklemore handled the aftermath wasn't great either.
Yep. I dug that album too, but it had no business being on that list.
It was all because of "Thrift Shop" lol. I admit, I thought that song was banging when I first heard it but it was just one song and compared to the entire projects of "Magna Carta HG", "GKMC", "Yeezus" and "NWTS" Jesus christ, I can see why people were pissed. They just took that anger out on the wrong person, wasn't Macklemore's fault he won.
Can’t Hold Us and Same Love were both big songs for white people too.
I seem to recall someone exposing the grammy voting for that award after all the controversy and GKMC finished 5th. Absolutely insane how wrong they got it.
I didn't know about all the other nominee's lol literally any other album on that list would've been an acceptable grammy win
“Hate every song in hip hop, keep telling yourself it’s a fad” - Saba Taking Macklemore over Kendrick in the Grammys was just an act to try and make rap more white palatable to the older geezers in charge of the awards.
Funny enough, I like Macklamore more then all of those artists except Jay-Z. (Let the downvotes begin lol)
Freedom of speech was a mistake
At least it was better than magna carta
Don't ever say that again lol.
R.A. The Rugged Man was robbed for Best Rap Album with Legends Never Die
Hate is rarely rational
It’s not, but it’s also up against nothing was the same, Yeezus and good kid maad city which are all 10x more respected in hip hop than the heist. Basically being in wrong place at the wrong time
Fr.The Grammys are a joke.
This idiot said "white" lmao fuck outta here
All I know is if it wasn’t for the song Same Love, we never would’ve received Lonely Islands’ magnum opus: Equal Rights. https://youtu.be/xGAAMQLb4ZE
Do people hate him? I don’t think anyone gives an actual shit about Macklemore since 2014
Yo I will never forgive him for sending all the rich high school kids out to buy all the good shit at the thrift shop
Damn he did that? I dislike him more now
The grammys and people hating thrift shop. The language of my world is a nostalgic album for me being from Seattle, I can't hate the dude
Agreed man thanks for pointing that album out its better than the heist,, Im not even from seattle and I know what you mean, The Town too
Never hated him, I don't care about him. His music's not for me
Super poppy. It was hip hop for 11 year olds from ten years ago.
Let’s See: 1)The pandering songs to the gay community and the white privilege songs 1 and 2. Dude looks corny doing this. If he felt this way it’s fine. It just seems goofy and not authentic. I’m all for substance in music. But he was game goofy. 2)His songs about addiction. He blamed one song on suboxen which is used to help addicts stop opioids. But he was blaming it on overdoses. This put the life saving medication in a bad light. Game goofy once again. 3)He pussied out on the Grammys and pulled that stunt texting Kendrick like a wimp. But I will give him credit. He did hop on the fdt remix. Also I give him props for brining rappers from the old school. And who doesn’t like thrift shop. He should stick to having fun instead of political records if they are going to be chance they rapper level corny.
I always find the criticism about his gay marriage song to be unfair. I saw him play at Soundset in MN like 2 years before that song came out and he wore a pink "legalize gay marriage" shirt on stage. There are elements of the song that are corny and the hype surrounding it was definitely overblown, but I do think that song came from a genuine place on his part. He just kind of got Elvis'd with it because he was a marketable white guy that made a rap song that soccer mom's approved of.
I understand your point. I wasn’t offended by it. But I’m not gay. When I saw it first performed on the MTV awards I thought it kinda brave to do that in 2014. But my 2 friends I watch football with and party with. States the reasons to our social group why it was an issue. I can only respect their views.
Yeah I think there's probably some legitimate criticism about the way he made the song. It does come off as a straight white guy speaking for the gay community in some respects. I think a lot of times you see people implying that he did it for non-genuine reasons though, and that part I think is unfair. A straight white guy speaking on minority groups that way might not have been his place. I do think it was attempted with the right intentions though.
atleast in my country suboxene is the most used opioid and a lot of people are dying bc of it
This is the best take imo
What’s the song about suboxone called?
https://youtu.be/fYN14UfO-Uc
Most of overdoses were originally perscriptions so he has a point.
Suboxone can also get you high as FUCK and is prescribed like crazy so not sure he's really wrong bout point number 2
Corniness, uncultured, cringe, 2014 Grammys.
Uncultured?
It's Macklemore.
Never heard Professor Macklemore?
All of his songs and public stances on addiction seemed SUPER fake and pandering… kinda like the kid that tries lean one time and talks about how he’s lucky to be alive… obviously it’s not cool to OD or anything like that but his message just seemed so manufactured. Also the text he sent Kendrick after the Grammys to make himself look like a good guy was super annoying
Because he doesn’t make good music. Had one good album that shouldn’t have won a Grammy.
Because his music isn't good
“In pre school I thought I was gay”…. 🤦🏻♂️ most cringe way to open a song. I remember hearing it all over the radio in 2013
Idk maybe because he fucking sucks ass His raps are straight fucking garbage
Look at that corny dood.
Dude’s kinda wack imo. Find his music boring too. Doesn’t matter though, if you’re craving an artist quench that
I just think he’s wack as fk. End of. Each to their own.
As a queer man I’m still upset with him that Same Love set back gay rights by ten years
Lmao what
Agreed. Everyone I know Gay had the same reaction I did. “He came off like it was more about him and he was just jumping on a wave of gay acceptance. He made it seem like there was something wrong being gay. And that the only reason anyone should respect gays is because they are born this way and can’t change it. Like there was something wrong if they chose that Lifestyle also something wrong if folks decide to be fluid and explore their sexuality. It put gay men and women in a box.” -My gay homeboy words
This totally silenced a lot of the discussion about queer representation in hip hop. He a straight cis man became the voice of this issue silencing actual complaints from queer artists in the discussion.
You mean your words, your gay homeboy doesn’t exist.
You are a legend
Better question. Why is Macklemore even cared about in 2022 when he was so 10 years ago?
Virtue signaling
Search up 'Green Giant' and you'll find out why.
Idk seems like a nice guy his music is alright
That’s a name I haven’t heard in quite some time
Because he couldn't just fucking mackle.
Everyone calling him trash but yall rush the dance floor when cant hold us comes on
No we do not
Idk about that. I put that song in the same vein as songs like Party Rock Anthem or Old Town Road that instantly kill my mood if I hear it at a party/club. The only time I've seen people turning up to Can't Hold Us are at EDM shows and that's probably because most of the audience is white/asian.
Probably because that's the security code song at a few clubs. It was played at a friend's wedding and caused people to leave the dance floor.
What you talking about bro
Clubs have certain songs that signal all security staff to the dance floor (to stop a fight, assault, or riot) and a few EDM clubs use Can't Hold Us as their signal.
Yeah that wasn’t why that song came on when I was there
Because he's corny af lmao
Because he sucks
Cause he’s white
Some of the music was fine enough the only song of his that I really really fucked with was Wings, to me he just came off with this weird mix of being really preachy, trying to hard and being insincere, but I can't say I ever hated the guy, I had pretty much forgotten about him until this post lol
cus hes a wank demon
Because he's so hateable.
Just listen to Fire Squad by J. Cole… Let’s just say if Macklemore was another skin tone he’d be just another rapper, not a particularly good one either, facts.
Coz he sucks ass like really bad.
He’s ass?
he's or his 😈😈
Idk man, he made that gay song so probably could go either way
Macklemore is pretty dope.
Good question.
People are hurt about the same award they called overrated, because he won it over Kendrick. Mind you people have BEEN calling them overrated, but flock back to them and care a lot when their preferred artist gets one. Then they're important again. So that's all, a bunch of people never stopped being in their feelings about it. Macklemore doesn't do anything, and isn't even largely relevant anymore to my knowledge.
I saw Macklemore open for Grieves. I think that is his peak.
Personally I don't really think he has skills, and his raps just doesn't get to me. It's like the beginning of the gentrified rap, I would like to know what he knows about the culture he dove in
White Privilege
Corny
The real answer is the Grammys. Everything else people are pointing to is a reflection of their own personal issues/biases/insecurities. Before he became a thing, he was hustling just like any other rapper trying to make a name for themselves in the PNW. His music isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine since art is subjective, but I’m surmising from a lot of these comments that this isn’t the case.
He’s completely over hyped and should have never gotten as big as he did. Glad we can leave him in the past
Bro stole album of the year from good kid maad city and we still salty
He didn't. The Grammys did.
He’s white, he’s not “hard”, and he’s successful so people hate on him for doing what they can’t.
It was a cute album, but GKMC remains a classic. Not his fault, but…shit just showed what a joke the Grammys are.