Macklemore has been an artist continuously scrutinized as a poster-child for culture appropriation in music, especially in the world of Hip Hop. Recently, the rapper released a controversial track titled “White Privilege II.” Although “White Privilege II” eventually ended up being a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s 140 Top Trending the track had mixed results from many listeners, some even making a comparison with Kendrick Lamar’s message from 2015 album To Pimp A Butterfly,
What's sad is that people like Kendrick Lamar has been PREACHING exactly what Macklemore said in White Privilege II. BUT NOW they'll listen
— MoniClips.NL (@monidonni) January 22, 2016
macklemore is literally cosplaying himself by naming his song "white privilege ii"
— brittany spanos (@ohheybrittany) January 22, 2016
Macklemore has a song called "White Privilege II" someone come hit me with a brick
— Nathan McCleland (@mcclevage5) January 22, 2016
White Privilege II by @macklemore …. Speechless
— •A• (@alexmrousseau) January 22, 2016
It’s one thing for the “Thrift Shop” Rapper to receive attention for his controversial track from random listeners on the internet, but it’s another when a well-known activist calls you for a talk. That person is DeRay Mckesson, a #BlackLivesMatter activist who’s known for being outspoken both on social media and the frontlines of the protests in Ferguson,Missouri and Baltimore. According to Complex, Mckesson took to Twitter to talk about his recent conversation with Macklemore after “White Privilege II” dropped yesterday.
When I first heard Macklemore's new song, White Privilege II, I DM'd him asking if he'd be down to talk. We talked for an hour this morning.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
As I've said from the beginning, I think Macklemore's song is important. And all art, including his song, is open to critique.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
We talked about the impetus for the song & he noted that it was Darren Wilson's non-indictment & the protests that pushed him to write.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
& Macklemore understands that awareness is the beginning, not the end, of the work. He will be (rightly) judged by the actions that follow.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
I noted that the Kendrick text situation informs a reading of the current song. He both understood that & reflected on how he's grown since.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
In our convo, I got the sense that Macklemore is using this song both to process a complex idea & to push folks to think/act differently.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
& we talked about how the very privileging of whiteness he addresses creates imbalanced exposure for a message many have said before.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
I left the call with Macklemore w/ a deeper understanding of his intent and his commitment to actions that reflect his awareness.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
And Macklemore's song is not above critique, he knows this. It should be critically engaged. All art should be critically engaged.
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
Mckesson even fired back at those who were still skeptical about “White Privilege II.”
Did you not hear the other voices included on the song? He can't rap anymore, he can only make mixtapes? https://t.co/aanSJKGqfB
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016
I'm ready whenever you drop the saltiness and are ready to have candid convo. https://t.co/wkZzZ97OIU
— deray (@deray) January 23, 2016