Macklemore
A Seattle rapper who bypassed the music industry to turn an independent song about thrift shopping into a global, Grammy-winning phenomenon.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American rapper·Birthday: June 19·Millennials
Biography
Macklemore, born Ben Haggerty, built an empire from his Seattle basement. For years, he was a local independent artist, grinding out mixtapes and building a fervent fanbase with his confessional, narrative-driven rhymes and energetic performances. His partnership with producer Ryan Lewis was alchemical, merging pop hooks with deeply personal themes. In 2012, they uploaded 'Thrift Shop' to YouTube, a quirky, saxophone-driven ode to frugality that became a viral tsunami, topping charts worldwide without major label support. The duo's album 'The Heist' tackled addiction, gay rights, and consumerism, winning four Grammys and proving a DIY model could reach the summit. While his post-Lewis work has navigated the complexities of mainstream fame, Macklemore's legacy is that of a disruptor who used the internet's power to make unabashedly earnest music a global commodity.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Macklemore was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Macklemore Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Macklemore's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won four Grammy Awards in 2014, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Song for 'Thrift Shop'.
- Achieved a historic number-one single ('Thrift Shop') as an entirely independent artist without a record label.
- His song 'Same Love' became a landmark anthem for marriage equality and was performed at the 2014 Grammys.
- His collaborative album 'The Heist' with Ryan Lewis sold over one million copies in the United States.
Did You Know?
He took his stage name from a childhood nickname given by his father, based on a fictional character named Professor Macklemore.
He has been open about his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, which he has addressed in songs like 'Starting Over'.
He and Ryan Lewis met when Lewis, a photographer, was hired to shoot Macklemore's album cover.
“The universe is funny. Once you make a decision, it works around that decision.”
