Must See: Macklemore Talks Race, White Privilege & Iggy Azalea On ‘Hot 97’

Published: Tuesday 30th Dec 2014 by David

MACKLEMORE-THAT-GRAPE-JUICE-2014-9000

Thought Azealia Banks recent interview with ‘Hot 97’ was groundbreaking?

If so, peep Macklemore‘s recent conversation with the station and see how it compares, shining a light on the uncomfortable issues that are race, “white privilege” and the bias the music industry has shown towards him because of his race.

A must see interview below…

Your thoughts?

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  1. maurice December 30, 2014

    i feel sick of the thought of iggy and this fella being associated with “hip hop”
    hip hop as in.. missy, mc lyte, queen latifah… REAL lyricists.
    chile, bye.

    • Angel Aguilera December 30, 2014

      But Macklemore is a talented rapper. He talks about real issues not just b******, h***, strippers, drugs and guns. Iggy is fun but no one really takes her seriously, just look at her sales.

      • maurice December 30, 2014

        Macklemore and Iggy are “OF” the mainstream — they are ‘the product’ as opposed ‘the artist’. Their labels try and market them as rappers with pop music attached to them.

        I don’t know much of Azealia Banks, but what she said in that interview made a lot of sense. In no way do I hate Macklemore, heck I don’t even know him like that, he seems like a nice guy. Just don’t associate him with Hip Hop and call him a “rapper” because he’s not one.

    • Realest December 30, 2014

      You sound super ignorant: Souljah Boy, Master p, Wacka Flavk, 2Chainz, Khia, Dem Franchize Boys, Lil Boosie, Gucci Man, J-Kwon, bow wow, and a plethora of other black artists have done much more terrible things in hip hop music… Much, much worse.. I mean I could literally keep the list going and going and going. Stop acting like every black artist is a straight up lyricist… Or if you really believe that, do your research before just making yourself look stupid

      • OVO Roxxy December 30, 2014

        But which one of those artists did Forbes say ran Hip Hop?
        When will you get this simple fact through your head?! Iggy is getting hate because she CANNOT rap or sell albums but is treated as if she can BECAUSE she is white.

        Can you point to a time when the masses hated Justin Timberlake as much as they hate Iggy? You can’t, because Justin is TALENTED.

      • CT December 30, 2014

        but they are not honored for it they fade away but these white rappers keep a hit on billboard just because they are white take a few of these_/ _/ _/…. you seem tired.

      • Realest December 30, 2014

        How many artists that didn’t deserve awards have gotten awards. BLACK RAP ARTIDTS, white artist- artists of all colors and in all genres. This is not a first account. Iggys one acknowledgment was the AMA.. Other than that her album isn’t doin too well, she has good singles sales but I don’t see much else poppin off for you to be so bitter. I’ve seen worse accomplish more. And mAcklemore won because he spoke on issues that black artists won’t touch on: same s** marriage being a big one. So, although I don’t agree he should have won, I can see why they chose his over the typical rap album

      • Realest December 30, 2014

        @OVO Roxy; when did Forbes become a beacon of hip hop? When did Forbes become a spokesperson for the music scene? Hell when did ForbEs become an accurate period all of ANYTHING except a bunch of old white men who tally people’s money. Do you really take WHAT THEY SAY as an accurate depiction of the hip hop scene? You sound kinda upset. I took That statement with the same amount of seriousness as I did when New York Times said Nicki Minajs “Roman Reloaded” was the most successful rap album ever. But, then again, I’m a “common sense” thinking adult- that’s just how I am.

    • ontherun December 30, 2014

      And which one of those trash rappers has had the type of success accolade and acceptance by the mainstream that trash iggy has had?

      • Realest December 30, 2014

        Honey Iggy won one award and her album isn’t even gold. She just sales singles… Please try and use your brain before entering my box

    • Shittie Manja say’s December 30, 2014

      And what Shittie Manja is real hip hop with songs like massive attack, starships ect ect. Let’s get one thing straight Nicki Minaj is pop, not hip-hop. This is to do with the fact that when you get right down to it, she makes songs that are structurally more like pop songs. As an artist, she’s preoccupied with the trappings of pop: costumes, art direction, stunt collaborations set up to ship more units, and so on. Shittie Manja has more pop songs then Iggy & Mackelmore.

  2. CT December 30, 2014

    If iggy wins a grammy if I was a black artist I would boycott the grammys for 5 damn years no riri no bey no Kanye no pharell no nothing!!! then when those ratings drop they will show some damn respect.

    • Umm December 30, 2014

      Honey you’re just upset about Nicki’s PinkFriday:Part 3 and its underwhelming splendor.

      • CT December 30, 2014

        Im unbothered the album will sell as usual now shoo h**

      • Realest December 30, 2014

        @Umm be nice, Nicki did sell 190k and will be number 40-something on the UK album charts next week. She is selling SOMETHING!

    • Bey-Minaj December 30, 2014

      You know I was thinking the very same thing, just not a whole 5 years. I was thinking boycott the next grammys. Or until a significant change is made. Who wants old white men voting on a culture they know nothing about? If Iggy wins a grammy for best album its a wrap.

  3. CT December 30, 2014

    Oh and I missed that last nicki post when Elle Goulding came for me.. don’t make me drag you buy your bottom lip… back down trick

    • Eloviano December 30, 2014

      You better check yourself before you wreck yourself.

  4. Paulina December 30, 2014

    Macklemore can rap but his problem was that he won the Grammy for an album that wasn’t better than Kendrick’s. Youtube Mack and you’ll see that he is a dope lyricist who has skill.
    Iggy on the other hand can’t rap but calls herself a rapper is being cross promoted even though she isn’t making her label any money through album sales. Meanwhile, Jhene Aiko who IS selling isn’t being cross promoted. Why is that? It gets worse when you remember Iggy was cross promoted BEFORE her album came out. Why did her label take such a gamble? Because they thought her being white would guarantee instant success.

    • Angel Aguilera December 30, 2014

      Jhene is not selling. Her album hasn’t even sold 200k with all her hype

    • LTM December 30, 2014

      Lol if anyone is not making their label money its Jhene who isn’t selling singles or albums.
      Beg For It sold over 400k with little promo and no video
      Work is certified gold with over 600k sold
      Black Widow is 2x platinum
      Fancy is 4x platinum
      The New Classic is at 440k, making it the best selling hip-hop album of the year by a female rapper and 3rd best selling hip-hop album of the year.
      According to Billboard, The New Classic is the most streamed album of 2014
      Fancy is the 2nd most streamed song of the year
      Fancy topped multiple year-end charts including the top 10 best selling singles of 2014
      And now she’s making more history by embarking on an arena tour, a first for a female rapper.
      This delusion that Iggy is not bringing in profit is merely delusion. Stans get so focused on album sales that they don’t realize they are only a portion of the pie. No one on Def Jam had a better year than Iggy, that is why she gets support and others like Jhene do not.

  5. Islandboi242 December 30, 2014

    THIS IGGY THING IS ANNOYING! Her time is running out so why everyone even saying Her name giving her shine

    • Umm December 30, 2014

      Yeah it’s kinda funny how more people are talking about Iggy and not about the PinkPrint

      • SMH December 30, 2014

        What’s even funnier is more people buying the pink print than the new classic or reclassified.

  6. Dandria Mars December 30, 2014

    I have to be honest, Iggy’s career is over unless she thinks of something quickly. You can get away with being not credible in Pop because of its nature, but Hip Hop is ALL about credibility and being real about yourself and she isn’t even doing that hence why her career’s over because she has none.
    If she could rap it would be different because all she’d have to do is release a great song to silence people but she can’t so the only thing she has going for her is her celebrity status.

    • Realest December 30, 2014

      So basically you’re saying every single artist in hip hop is 100% credible and authentic? You must be someone who just reads blogs and comments on rap music and doesn’t actually partake in it cause that’s a 100% not true statement.

      • Dandria Mars December 30, 2014

        Yes!!!!!!!!! That’s EXACTLY WHAT I’M SAYING! Anyway, why are you comparing Iggy to losers instead of winners? You don’t think she’s credible do you? Is that why you compare her to Soulja Boy and not Drake? Gucci Mane and not Em?

      • Realest December 30, 2014

        But your comment only holds truth IF every artist was an organic, credible, authentic artist. But it’s not so basically you’re talking out of your ass. Just like pop music, rap also has contrived artists, gimmicks, fads. I don’t need to bring up Iggy to Drake that’s irrelevant. What is relevant is to say there are black artists who make music that’s geared towards mainstream, not “authentic”, or credible so if that’s what you say Iggy is she can fit in and win RIGHT ALONG WITH ALLLLLLLLLL THEM ARTISTS who have too. Stop pretending like every rap artist is this deep lyricist- you buggin

      • Vandrea December 30, 2014

        Who said that there weren’t black rappers who are gimmicky and, inauthentic and lacking in talent? If they don’t get slandered as much as Iggy does, it’s probably because few get showered with even half her success or pampering. THAT is the issue and the difference, and what you are conveniently dodging in your arguments. When was Souljah Boy ever boosted to the level of one of the biggest pop stars of the moment? When did the industry ever coddle and clear the way for him to be treated as a premiere name in music, in and out his genre? He’s mediocre, is treated as such and doesn’t get shoved down anyone’s throat. Iggy is mediocre but is one of the most dominate “stars” of the moment. You don’t see a problem with that?

      • Brian310 December 30, 2014

        Didn’t Soulja have a number 1 song and a gild or platinum alalbum when he came out?…and he was everywhere so clearly you really don’t follow hip hop if you can’t even recall how big he was.

      • Brian310 December 30, 2014

        Didn’t Soulja have a number 1 song and a gold or platinum album when he came out?…and he was everywhere so clearly you really don’t follow hip hop if you can’t even recall how big he was.

    • LTM December 30, 2014

      If credibility was an issue Rick Ross would not still be selling album. The man stole someone’s entire identity and pretends to be him. Why is Officer Rick still moving albums? How does Nicki still manage to sell? Several mainstream hip-hop artist have had their credibility come into question, it comes with the territory. Iggy’s story is at least HER story. She makes music that speaks to an audience, that is why I see her having a lengthy career in hip-hop.

  7. Angel Cyrus December 30, 2014

    We can go back and forth all day long but the fact remains that Iggy isn’t talented and that’s the way it’s going to stay.
    Her defenders can think of as many arguments as they want but they need to stop fooling themselves by thinking this is Black People vs Iggy when that Iggy free style meme going around is something the general public are latching onto.

    • ronnoc December 31, 2014

      The problem with this statement is that you’re ignoring the fact that there are 5 times the amount of black rappers with no talent. But everybody stays dismissing that. If we are going to boycott this b**** because she is talentless, let’s go after the rest; black, white or purple.

  8. Madame Mimi December 30, 2014

    Why should Mack feel guilty for winning the grammy when he can rap? Iggy better get ready for the drama if she wins though.

    • NENE December 30, 2014

      She is going to win they only black artist that has the right to buy Grammys is beyonce.

  9. NENE December 30, 2014

    Where is pinkflop. It should be on discount in store because no one will ever spend full price on those.

    • Umm December 30, 2014

      No bish the pink print will be number 45 on the UK charts next week so you can have a seat!

  10. CT December 30, 2014

    Maybe the peoole have scared the grammys out of letting iggy win.. we will see.

  11. MUSICHEAD December 30, 2014

    I haven’t listened to the interview yet but I do have a problem with Iggy Azalea and here is why:

    She is a contrived pop artist labeled as hiphop. I wouldn’t mind Iggy as much if she had the pop label she truly deserves. But since there is a deficit of female artists in hiphop, her success is more exaggerated than what it really is.

    She’ll be gone in 3 years anyway so I hope she’s saving that money.

  12. Stay Pressed December 30, 2014

    Some black people can’t move forward, always had to blame white people for everything. Blame Macklemore because you have no food on the table and can’t find a job. We don’t hear white people say that iPhones and television is only for whites, including all the white inventions. And its not even white people, they have issues with each other amongst themselves. Fix yourself before pointing fingers.

    • TRUTH SERUM December 30, 2014

      Stay on topic, you sound ignorant!

      • OMG Logic!!! December 30, 2014

        Sounds like someone doesn’t like the taste of TRUTH.

      • TRUTH SERUM December 30, 2014

        Right… Unfortunately for you, the stereotype applies more to you than it does me. expand your inbred belief system

      • Stay Pressed December 31, 2014

        How can you call me ignorant? I know what I’m talking about, I don’t know where you come from or if you just in denial but its the truth. And I’m nowhere near off topic. Isn’t this about black rappers hating on white rappers? I mean isn’t hip hop about the love of it instead of the money and fame? Rap is a black culture, and pop is a white culture. Do you hear Madonna complain about Rihanna doing pop music cos its a white cultural thing? Yes, white artists do have privileges in the industry, but black people need to be more respectful on the radio and tv. The black rappers of today, these snot heads can learn a thing from 2pac in the past. They are fame attention seekers. The good black rappers always gets brought down by society because most of these ratchet people wanna hear music about booty, s**, gangsters and drugs. That’s why there’s a lot of stereotype of black people, cos these black rappers are sending the wrong message out today, they think of themselves more than the actual real truth of the culture. Rap is about expressing yourself, not on winning awards.

  13. CzarM December 30, 2014

    Mackelmore is basically cut from the same cloth as Iggy, and gets his rewards for pretty much the same reasons. What’s so great about him? Sure he may be *slightly* more “real” than her, but he too has a weak flow, his lyrics are basic, his personality is boring and the only thing that makes his music stand out are the hooks that other people perform. Like Iggy, he makes “Hip Hop” for people who don’t actually like Hip Hop, is basically a pop-rapper who pretends to not be and is able to co-opt the mainstream because he’s white. The only thing that really separates them is that he is smart enough to know that he has to play the humble card. So when he wins awards over more deserving and authentic rappers, he spends weeks going on record saying that they were as deserving as he was — just to do damage control to avoid a backlash. He’s better at personal presentation than her, but that’s about it.

  14. AmbeRussell December 30, 2014

    This whole “iggy isn’t hip hop” is getting old. I feel like half the ppl saying this aren’t real hip hop fans and are just mad that she is doing “better” than their favorite. Don’t blame her, blame the media. Damn it is like beating a dead horse, but every other day a new story about ppl talking about her, really?! I mean rift raff gets put on and artist work with him, but he is a true mockery of rap and hip hop. Every musician isn’t going to give us gold, but give us a purpose. Iggy isn’t the best, but she doesn’t have a front up like she is from the ghettos, slinging drugs and killing ppl. Her music is about pop music stuff. She has an audience. Damn u allow Forbes magazine hold value when they said she was running hip hop. You hold value when u let Angie Martinez say French runs NYC. It is all subjective and an opinion, like an asss whole, we all got

    • Avenger December 30, 2014

      I don’t give a s*** about actual opinion of Forbes magazine, but I am concerned about the power they wield to shift perception. They have enough industry clout to shape general opinions about who is who in the world of entertainment, Hip Hop included. So when they say Iggy is running the show, she gets elevated for it, which leads to me being burdened by her increased exposure.

      • AmbeRussell December 30, 2014

        But if iggy was not here, there was no existence of her, would u be able to look at hip hop in the state that is in and be able to HONESTLY say it is going in the right direction?
        And that forbes article is called great pr, the world wants us to believe Ariana is this the next mariah and Tamar is success is equivalent to her older sister, when that is JUST the media framing things in a favorable way to give these ppl good press.
        Forbes does a ton of articles about who has the most “power” but they have no power what so ever. Influential, maybe but not power.

  15. Bria December 30, 2014

    Lets not leave out your god jayz as a spewer of pure filth

    • Bria December 30, 2014

      Why do you all give jay a pass, cause forbes says he is rich?

      Where is the logic, the concern for your fellow man, not jay but these young impressionable kids that no one seems to care about

      And before you idol worship ores start (refer bible … This is nothing new) we all have an obligation to make things better not spew filth and then say it’s the parents

  16. AmbeRussell December 30, 2014

    Ppl want to be hip hop police and such, and protect the authenticity of the music and call out iggy, but call out everyone. Call out sell outs who would rather Mack a buck than keep it 100. Call out those who are cooning in the industry, making a mackiry of the genre, puppets to the big wigs, who would rather wear a thong to sell singles than uplift other rappers. This is bigger than just iggy, and it should be more than hip hop checking her.

    • The Denial Is Hilarious December 30, 2014

      Thank you for saying that. I’ve been thinking the exact same thing. Iggy is just an easy target. A lot of people don’t even care about the “state of Hip Hop” like they claim. All of a sudden everybody is Afrika Bambaataa and Public Enemy. Chile when that happen? They had absolutely nothing to say when n***** when snapping fingers and cooning with oversized t-shirts back in the mid 2000s. But now all of a sudden it’s the end of the world.

  17. DanYiel Teflon December 30, 2014

    At the end of the day I Love Iggy’s music & folks can’t take it Hell folks aren’t complaining about Tricki Garbagh who sales Tits & A** & Pop music SHAME THE DEVIL & CALL ALL FAKE RAPPERS/RAPTRESS OUT!! Phonie A** people!!

  18. SMH December 30, 2014

    I’m so over white people making excuses for their racism then crying victim and blaming black people when their bullshiit backfires on them.

  19. Soundly_Awake December 30, 2014

    This was a waste of time, I’m tired of people pulling the “race card”. F***** get over it, you’re either good or your not. Obviously whatever Iggy is doing is right because she’s successful, Azalea Banks is bitter because she sucks, white girl is makin money and is being played on mainstream and banks is salty because she’s not doing something right…quit playing the race card we are in 2015!

    • AmbeRussell December 30, 2014

      A banks doesn’t get played on no radio. So she should be mad at the system for allowing a hot 97 be controlled by white men n have the same 14 songs and the same 7 artists on heavy rotation. At the end of the day, what positive things are 75% or so things are these others rappers doing to preserve hip hop? What are they doing that contributes to a positive movement of the hip hop culture and of black youth? Most if them don’t want to be role models anyways. Say what u want about Mac, but he was out there marching with the Brown family. And the it rappers never talk about blacks living in America or help provide a positive image of a young black man

  20. Nicki! December 30, 2014

    LISTEN! IGGY IS A GOOD ARTIST. NOW THESE OTHER RAPPERS THAT ARE OUT HERE HORRIBLE! RACE HAS NO COLOR WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC STOP PUTTING PEOPLE IN A BOX.. YOUR BLACK RAP ABOUT THE BLOCK AND DRUGS AND S**. I’m a song writer and i’m black ! this is crazy people are hating on iggy for no reason because she is white!

  21. Nicki! December 30, 2014

    music has no color stop putting people in a box! Iggy is a good rapper and entertainer. you guys are mad because she is making good moves. The other rappers are out here and sound terrible! you will accept them and say that s*** is hot! We need to stop talking about this police racism and worry about the killing among the younger generation our black people killing each other and nobody getting caught due to the no snitch rules..

    • Tyler December 30, 2014

      Since when were these other rappers who sound “terrible” taken seriously by real Hip Hop heads??? People like Soulja Boy are constantly ridiculed and don’t receive nearly as much praise from the media as Iggy. Oh, or are you implying that we should take it easier on her because she’s white?

  22. Tyler December 30, 2014

    The difference between IggBLACKFACE and Soulja C***, is the simple fact that he was never praised for his mediocrity.

    If Iggy was black the media wouldn’t be placing her on some pedestal because SHE CANT RAP!

    That ladies and gentlemen, is the PROBLEM.

  23. MISHKA December 30, 2014

    Truth be told… As long as Iggy doesn’t win anything “rap” related at the Grammys, she will be fine. Chile, she does even need to win anything, she’s a newcomer!

    Nas and Snoop Dogg who are considered hip hop legends have yet to collect a single Grammy after 20 years in the game. The committee already made the mistake to give it to Macklemore last time, they better get it right next February.

  24. Meteorite December 30, 2014

    What exactly is “Authentic Rap” in this day and age? Last time I checked that was Tupac and B.I.G. Ever since their passing hip-hop and rap has been a joke with the exception of a handful. As far as Macklemore goes I honestly feel he deserved to win his Grammys and if you had done your research on him you’d understand why. In a n** shell he made himself famous without the help of a label. He owns his own label. Lyrically his material is more honest and talked about real issues that hip hop avoids. Yes he has a song here and there that’s “pop” like but lyrically it was all cohesive. As someone posted above, you got all these joke rappers from soljia boy to 2chains talking about air pudding and no gives them flack. He’s he the next Emeniem? Not by a landslide but he’s material is more old school in class cutting up having fun like rap. And radio stations have asked him to free style and he has delivered. But I don’t think Iggy will win.

    • OMG Logic!!! December 30, 2014

      Most Black people are too racist too ever have an unbiased opinion.

      • Meteorite December 30, 2014

        To an extent yes and no I’ll agree with that. For I personally see both sides of the spectrum I see white peoples point of view and I see black peoples point of view. And as a person who is biracial of black and white I get flack for never being enough of both races when in reality I can never be fully one or the other because I am both. And for my own sanity I have to make with myself and ignore society and embrace both. Which pretty the interview was talking about. No one is budging to accept both sides of the spectrum. Although the Android commercial was targeted toward Apple users they have a good slogan that speaks volumes “Be Different BUT Together”

    • Tyler December 30, 2014

      You honestly think that Macklemore’s album was a better solid body of work than Kendrick Lamar’s?

      • Meteorite December 30, 2014

        Absolutely not. Kendrick Lamar album was definitely amazing. However for me personally it was between him and Kendrick. More so though if you watched the interview they talked about how the Grammys work amongst many hard core real issues. And again me personally I don’t not categorize music because music is inspired by every genre whether people know it or not. For me music is music. For me music doesn’t come in color. For me it’s about what makes me feel good and what’s going to help me get through the day.

    • Tyler December 30, 2014

      With all of that bring said…That’s great. Music shouldn’t have any color. Unfortunately, the racially bias Grammy Committee still awarded someone who was less deserving than Kendrick.
      All because he completion is more appealing to the masses

      • Meteorite December 31, 2014

        Tragically and unfortunately, yes.

    • Tyler December 30, 2014

      With all of that bring said…That’s great. Music shouldn’t have any color. Unfortunately, the racially bias Grammy Committee still awarded someone who was less deserving than Kendrick.
      All because he complexion is more appealing to the masses

  25. Thomas December 30, 2014

    We just have to wait for the second album and see if iggy can something to the table

  26. Meteorite December 30, 2014

    I watched this interview in its entirety and I honestly detected No Lies.

  27. Swiftie 4 Life! Got my G.A. tickets for the 1989 Tour and I’m so ready for that voice and skinny body to slay all of my edges December 30, 2014

    Chile, please! Have several in the Georgia Dome. He better hope and pray that next album and its supporting singles don’t flop. He need to stop reaching like he knows about Black culture in the music industry. In the meantime, I’ll have my coke and popeye’s ready for when he flops.

  28. MariahIsMusic1 December 31, 2014

    I’m black but why are black people so bothered about Iggy. Let the girl live geez

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