Ben Haggerty was born in Seattle, Washington, on June 19, 1983, one of two sons born to Bill Haggerty and Julie Schott. He was raised with his brother Tim in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. He has Irish heritage and was raised Catholic. Haggerty was six years old when hip hop first came into his life by way of Digital Underground. At the age of 15, he began to write lyrics.
At the time he started to sing, Haggerty listened to "a lot of East Coast underground hip-hop", listing Hieroglyphics, Freestyle Fellowship, Aceyalone, Living Legends, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Nas, and Talib Kweli as his major influences. He was interested in reaching a younger generation through his music and became part of a program focusing on education and cultural identity called "Gateways for Incarcerated Youth", where he facilitated music workshops. Haggerty attended Garfield High School and Nathan Hale High School. At Hale, he developed the stage name "Professor Macklemore" for an art project involving a made-up superhero, and at Garfield, he started a hip-hop group named Elevated Elements with other students. The group released an album, Progress, in 2000.
Haggerty enrolled at the College of Santa Fe for a year, later saying in an interview that "it was a very pivotal time in a lot of ways. Santa Fe was the place where I got good at rapping". After not getting into the music program, he moved back to Seattle. Haggerty later enrolled at The Evergreen State College in Olympia and completed his bachelor's degree in 2009.
On his debut album, The Language of My World, Macklemore drafts a lyrical landscape of classic proportions. This record is teeming with energy and ambition, serving as a fitting debut for one of this country's most promising young artists. Macklemore's gift, like that of all great songwriters, is his ability to speak on universal experiences in a uniquely personal way. Throughout The Language of My World, Macklemore consistently addresses topics that are uncomfortable or taboo, in an attempt to exorcise his own personal demons.
Macklemore's second mixtape, The Unplanned Mixtape, was released on September 7, 2009. It would later reach No. 7 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart. The mixtape was accompanied by the singles "The Town" and "And We Danced", the latter of which featured singer Ziggy Stardust. "The Town" was later remixed by Sabzi of the Blue Scholars.
His music is inspirational, filled with social and racial consciousness, as well as a constructive political vision. He's also funny as hell, making music that is at once hilarious and affecting. Born and raised in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood Macklemore has been an integral part of the Seattle hip-hop scene for the past 7 years. He developed his style and character as part of Elevated Elements, which he founded when he was just 14 years old, and quickly moved on to pursue his solo career. From these humble beginnings Macklemore has matured, both as a songwriter and performer, into an artist who is clearly beginning to realize his near limitless potential.
Macklemore's and Ryan Lewis's single "Thrift Shop" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2013. The single was dubbed by Billboard as the first song since 1994 to top the Hot 100 chart without the support of a major record label; however Macklemore, in a slightly unusual recording contract, pays a nominal percentage of sales to use Warner Bros. Records's radio promotion department to push his singles. Their second single, "Can't Hold Us", also peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart, making Macklemore and Lewis the first duo in the chart's history to have their first two singles both reach the peak position. Their debut studio album The Heist was released on 9 October 2012, and charted at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The duo won four Grammy Awards at the 2014 ceremony, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album (The Heist), Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance ("Thrift Shop").
Macklemore's and Lewis's second album, This Unruly Mess I've Made, was released on February 26, 2016. In June 2017, Macklemore released "Glorious", a single featuring Skylar Grey, which marked his return to the music industry as well as his first major single produced without Lewis since his mainstream breakthrough. Macklemore released a second solo studio album, Gemini, in September that year.
On October 29, 2021, Macklemore released a new single titled "Next Year", featuring American singer Windser. Macklemore also worked with Ryan Lewis on the single, marking their first collaboration in three years.
On July 22, 2022, Macklemore released a new single, "Chant", featuring Australian musician Tones and I. On August 19, 2022, Macklemore released the single, "Maniac", featuring American musician Windser.
Macklemore's third solo studio album, Ben, was released on March 3, 2023.
At The Party
Macklemore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
*doorbell ring*
Walked in with the pinstripes, whuddup
Doormans like "you on the list?" Like shhi-
I should be there like after the l's
Said it's too early to tell
Afrika Bambaataa, cool herc was loopin the break beat
Rock Steady was breakin', that's wassup ????
???
Proceeded up to the bar one tak 183 and flat black was tight on the wall
????
and went to bomb broadway
Sugar hill Run DMC were kickin' raps
Busta and the beasties came in, drinking brass monkeys
Bumrushed the show, hopped on stage then
a whole bunch of white dudes opened the door and came in
after ed lover, dr. dre then big daddy cane
said there ain't no hash-stepping, walk this way
went to the next room had the 90's on it, "hell yeah"
Ayo it smell like chronic
Hella juice & gin
I grab my cup, try to fill it to the brim
somebody said "Ayo, you ain't chipped in? I'm playing nephew, go ahead"
Ice Cube was shopping ???
The lyrics of Macklemore's "At The Party" take the listener on a journey through time as the artist walks into a party where history is being made. The song has a highly nostalgic feel as Macklemore describes the party in a detailed and creative way. He does this by taking the listener back to the time when hip hop was just starting out in the Bronx.
The lyrics start with Macklemore walking into a party with pinstripes and being asked by the doorman whether he is on the list. As he walks in, he sees Afrika Bambaataa and Cool Herc looping the break beat and Rock Steady breaking. He then proceeds to the bar where Tak 183 and Flat Black are making their art on the wall. Meanwhile, Sugar Hill Run DMC, Busta Rhymes, and the Beastie Boys are kicking raps. They then hop onto the stage and perform. It's at this moment that a bunch of white guys open the door and walk in. Macklemore then takes us to the next room where it smells like chronic, and Ice Cube is shopping. There is hella juice and gin, and Macklemore tries to fill his cup up to the brim, but someone says that he hasn't chipped in.
Overall, the lyrics of "At The Party" transport the listener to a time when hip hop was still young and new. The song is a story of the birth of an artistic movement and describes the various elements of the culture that were present at the time.
Line by Line Meaning
Walked in with the pinstripes, whuddup
I entered the party looking fly in my pinstripe suit, greeting everyone with a 'what's up'
Doormans like 'you on the list?' Like shhi-
The doorman questioned if I was invited to the party or not, making me feel unsure of myself
I should be there like after the l's
I believed that I should have been welcomed to the party without any questions asked
Said it's too early to tell
The doorman was unsure if I should be let in yet, and took his time deciding
Fuck it go ahead
Feeling impatient, I decided to just go ahead and walk into the party anyway
Afrika Bambaataa, cool herc was loopin the break beat
Inside the party, the musicians were playing classic hip hop tracks from famous DJs like Afrika Bambaataa and Cool Herc
Rock Steady was breakin', that's wassup ???
People in the party were breakdancing to the music, as 'Rock Steady' was busting some cool moves
Proceeded up to the bar one tak 183 and flat black was tight on the wall
I went to the bar, noticing a piece of graffiti art on the wall by a famous tagger called 'One Tak 183'
???
This line is inaudible and cannot be understood.
Sugar hill Run DMC were kickin' raps
Other famous hip hop musicians like Sugar Hill and Run DMC were performing their own music at the party
Busta and the beasties came in, drinking brass monkeys
More famous rappers like Busta Rhymes and the Beastie Boys came into the party, drinking a famous mixed drink called 'brass monkeys'
Bumrushed the show, hopped on stage then
Busta and the Beastie Boys hopped onto the stage unannounced and started to perform their music
a whole bunch of white dudes opened the door and came in
A group of white guys arrived at the party, surprising everyone by showing up uninvited
after ed lover, dr. dre then big daddy cane
Famous hip hop musicians like Ed Lover, Dr. Dre, and Big Daddy Kane arrived at the party after the other rappers
said there ain't no hash-stepping, walk this way
One of the musicians reminded everyone not to step on any drugs that might be lying around, telling everyone to 'walk this way'
went to the next room had the 90's on it, 'hell yeah'
In another room at the party, 90's music was being played, and I was excited to hear it
Ayo it smell like chronic
Someone in the room was smoking weed, making the whole area smell very strongly
Hella juice & gin
People were drinking a lot of juice and gin at the party
I grab my cup, try to fill it to the brim
I grabbed a cup and attempted to fill it completely with juice and gin
somebody said 'Ayo, you ain't chipped in? I'm playing nephew, go ahead'
Someone nearby teased me for not contributing to the drinks, but then told me to go ahead anyway
Ice Cube was shopping ???
This line is difficult to understand and could mean different things depending on interpretation, but it hints that Ice Cube may have been present at the party and shopping for something.
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
N S
What makes Macklemore an amazing songwriter is the fact that he can make fun bullshit songs like this but also super serious songs like Wings and Otherside.
Vadoom 335
Noah Shively-Blinn he made downtown and then releases kevin it's awesome
George E.
Gamester Of Triskelion It's not bullshit song my friend... If you close ur eyes and listen the rythm and the whole music you'll understand it's very good song.
George E.
Gamester Of Triskelion And dancing hit.
N S
I know it's a great song, I meant it was bullshit as in there's no real hard hitting message behind it, it's just about having a great time.
Aron Davis
Awesome song, good stuff Mack !!
足の裏みたいな顔
洋楽で1番好きやわ
Mochi
I love how this song is both ridiculously silly, and also still full of a lot of positivity about just being comfortable and happy with yourself.
LukaWillMakeIt
@Grande Capo and being toxic to others
Pete1987pl
All you have to do is dance. It's easy. 🎉🎉🎉🎉 lol