Lessons in Hip-Hop by Macklemore

As I sit here in the PUB at Eastern having recently shed a peacoat and sipping from a thermos full of herbal tea I feel severely unqualified to be writing a blog talking about hip-hop.  There are many things that I should be doing rather than blogging at the moment, studying for my next class appearing at the top of that list, yet here I sit with music pounding through my headphones contemplating the role of hip-hop in today's world.

Yeah.. deep.

Okay, if we're going to be real here this post isn't really going to be as deep as I made it out to be.  But fear not because I'll write it anyways! (I know.. you were so terribly worried..)

Denim and Plaid? Yup.. he's white.

The past week or two I've been walking around campus with Seattle hip-hop artist Macklemore flowing through my headphones. A buddy of mine put his discography on my computer a year or so ago and told me to give him a try.  Well I'm finally getting around to it and I have to say I'm loving it; for so many reasons.

First and foremost is how real it is, and how different "real" is for Macklemore compared to the majority of hip-hop/rap artists. It seems in today's world, you can't make it in hip-hop or rap without growing up in the Bronx or the projects, been in a gang, got shot, got beat up, etc. What's horrible is how all of those things completely pale in comparison to the life experiences of artists like K'naan, who grew up in places like Somalia, Darfur, and Uganda; places where hip-hop was born as a way to cope with life rather than to get rich and famous.

Lyrics from K'naan's song "If Rap Gets Jealous" paint a good picture of his life growing up in Somalia and then in New York City:

Somali-Canadian Rapper K'naan

...I got circumstances, but let me stop dancin' around the issue


And tell you straight forward that I'm poor
A refugee, been in prison and survived the war
I come from the most dangerous city in this universe
You're likely to get shot at birth


This paint a slightly different picture than the lyrics from Macklemore's song "White Privilege":

If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true. I'm not keeping it true.
Now I don't rap about guns so they label me conscious,
But I don't rap about guns cause I wasn't forced into the projects
See I wasn't put in the position where I could chose my options
Blessed with the privilege that my parents could send me to college...


The song "White Privilege" is a song about how white people have really changed the face of hip-hop in the eyes of the world.  The question posed is it okay to take this genre of music and change it for our profit when
"hip-hop started off in a block that [we've] never been to, to counteract a struggle that [we've] never been through"?

Is it??

The question really made me curious because obviously, my peacoat and I have never been to the projects or put in a relatively poor situation let alone a bad one so is it okay for me to enjoy and "appreciate" rap?

I think so.. as long as I never try and say I understand where it comes from. Because I never will. I'll never experience the situations that hip-hop was born from, nor do I want to.  I don't want anyone to.

But I think that's why I'm so drawn to Macklemore.  He's just a privileged white guy like me (despite the fact I'm sure he's been through more than me too) and he rhymes about stuff that reaches me.  High school parties, church in the world, politics, etc.  Not to mention its just damn good music..

The only good thing in a Mariner's jersey these days...
Nothing is more unifying to Seattle than how bad the Mariners are.

Macklemore's songs reach out to the aspects of life in the Northwest; something that I can relate to.  When he raps about his childhood in Seattle I can see the places he talks about because I've been to a lot of them.  I references things that are unique to the area that I see every day of my life. His lyrics reflect the opinions (in part) of the majority of Pacific Northwest youth whether it be on partying or the image of America.  No matter what though I can count on something that in one way or another I can relate to.

One of my biggest regrets was not seeing him when he came to Spokane a month ago.  I hope that I get the chance again because I think that would be one kickin' show!

Anyways, check out some his stuff. I'll post some links below. Give it a try.  If you're from the Pacific Northwest, or a college-aged kid you'll more than likely appreciate something he's got to offer.  Not to mention he's really funny.




To all the Seattle people out there!