| Macklemore | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Ben Haggerty |
| Origin | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Genres | Hip Hop Northwest hip hop |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Labels | Macklemore |
| Website | Official Blog Official Myspace |
Ben Haggerty, known by his stage name Macklemore, is a hip hop artist based in Seattle, Washington. Macklemore works with Ryan Lewis (Producer) Andrew Joslyn (Violin), Owour Arunga (Trumpet), Zach Fleury (Drums, Guitar, Bass), and Noah Goldberg (Piano). Macklemore has been popular in his hometown of Seattle since the beginning of his musical career at Garfield High School,[1] often performing at the famous Capitol Hill Block Party. In 2008, 2009, and 2011, Macklemore performed at Bumbershoot, a major arts and music festival in Seattle .[2] He has been described as a socially conscious rapper, with many of his songs addressing issues surrounding consumerism, race and drug addiction.[3] Macklemore is yet to release his new album this year, as stated in an XXL interview.
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Growing up on Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington, Macklemore attended Garfield and Nathan Hale high schools, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at Evergreen State College. Interested in reaching a younger generation through his music, he took a job at a juvenile-detention facility. There, he was a part of a program called “Gateways,” which was organized around rap.[4]
Macklemore recorded an EP titled Open Your Eyes in 2000 under the name Professor Macklemore, which he distributed himself. Macklemore dropped "Professor" from his name, and released his first official full-length album, The Language of My World in January 2005. In September 2009, he released The Unplanned Mixtape. In October 2010, he teamed up with DJ Ryan Lewis to create the VS. Redux EP. Macklemore used his experience with substance abuse (especially cough syrup) to create the mixtape's critically acclaimed song "Otherside," which samples the Red Hot Chilli Peppers song of the same name.[5]
Since then, Macklemore has been picked up by The Agency Group,[6] an international booking company who has represented such well-known groups as 3OH!3, A Tribe Called Quest, and Finger Eleven, as well as others.[7]
In 2005, Abyssinian Creole collaborated with Macklemore on the latter's track "Claiming the City."
In the past, Macklemore has struggled with substance abuse problems, including OxyContin and marijuana. He considers this the reason for his lack of production between 2005 and 2009., But, after cleaning himself up in 2008, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis became a collaborative and creative unit.[8] He celebrated two years of sobriety in early August 2010, as stated during his performance at Capitol Hill Block Party 2010. In late April 2010, he performed an impromptu set at a house party at Colorado College. The set consisted of his track "And We Danced", two consecutive times to the ecstatic screams of over two hundred deeply devoted fans.[9] In December 2010, he released a tribute song named "My Oh My" for then recently deceased Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus, which has received extensive coverage in Seattle media sources.[10][11][12][13] Macklemore performed the song at the 2011 Mariner's Opening Day on April 8.
Macklemore did not grow up in a musical family. However, both of his parents were supportive of his musical ventures. He has one sibling, a brother named Tim Haggerty, who is an English teacher.[14]
In February 2011, Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis kicked off a multi-city tour in Pullman, Washington, which included three sold-out shows at Showbox at the Market, a premier Seattle music venue.[15]
Starting on October 18th, 2011, Macklemore started to tour across the UK, Ireland and throughout North America.
| Date | Album |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Open Your Eyes (under Professor Macklemore) |
| Jan 2005 | The Language of My World |
| Sept 2009 | The Unplanned Mixtape |
| Dec 2009 | The VS. EP |
| Oct 2010 | VS. Redux - EP |
| Early 2012 | Untitled LP |