Well this is one for the books, a hot ginger rapper? Can’t say I saw this one coming. We be representing.
I have been listening to a lot of Macklemore lately and I got to say I really dig him. His lyrics and rhymes buck convention and really hold a mirror up and question what we should find acceptable in modern hip-hop. Conventions of excess and ego are turned on their heads examined. I particularly like his honesty and self-deprecation in “The Penis Song”, I think it takes balls, in the ego driven world of hip hop to admit your penis is only slightly above average. Being Irish and incredibly self-deprecating by nature, I find this is incredibly refreshing. I mean I firmly believe in mans god given right to take the piss out of himself. It’s got me to where I am today.
Take his biggest hit so far ‘Thrift Store’ (see below), I love the concept of a rapper going into his local Goodwill store, rummaging through shitloads of second hand fare to find the most fly attire. Most rappers today talk of the excess of being dressed head to toe in Gucci and popping Crystalle. Don’t get me wrong I do love the Kanyes’ and Jayzs’ of this music world but as I said it’s just refreshing to see raps excess being examined.
And lastly, as a gay man I can’t help but choke up a bit every time I hear ‘Same Love’. I guess I have never been that active in terms of getting involved with gay rights movement. I’ve only been out for 5 years so my time was spent getting used to this new world I now lived in. Lately though I have been feeling pretty strongly about marriage equality, a referendum is coming in Ireland (currently we only had Civil Partnerships and that was a very recent thing) and I’ll be sure to make the necessary steps to make my vote count even though I am way over here in Switzerland.
Anyway I appear to be getting off the point a bit. Macklemore, hot and ginger, nuff said.
GBM
