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Straight Rapper Macklemore Drops LGBTQ Rights Song, “Same Love”

Posted by on Jul 18, 2012 in Music | 11 comments

"Man, you've loved girls since before Pre-K."

Mark my words, hip-hop is Seattle’s next big musical export. Grunge was great, but some extremely talented MCs call the Pacific Northwest home, and you better listen.

Seattle hip-hop duo Mackelemore and Ryan Lewis recently released their LGBTQ support anthem, “Same Love”, and the song is awesome. Featuring vocalist Mary Lambert, the track tackles homophobia expressed by religion, politicians, and fellow musicians. Mackemore laments the experiences of the LGBTQ community with lyrics like, “If you preach hate at the service, those words aren’t anointed. That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned.”

Sometimes, I feel like most people see gays as exclusive fans of all things Top 40. Of course we love Madonna, but other genres tickle us pink as well. As a long time hip-hop enthusiast, I was really excited to hear “Same Love.”

To accompany the track, Macklemore posted a touching statement on his official website:

“This song, which I wrote in April, is a response to what I have observed and experienced, and is also an act of personal accountability. It was not easy to write, and I struggled with how I, as a straight male, could genuinely speak upon this issue.

Initially, I tried writing from the perspective of a gay, bullied kid, but after getting some feedback, I felt it wasn’t my story to tell. What I do know, and where I wrote from, is my own perspective growing up in a culture where “that’s gay” was commonplace, with a huge stigma on those who identified and were perceived as gay.

Growing up in the Catholic Church, I saw first-hand how easily religion became a platform for hate and prejudice. Those who “believed” were excused from their own judgments, bypassing the stark issue of basic civil rights.

But, more influential to me as a kid than the church was hip hop, my cultural foundation that influenced my worldview.

Unfortunately, intolerance of the gay community in hip hop is widespread. The best rappers will use homophobic language on albums that critics rave about, making hip hop and homophobia inextricably linked. We have sidestepped the issue entirely, become numb to the language that we use, and are increasingly blinded to our own prejudice.

Go read the entire thing HERE.

I would like to personally thank Macklemore for his support, and for writing such a fantastic song.

Does “Same Love” bring a tear to your eye? Press play, don’t press pause.