Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, widely recognized by his stage name Macklemore, is a prominent American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born on June 19, 1983, in Seattle, Washington, Macklemore embarked on his music career in the year 2000 as an independent artist.
Over the years, he has released several noteworthy works, including “Open Your Eyes” (2000), “The Language of My World” (2005), and “The Unplanned Mixtape” (2009).
Macklemore’s journey to international stardom gained momentum when he formed a collaboration with producer Ryan Lewis, collectively known as the duo “Macklemore & Ryan Lewis” (2009–2016).
Their breakthrough came with the chart-topping single “Thrift Shop” (featuring Wanz), which reached the coveted number one position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 2013. This achievement was particularly remarkable as it marked the first time since 1994 that a song had ascended to the top of the Hot 100 chart without the backing of a major record label.
Notably, Macklemore adopted a distinctive recording contract, in which he paid a nominal percentage of sales to utilize Warner Bros. Records’s radio promotion department for the promotion of his singles.
The duo’s success continued with their second single, “Can’t Hold Us,” also securing the number one spot on the Hot 100 chart. This historic achievement made Macklemore and Lewis the first duo in the history of the chart to have their initial two singles both reach the pinnacle.
Their debut studio album, “The Heist,” was unveiled on October 9, 2012, and achieved a commendable second-place ranking on the U.S. Billboard 200. The exceptional musical journey of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis culminated in the duo clinching four Grammy Awards at the 2014 ceremony, including prestigious categories such as Best New Artist, Best Rap Album (The Heist), Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance (“Thrift Shop”).
In June 2017, Macklemore made a triumphant return to the music industry with the release of “Glorious,” a single featuring Skylar Grey. This marked a significant milestone as it was his first major single produced independently, without the involvement of Ryan Lewis, since his meteoric rise to fame.
Building on this success, Macklemore released his second solo studio album, “Gemini,” in September of the same year. Fast forward to February 24, 2023, and he delighted fans with the release of his highly-anticipated follow-up album, aptly titled “Ben.”
Macklemore’s enduring talent and musical evolution continue to captivate audiences, cementing his position as a celebrated figure in the American music landscape.