As a young teen, Ben "Macklemore" Haggerty was already fascinated by the idea of influencing the beliefs and values of the people around him through musical expression. When Haggerty found rap and the platform it gave him to unlock his fascination with influence he began on a path to becoming one of the most popular and influential artists of the decade. Through his popularity, Haggerty was simultaneously criticized and by every racial and cultural group imaginable. Throughout the whirlwind of critique and praise, Macklemore's honest observation of his place in society that forces his listeners to contemplate their own place in American society has defined his music throughout his career.
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