Macklemore says that his music is treated differently because he is a white rapper: “This is something I’ve talked about, I’ve thought about, I’ve talked about it, these are some things that have come up. Why am I safe? Why can I cuss on a record, have a parental advisory sticker on the cover of my album, yet parents are still like, ‘You’re the only Rap I let my kids listen to?’ Why can I wear a hoodie and not be labeled a thug? Why can I sag my pants and not be labeled a gang-banger? Why am I on Ellen’s couch? Why am I on Good Morning America? If I was Black, what would my drug addiction look like? It would be twisted into something else, versus maybe like, ‘Get back on your feet!’ To me the music industry, the privilege that exists in the music industry is just a greater symptom of the privilege that exists in America. There’s no difference, this is just a byproduct. This is just an offbrand of what’s happening in America. People see me, they resonate with me, America’s predominantly white. There’s relatability. It took a long time for me to get to a point where I was noticed at all. I was an underground rapper for over a decade. But once we got that viral video, once we build up enough momentum organically through word-of-mouth, through the underground, it hit…I got put in that hero box. It’s because of privilege. It all boils down to privilege. White privilege is what I’m talking about.”
