Macklemore
Benjamin Hammond Haggerty (born June 19, 1983), better known by his stage n… Read Full Bio ↴Benjamin Hammond Haggerty (born June 19, 1983), better known by his stage name Macklemore, formerly Professor Macklemore), is an American rapper and songwriter. A native of Seattle, Washington, he has collaborated with producer Ryan Lewis as the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. His releases to date include one mixtape, three EPs, and four albums.
Ben Haggerty was born in Seattle, Washington, on June 19, 1983, one of two sons born to Bill Haggerty and Julie Schott. He was raised with his brother Tim in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. He has Irish heritage and was raised Catholic. Haggerty was six years old when hip hop first came into his life by way of Digital Underground. At the age of 15, he began to write lyrics.
At the time he started to sing, Haggerty listened to "a lot of East Coast underground hip-hop", listing Hieroglyphics, Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone, Living Legends, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Nas, and Talib Kweli as his major influences. He was interested in reaching a younger generation through his music and became part of a program focusing on education and cultural identity called "Gateways for Incarcerated Youth", where he facilitated music workshops. Haggerty attended Garfield High School and Nathan Hale High School. At Hale, he developed the stage name "Professor Macklemore" for an art project involving a made-up superhero, and at Garfield, he started a hip-hop group named Elevated Elements with other students. The group released an album, Progress, in 2000.
Haggerty enrolled at the College of Santa Fe for a year, later saying in an interview that "it was a very pivotal time in a lot of ways. Santa Fe was the place where I got good at rapping". After not getting into the music program, he moved back to Seattle. Haggerty later enrolled at The Evergreen State College in Olympia and completed his bachelor's degree in 2009.
On his debut album, The Language of My World, Macklemore drafts a lyrical landscape of classic proportions. This record is teeming with energy and ambition, serving as a fitting debut for one of this country's most promising young artists. Macklemore's gift, like that of all great songwriters, is his ability to speak on universal experiences in a uniquely personal way. Throughout The Language of My World, Macklemore consistently addresses topics that are uncomfortable or taboo, in an attempt to exorcise his own personal demons.
Macklemore's second mixtape, The Unplanned Mixtape, was released on September 7, 2009. It would later reach No. 7 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart. The mixtape was accompanied by the singles "The Town" and "And We Danced", the latter of which featured singer Ziggy Stardust. "The Town" was later remixed by Sabzi of the Blue Scholars.
His music is inspirational, filled with social and racial consciousness, as well as a constructive political vision. He's also funny as hell, making music that is at once hilarious and affecting. Born and raised in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood Macklemore has been an integral part of the Seattle hip-hop scene for the past 7 years. He developed his style and character as part of Elevated Elements, which he founded when he was just 14 years old, and quickly moved on to pursue his solo career. From these humble beginnings Macklemore has matured, both as a songwriter and performer, into an artist who is clearly beginning to realize his near limitless potential.
Macklemore's and Ryan Lewis's single "Thrift Shop" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2013. The single was dubbed by Billboard as the first song since 1994 to top the Hot 100 chart without the support of a major record label; however Macklemore, in a slightly unusual recording contract, pays a nominal percentage of sales to use Warner Bros. Records's radio promotion department to push his singles. Their second single, "Can't Hold Us", also peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart, making Macklemore and Lewis the first duo in the chart's history to have their first two singles both reach the peak position. Their debut studio album The Heist was released on 9 October 2012, and charted at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The duo won four Grammy Awards at the 2014 ceremony, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album (The Heist), Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance ("Thrift Shop").
Macklemore's and Lewis's second album, This Unruly Mess I've Made, was released on February 26, 2016. In June 2017, Macklemore released "Glorious", a single featuring Skylar Grey, which marked his return to the music industry as well as his first major single produced without Lewis since his mainstream breakthrough. Macklemore released a second solo studio album, Gemini, in September that year.
On October 29, 2021, Macklemore released a new single titled "Next Year", featuring American singer Windser. Macklemore also worked with Ryan Lewis on the single, marking their first collaboration in three years.
On July 22, 2022, Macklemore released a new single, "Chant", featuring Australian musician Tones and I. On August 19, 2022, Macklemore released the single, "Maniac", featuring American musician Windser.
Macklemore's third solo studio album, Ben, was released on March 3, 2023.
Ben Haggerty was born in Seattle, Washington, on June 19, 1983, one of two sons born to Bill Haggerty and Julie Schott. He was raised with his brother Tim in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. He has Irish heritage and was raised Catholic. Haggerty was six years old when hip hop first came into his life by way of Digital Underground. At the age of 15, he began to write lyrics.
At the time he started to sing, Haggerty listened to "a lot of East Coast underground hip-hop", listing Hieroglyphics, Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone, Living Legends, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Nas, and Talib Kweli as his major influences. He was interested in reaching a younger generation through his music and became part of a program focusing on education and cultural identity called "Gateways for Incarcerated Youth", where he facilitated music workshops. Haggerty attended Garfield High School and Nathan Hale High School. At Hale, he developed the stage name "Professor Macklemore" for an art project involving a made-up superhero, and at Garfield, he started a hip-hop group named Elevated Elements with other students. The group released an album, Progress, in 2000.
Haggerty enrolled at the College of Santa Fe for a year, later saying in an interview that "it was a very pivotal time in a lot of ways. Santa Fe was the place where I got good at rapping". After not getting into the music program, he moved back to Seattle. Haggerty later enrolled at The Evergreen State College in Olympia and completed his bachelor's degree in 2009.
On his debut album, The Language of My World, Macklemore drafts a lyrical landscape of classic proportions. This record is teeming with energy and ambition, serving as a fitting debut for one of this country's most promising young artists. Macklemore's gift, like that of all great songwriters, is his ability to speak on universal experiences in a uniquely personal way. Throughout The Language of My World, Macklemore consistently addresses topics that are uncomfortable or taboo, in an attempt to exorcise his own personal demons.
Macklemore's second mixtape, The Unplanned Mixtape, was released on September 7, 2009. It would later reach No. 7 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart. The mixtape was accompanied by the singles "The Town" and "And We Danced", the latter of which featured singer Ziggy Stardust. "The Town" was later remixed by Sabzi of the Blue Scholars.
His music is inspirational, filled with social and racial consciousness, as well as a constructive political vision. He's also funny as hell, making music that is at once hilarious and affecting. Born and raised in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood Macklemore has been an integral part of the Seattle hip-hop scene for the past 7 years. He developed his style and character as part of Elevated Elements, which he founded when he was just 14 years old, and quickly moved on to pursue his solo career. From these humble beginnings Macklemore has matured, both as a songwriter and performer, into an artist who is clearly beginning to realize his near limitless potential.
Macklemore's and Ryan Lewis's single "Thrift Shop" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2013. The single was dubbed by Billboard as the first song since 1994 to top the Hot 100 chart without the support of a major record label; however Macklemore, in a slightly unusual recording contract, pays a nominal percentage of sales to use Warner Bros. Records's radio promotion department to push his singles. Their second single, "Can't Hold Us", also peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart, making Macklemore and Lewis the first duo in the chart's history to have their first two singles both reach the peak position. Their debut studio album The Heist was released on 9 October 2012, and charted at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The duo won four Grammy Awards at the 2014 ceremony, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album (The Heist), Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance ("Thrift Shop").
Macklemore's and Lewis's second album, This Unruly Mess I've Made, was released on February 26, 2016. In June 2017, Macklemore released "Glorious", a single featuring Skylar Grey, which marked his return to the music industry as well as his first major single produced without Lewis since his mainstream breakthrough. Macklemore released a second solo studio album, Gemini, in September that year.
On October 29, 2021, Macklemore released a new single titled "Next Year", featuring American singer Windser. Macklemore also worked with Ryan Lewis on the single, marking their first collaboration in three years.
On July 22, 2022, Macklemore released a new single, "Chant", featuring Australian musician Tones and I. On August 19, 2022, Macklemore released the single, "Maniac", featuring American musician Windser.
Macklemore's third solo studio album, Ben, was released on March 3, 2023.
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Macklemore Lyrics
"THE TOWN" Now when I say 2-0, you say Nah, you know the…
Ain't Gonna Die Tonight I ain't gonna die tonight You can't kill me, not my…
American How y'all doing there, folks? My name is Aberdeen Washingto…
And We Danced Ooh, leah, ooh, leah, ooh, leah And we danced And we cried A…
As Soon As I Wake Up As soon as I wake up I'm going to change my…
At The Party ???? *doorbell ring* Walked in with the pinstripes, w…
B-Boy Ladies and gentlemen This an ode to the B-boys, B-girls Th…
Bush Song [Intro] Hello Americans My name is George Bush, and I'm go…
Can Return of the Mac, get em What it is What it does What…
Can't Hold Us Ayy, ayy, ayy Good to see you, c'mon, dude, let's go Yeah,…
Can't Hold Us feat. Ray Dalton Return of the Mac, get em What it is What it does What…
Church Moms and pops, they used to take us to Church Saying,…
Church (feat. Geo of Blue Schola... (Jim Valvano speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards) Time, time is…
City Don't Sleep Now everyday that I walk outta my building, I see homeless…
City Dont Sleep Now every day that I walk out of my building I…
Claiming the City Life moves pretty fast, You don't stop and look around once…
Contradiction The other day, me 'n' XP opened for Souls Mischief I'm…
Corner Store Corner store, 2 AM Got some mango Hi-Chews, a bag of…
Crew Cuts (i'm fresh...) (yeah, ryan lewis...) If it ain't fresh t…
Dance Off I challenge you to a dance off Hands off, no trash…
Downtown I went to the Moped store, said fuck it Salesman's like…
Drug Dealer Oooh Oooh Oooh Oooh, oooh, oooh They said it wasn't a gatew…
Earthlings Out of the womb i slipped Between two vaginal lips Pushed to…
Ego (Speaking) Intro: Ladies and gentlemen Second Thoughts on …
Excavate Fill my lungs up, pour my heart out, peel my…
FAITHFUL Feel like I'm runnin' out of time, know the sun…
Fake ID When I was 17 I was staying in NYC And my…
Fallin I swear I've been here before, there's a war in…
Firebreather Got a Guns N Roses t-shirt, and never listened to…
Glorious You know I'm back like I never left (I never…
Gold Everything is gold, everything is equal Posted on the porch …
Good for You Now you know what's good for you Got that, and I'm…
Good Old Days I wish somebody would have told me babe Some day, these…
Growing Up They say boys don't cry But your dad has shed a…
Hold Your Head Up Hold your head up, there's a light in the sky I…
How to Play the Flute Don't nobody give a damn what all that shit talking…
I KNOW I know, my mama always told me I should drive…
i need I need two bad bitches and a bag of good…
I Said Hey Yo, the first time I heard Digital Underground I was…
Inhale Yeah, uh Bring my drums in, Bring my drums in I…
Intentions I wanna be sober, but I love getting high Wanna give…
Jimmy Iovine I put my life on the line I roll them dice…
Keep Marching Still trying to figure out what I find comfortin' And who's…
Kings [Hook] In the darkest of days Men become kings and still d…
Letterhead Yo I've been obsessed with words ever since I was a…
Levitate I said, woo, don't make me Break out the velour suit…
Love Song Yo, I'm gettin older now 23 years old and half of me…
Make the Money Now, this is my job, I will not quit it Pulled…
MANIAC I don't wanna dance with a maniac 'Cause the moment we…
Marmalade Can't nobody get up in my car today Back seat feeling…
Miracle My troubles test me on the daily They say that only…
My Language this is my language check it out, ya the risk of blund…
My Oh My I used to sit with my dad in the garage That…
Need to Know Washing out cigarettes in the bathroom Should probably only …
Neon Cathedral Aha Uhm 1, 2, now Round here they sing broken hymns The pra…
Next Year Next year's gonna be better than this year Next year's gonna…
NO BAD DAYS No bad days, yeah I think that I'm lucky, I don't…
Otherside Oh girl, this boat is sinking, There's no sea left for…
Otherside ft. Fences Oh girl this boat is sinking There's no sea left for…
Over It We got that bad love, but it taste like medicine I…
Penis Song Ladies and gentlemen Introducing The penis song (Oh no he d…
Privileges Pulled into the parking lot, parked it Zipped up my parka,…
Remember High School Yo, remember High School? With that dude who thought he was…
Same Love When I was in the 3rd grade I thought that…
Shadow Got me straight up drinkin' from the barrel I've been losin'…
St. Ides I think happiness went the other way Sometimes you just have…
Ten Million I paid my dues, now I'm really on Prince of the…
Ten Thousand Hours Uh, I hope that God decides to talk through him That…
The Almighty Kingdom Hey, how you doing? Man, I'm loving life right now I'm just…
The End ft. Ryan Lewis Came in together, but you held me.. The process walking rig…
The Magic And then I remembered the magic, forgot that you can't plan…
The Town Now when I say 2-0, you say Nah, you know the…
Thin Line And on on, and on, and on we go And on…
Thrift Shop Hey, Macklemore, can we go thrift shopping? What-what, what,…
Wake Up So I was relaxing at the spot, And some dude came…
Wednesday Morning Bad taste, bad taste in my mouth Flag wavin', flag wavin'…
Welcome to the Culture In life, seven going symphony I orchestrate my music willing…
White Privilege Now nod your head and wake up. I see so many…
White Walls I wanna be free I wanna just live Inside my Cadillac, that…
Willy Wonka RIP Willy Wonka, watch the roof come off I pull up…
Wing$ I was seven years old, when I got my first…
Zara I know you're troubled, girl, I seen you on Tumblr February,…