Over the past year, Macklemore’s unyielding chart success has been due much in part to his two major hit singles, “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us.” But while those glossy pop-rap records have been keeping fans moving on the dance floor, Macklemore’s lyrically touching pro-gay record, “Same Love,” has been quietly gaining platinum sales and causing quite the dialogue about homophobia in hip-hop. In a recent interview with Hot 97’s Angie Martinez, Macklemore revealed his personal inspiration for the songs — his many gay uncles.
“I have hella gay uncles,” Macklemore told Martinez. “On my dad’s side, out of his four brothers, two of those brothers are gay, and then they have their respective partners and I consider those my uncles as well. So, that makes four gay uncles.
“I have a gay godfather, his partner, that’s like two more [gay family members],” Macklemore added.
As a rapper, Macklemore explained that he felt the need to hold the hip-hop community accountable for the homophobia that has plagued the genre for so many years.
“I think that looking at the hip-hop community, and holding myself accountable in the hip-hop community, was what I cared about. That’s my community; that’s who I see to be oppressing gay people,” explained Macklemore. “The f-word and saying, ‘that’s gay,’ is still rampant. Homophobia is still rampant in the hip-hop community and it just gets the co-sign, like it’s fine.”
But Macklemore and Martinez both agree that hip-hop is slowly shifting to a more accepting and empathetic mind-set when it comes to the LGBT community.
“It’s getting better. The last year has gotten a lot better, but for so long, it was just an issue that nobody touched on,” said Macklemore.
As always, we commend Macklemore for standing with other rappers like Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and A$AP Rocky in pushing hip-hop toward a more progressive and accepting place. And, like Macklemore, below are other celebs who publicly support their LGBT family members. –nicholas robinson
