Ben Haggerty (born June 19, 1983),
better known by his stage name Macklemore and formerly known as
Professor Macklemore, is an American musician. Macklemore works with
Ryan Lewis (producer), Andrew Joslyn (violin) and Owour Arunga
(trumpet). Haggerty has been releasing music independently since
2000, and has since gained a significant online fanbase. He has
released one mixtape, three EPs and two albums without major label
support. His music video "Thrift Shop" has been viewed on
YouTube more than 64 million times.
Macklemore released his debut studio
album The Heist on October 9, 2012, which entered at number 1 on the
US iTunes download charts[1] and No. 2 on the US Billboard 200
charts, selling 78,000 copies in the first week
Early life and influences
Growing up in Seattle, Washington,
Haggerty attended Garfield High School and Nathan Hale High School,
going on to earn a bachelor’s degree at The 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 focusing on education and cultural identity
called "Gateways for Incarcerated Youth" where he
facilitated music workshops.
Though he was not born to a musical
family, both of his parents were supportive of his musical ventures.
Haggerty was six years old when hip hop first came in to his life by
way of Digital Underground. As he grew older, he and his friends
would spend their summers making tents to stay in, listening to the
radio, and making dubs and mix-tapes of played songs, as they were
unable to buy any due to being underage and without parental consent.
Macklemore was fourteen when he started writing lyrics. At this age,
his friends would refer to him as Möcklimore. Attending Garfield
High School, Macklemore observed a strong racial divide. Despite
living in an all-white neighborhood, his school was racially diverse.
Macklemore states he came to reflect on his ignorance of social
status at the time and how race impacted the areas where one was able
to live and to work.
When he started to rap, Macklemore
would listen to "a lot of West Coast underground hip hop ..
Freestyle Fellowship .. Aceyalone, Living Legends (From California)",
Wu-Tang Clan, "Nas, Talib .." being of much influence on
him.
