My name is Dan Brunet, I am taking a Web Design course at Vancouver Island University and I've made this page based on my current favorite artist, Macklemore. I have copied the material from Wikipedia and altered the style of the page and added some multimedia. Enjoy!
Ben Haggerty (born ), 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 , 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 54 million times.
Macklemore released his debut studio album The Heist on , 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.
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. Macklemore was seven years old[5] 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.[6] Macklemore was fourteen when he started writing lyrics.[5] At this age, his friends would refer to him as Macklemore.[5] 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.[7]
When he started to rap, Macklemore would listen to "a lot of East Coast underground hip hop .. Freestyle Fellowship .. Aceyalone, Living Legends (From California)", Wu-Tang Clan, "Nas, Talib .." being of much influence on him.[6]
Macklemore recorded an EP titled "Open Your Eyes" in under the name Professor Macklemore, which he distributed himself. Macklemore dropped "Professor" from his name, and released his first official full-length album, The Language of My World in . In , he released The Unplanned Mixtape. In , he teamed up with Producer Ryan Lewis to create the VS. Redux EP. Macklemore used his experience with substance abuse to create the mixtape's critically acclaimed song "Otherside", which samples the Red Hot Chili Peppers song of the same title.[8]
Since then, Macklemore has been picked up by The Agency Group, an international booking company who has represented such well-known groups as A Tribe Called Quest, and Finger Eleven, as well as others.[10]
In the past, Macklemore has struggled with substance abuse problems, including OxyContin. He considers this the reason for his lack of production between and . But, after cleaning himself up in 2008, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis became a collaborative and creative unit.
He celebrated two years of sobriety in early , as stated during his performance at Capitol Hill Block Party . In late , he performed an impromptu set at a house party at Colorado College. The set consisted of his track And We Danced
, two consecutive times in front of over two hundred fans. In , he released a tribute song named "My Oh My"
for then recently deceased Seattle Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus, which has received extensive coverage in Seattle media sources. On Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed the song at the 2011 Mariner's Opening Day in front of 48,000 attendees.
The VS. EP with Ryan Lewis and The Unplanned Mixtape were released in , followed by The VS. Redux the next year. The latter would reach No. 7 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart. Macklemore's debut single "The Town" was released from The Unplanned Mixtape. Macklemore's second single "My Oh My" was released on . "Wings" was released on along with "Can't Hold Us" featuring Ray Dalton on .
In July 2012, Haggerty and Lewis announced that their debut full-length album, The Heist, would be released on as well as a subsequent world tour to promote the release. Previously released singles "My Oh My", "Wings" and "Can't Hold Us" were announced to be included on the album - as was the song "Make the Money". "Can't Hold Us" was used as soundtrack for Miller beer ad in UK and Ireland in June 2012, increasing Macklemore recognition in Europe. "Same Love" was released on , and songs "White Walls" featuring ScHoolboy Q and "Jimmy Iovine" featuring Ab-Soul were confirmed to be included on the album.
Upon release The Heist reached the number 1 position on the US iTunes Albums chart within hours of release. The Heist debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number 2 of the week dated , selling over 78,000 copies.
On , Macklemore and Ryan Lewis appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show performing their single "Same Love". He is a part of BET's Music Matters campaign.
Macklemore was the Unsigned Hype in The Source Magazine in early 2012 and was also on the cover of XXL Magazine as part of the Freshman Class of . Rolling Stone called Macklemore x Ryan Lewis an "indie rags-to-riches story".
Title | Mixtape details |
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The Unplanned Mixtape |
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