Photo: WENN
Macklemore tackles his white privilege head on in a new song, and though many headlines suggest he "calls out" Miley Cyrus and Iggy Azalea, he's also calling out himself.
The nine-minute song addresses the rapper's inate privilege as a white man in a musical culture that was created by black people. In it, he discusses black lives matter, appropriation of black culture, and the problematic nature of citing him as an exception to a "bad genre."
"You've exploited and stolen the music," he raps in the track, which features guest vocals from Jamila Woods, "the moment / The magic, the passion, the fashion, you toy with / The culture was never yours to make better / You're Miley, you're Elvis, you're Iggy Azalea."
All three of the musicians he name-checks have been accused of exploiting black culture, but staying too quiet when it comes to racial injustice. Last year, Iggy Azalea had a public dispute with Azealia Banks over her refusal to acknowledge the revelance of her race and privilege.
Macklemore goes on to rap, "If I'm only in this for my own self-interest, not the culture that gave me a voice to begin with / Then this isn't authentic, it is just a gimmick / The DIY underdog, so independent / But the one thing the American dream fails to mention / Is I was many steps ahead to begin with."
'White Privilege II' features on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' new album, This Unruly Mess That I've Made, which is due for release on 26 Feruary.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis embark on a UK tour in April. Dates are below. Get tickets and more information here.
Manchester, Arena (April 12)
Glasgow, SSE Hydro (April 13)
Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena (April 22)
Leeds, First Direct Arena (April 23)
Nottingham, Capital FM Arena (April 24)
Birmingham, Barclaycard Arena (April 26)
London, The O2 Arena (April 27)
