Macklemore Says White Privilege Is A Big Part Of His Success

Macklemore broke his media silence and did a fascinating interview yesterday with Hot 97's Ebro and Rosenberg. In it, the Seattle emcee addressed race frankly, conceding that much of his mainstream success is a result of the color of his skin.

"Why am I safe? Why can I cuss on a record. I 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? 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."