When Seattle rapper Macklemore took home the Grammy award for Best Rap Album this year, he sent fellow hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar a much-maligned text, apologizing for “robbing” Lamar of an award many thought the Compton, Calif., rhymer deserved. Macklemore posted the text on Instagram, resulting in a backlash from critics calling his apology over the top and/or disingenuous.
“You got robbed,” Macklemore texted at the time. “I wanted you to win. You should have. It’s weird and sucks that I robbed you.”
in his recent interview with The Source, Lamar’s fellow Top Dawg Entertainment co-hort Schoolboy Q was asked about the Macklemore text; and Q said that the attention and criticism Macklemore received wasn’t warranted. Implying that perhaps Macklemore is being overly scrutinized because he’s white, Schoolboy Q said that no one would have questioned or cared if he or other hip-hop stars were to send such a text.
“All these rappers talking s— about Macklemore because of the text, but they wouldn’t be saying that s— if I sent the text out,” Q says. “Or if Maino sent the text out. Bruh, if Maino sent the text out and put it on Instagram, n—as would be quiet. They wouldn’t say nothing.”
Drake was one of the loudest critics of Macklemore’s reaction to his Grammy win. Several months ago, Drake voiced his criticism in an interview with Rolling Stone.
“I was like, ‘You won. Why are you posting your text message? Just chill. Take your W, and if you feel you didn’t deserve it, go get better. Make better music,’ ” said Drake in that interview. “It felt cheap. It didn’t feel genuine. Why do that? Why feel guilt? You think those guys would pay homage to you if they won?”
