Macklemore Says “Grammy for Best Rap Album Should Go to Kendrick Lamar”

Macklemore Covers The Source

Most independent artists don’t have a year like Macklemore ‘s 2013, which resulted in several hits, seven Grammy nominations, and over 13 million in sales from his 2012 debut The Heist , a collaboration with producer Ryan Lewis .

The Seattle rapper, who has been selected as Source Magazine ‘s Man of the Year , is well aware of the tension surrounding his success and possible Rap Grammy win.

The main criticisms come from Black rap fans who don’t want another White “Rap God” ( Eminem ), Black LGBT activists and rappers who don’t want a White cisgender male being hailed as a leader of their movement, and Black people who don’t want a White male getting credit for speaking out against racial profiling or addressing his white privilege. -phew-

With all that in mind, Macklemore spoke candidly with the Source about how he thinks Cali emcee Kendrick Lamar should win (at least in the Rap category), how he’s been received as a rapper, and the unexpected commercial success of his single “Thrift Shop.” Read a few excerpts below.

On if he wins a Grammy for Best Rap Album:

“[In the Best Rap Album category], we’re up against Kendrick, who made a phenomenal album. If we win a Grammy for Best Rap Album, Hip-Hop is going to be heated.

In terms of [that category], I think it should go to Kendrick. He’s family. TDE is family, and I understand why Hip-Hop would feel like Kendrick got robbed [if he didn’t win]. I’m not trying to compare albums; I think you can make an argument for both.

With that being said, I am a huge supporter of what Kendrick does. And because of that, I would love to win in a different category. We obviously had massive success on commercial radio, and I think that, in ways, The Heist was a bigger album, but Kendrick has a better rap album.

On his mainstream success affecting his hip-hop credibility:

“People are going to be skeptical. I’m a white dude from Seattle. People are rightfully skeptical of white people making Hip-Hop. They’re gonna say, “Let me hear him rap. Let me hear an interview.” Before we sold a million copies of the album, when it was just “Thrift Shop,” before it became massive, they were putting us in a box.

The song almost got too big. People weren’t able to see the rest of the album for what it was. They put us in the one-hit wonder box. And they didn’t give the rest of the project room to live. People didn’t do their research.

If you strip away the Kidz Bop remake and it getting played on every radio station, the very core of “Thrift Shop” is a Hip-Hop song. I’m rapping. I’m rapping, well. I’m spitting. The one-bar loop. The 808s.

It was one of the more Hip-Hop-sounding songs on the album. It turned into something so big that the origin almost got lost. And because of that, it distracted people from the album and the content that was there.”

If you strip away the Kidz Bop remake and it getting played on every radio station, the very core of ‘Thrift Shop’ is a Hip-Hop song,” he continued. “I’m rapping. I’m rapping, well . I’m spitting. The one-bar loop. The 808s.

It was one of the more hip-hop-sounding songs on the album. It turned into something so big that the origin almost got lost. And because of that, it distracted people from the album and the content that was there.

In general, ‘Thrift Shop’ was well received by the hip-hop community,” he adds. “When it first came out on the rap blogs and sh–, rap blogs f—ed with it. The comment sections f—ed with it, everyone thought it was dope.

Kanye told me the first time that he heard it on the radio, he was in L.A., and he was listening to it in his car. He said he turned it the f— up and said, ‘This dude is about to be famous.’

By the time that it had sold a million copies, it was played out. Seven million. No one wants to hear it anymore. The masses beat it to death. I never thought I would have a song like that. That’s the gift and the curse of radio.”

On building his own label:

“I always used to say, ‘My goal is I want to be on G.O.O.D. Music.’ That would be my ideal. But I think that, you know, I could work with Kanye without having to sign to G.O.O.D. Music. I want to build my own G.O.O.D. Music. You have people that are bosses and at the heads of the table.

Ryan and I have built something that puts us in the position to be a boss. Sorry to sound like Rick Ross and sh–, but really I just want to be at the helm of what we create. I don’t want someone overseeing it.”

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