Ego
Macklemore Lyrics

I love hip hop music
I'm a big fan of hip hop music

I just hate the ego
I dislike the arrogance and self-importance that often come with hip hop

The politics that follow it
The behind-the-scenes maneuvering and power struggles that happen within the hip hop industry

Getting caught in it can be lethal
Becoming too involved in the politics of hip hop can be dangerous and even deadly

See I love the community
I appreciate the sense of community that often accompanies hip hop culture

'Cause a community will embrace you
Being part of a hip hop community can be very welcoming and supportive

But you turn it back the community is the people that will hate you
If you go against the hip hop community, it can turn on you and become very hostile

See everybody's striving for that same shit
Everyone in hip hop is trying to achieve the same goals

To get paid and make it
The primary goal for many people involved in hip hop is to make money and become successful

And I'll be honest, I'm trying to become famous
I am being truthful when I say that my personal goal is to become famous

When someone makes a move
When someone in hip hop achieves success or makes a big move

Watch that person next to you
Be wary of your competitors in hip hop

Cause I'll warn ya
I'll give you a heads up

I love Hova but jealousy's The Takeover
I'm a big fan of Jay-Z, but jealousy can be destructive and lead to bad things

Here come the mean mugs
People start to give you angry looks

"I can't do what he does"
People become resentful when they can't replicate your success

And where does that lead us?
Where does all of this envy and competitiveness ultimately take us?

To the ego that feeds us
It leads to our own egos getting stronger and more self-centered

I wish that I could just do what I do
I would prefer to focus on my own work and artistry

But when a door opens for him I'm afraid there won't be enough room
I worry that other people's success will prevent me from succeeding myself

Comparison's a mother fucker
Comparing yourself to others can be a very dangerous thing

Like MLK said,
Referencing a famous quote from Martin Luther King Jr.

"We all want that band leader syndrome and it won't stop"
We all want to be the leader, the most successful and respected person in our field, and this desire can become all-consuming and never-ending

This concept makes me wonder
This idea has me questioning things

Is it the commodity of the music or the ego that is killing hip hop?
What is the root cause of the problems in the hip hop industry - is it the music itself, or the ego-driven attitudes of the people involved?

It's the ego
The root cause of many problems in hip hop is the ego

That makes me not give respect in death
My ego sometimes prevents me from showing proper respect for artists who have passed away

That makes me talk shit behind people's back
My ego sometimes causes me to speak badly about people when they're not around

You know that it's the ego
You're aware that the ego is to blame

That's constantly polluting my consciousness
The ego is a constant presence in my thoughts and emotions, distracting and harming me

So ingrained in my brain that I can barely even acknowledge it
The ego is such a big part of my identity that it's almost impossible for me to recognize its negative influence on my life

That makes the present moment jet lagged
My ego makes it hard for me to be present in the moment and enjoy things as they're happening

That has me trippin about the next man
My ego makes me worry and envy other people's success

That makes me not go to the front
My ego sometimes prevents me from enjoying myself and having fun at concerts

Of the show 'cause the performers have exactly what I want
I feel jealous of the performers and want what they have

I'm so cool
I think I'm really cool

F'real?
Seriously?

No dude, I'm serious
No, I'm really being truthful right now

Spit it different and if you just flow too
If you try to rap differently and experiment with your flow

I'll listen lookin for glitches and rip 'em to shove improve
I'll critique your performance and try to find flaws in order to give you feedback and help you improve

That my rhythm's a little bit more intricate, just to boost
I believe that my own style is more complex and interesting than others, and I want to emphasize it

My ego
My own self-importance and arrogance

Is so evil
My ego can be a very negative and harmful force in my life and the lives of others

Threatened by so many different kinds of people
I feel threatened by a lot of other people in the hip hop industry, and their success makes me anxious and competitive

It seems that if you're goin' through somethin' and life is feelin' uncomfortable
If you're struggling emotionally or having a hard time in life

The immediate place you go is to your ego to comfort you
You may turn to your own ego and sense of self-importance to make yourself feel better

When Boom Bap got signed
Referring to a specific music group getting a record deal

I hated on him
I was jealous and upset that someone else had succeeded in the industry

And that's hard to admit
It's difficult for me to acknowledge my own flaws and shortcomings

But since I'm really bein' honest
I'm trying to be truthful and candid right now

I wanted to be one of the first to make it as a Northwest rap artist
My personal goal has been to become one of the biggest and most successful hip hop artists from the Pacific Northwest region

Instead of takin it as a plus for my region
I didn't see the success of other artists from my area as something positive and inspiring for my own career

I took it as a cut to my dreams of makin' it out of this political scene of Northwest haters
I saw their success as a threat to my own dreams and aspirations of making it in the competitive and often hostile hip hop world of the Pacific Northwest

To be next I guess I'm just like them
I realize that I am just as competitive and jealous as the people I criticize

Jealous of who's taking that step
I often feel envious and resentful of other artists who are succeeding and making big moves

Now everybody got one but people tryin' to front
Nowadays, everyone seems to have a big ego or sense of self-importance, but some people pretend they don't

Claimin that they on the humble but cocky
People sometimes claim to be humble and modest, but their actions and attitudes suggest otherwise

Now it comes up when we judge
We tend to judge other people based on their egos and self-centered attitudes

Or are threatened by someone
We may become threatened by other people's success or confidence, and this can trigger a negative response

But everyone still be like 'man that's not me'
Despite these negative attitudes, everyone tends to think they are immune to such behavior

Now let me break it down son
Now I'm going to explain this concept more clearly

It's only a lack of love for ourselves
Our egos and self-centered attitudes are really just a sign that we lack self-love and self-acceptance

Cause we're submerged in 'I gotta be'
We are surrounded by messages that tell us we need to be the best and achieve a certain standard of success and status

The best or number one
We are told we need to be the absolute best or the most successful at everything we do

But it's just that we don't trust
The root of the problem is that we don't trust ourselves or our own abilities

In our heart and that's what stops me
Our lack of trust in ourselves and our own worth is what holds us back and leads to negative attitudes and behaviors

It's the ego
Once again, the ego is to blame for these negative attitudes and behaviors