Hip hop performer and rapper Macklemore was born Ben Haggerty in Seattle in 1983. He began listening to hip hop music as a young boy. This early exposure influenced his aspirations to join suit and join his favorite performers in this industry. By the time he was 14 years of age, he was already writing his own lyrics and perfecting his performance skills that would later benefit him and his career. He initially went by the name Professor Macklemore, but dropped the Professor moniker as he grew in popularity with his fans.
He released his first single, “Open Your Eyes,” in 2000; however, his first album did not hit the market until 2005. By that time, he was known professionally as Macklemore. His first album was called The Language of My World. Despite his early, yet successful forays into hip hop music, he met with greater success after he paired with producer Ryan Lewis. Lewis became Macklemore’s trusted friend and began producing his music. The duo most famously collaborated on Macklemore’s 2013 hit song “Thrift Shop,” with Lewis appearing in the video for the song as well. The song made Macklemore a mainstream presence in the hip hop scene and gave him one of his biggest hits to date.
However, prior to “Thrift Shop,” he enjoyed widespread acclaim for singles like “Same Love.” In fact, the song reflects Macklemore’s advocacy of LGBT rights and same sex marriage. He even performed this song on Ellen Degeneres’ daytime show. He was also asked to sing this song at the Grammy Awards in 2014, which played host to 33 couples who got married during the event. This massive exposure helped the song rise to an all-time popularity among his fans and also played a role in his Macklemore net worth that right now stands at $18 million.
How Much Is Macklemore Worth Now?
His Macklemore net worth of $18 million is expected to grow as he prepares to record his next studio album, which could be released as soon as 2015. He again is partnering with his friend and producer Ryan Lewis for his newest song creations. This new album is expected to sell as well as his second album, which bears the title of The Heist. Along with working on his new album, Macklemore continues to enjoy worldwide attention for his musical endeavors. He was recently recognized as a top 100 performer by an Australian radio station. He also was featured in a three-page spread in ESPN magazine.
Despite his massive commercial success, he and producer Ryan Lewis are not signed to any major label. Instead, they continue to forge out on their own, recording and releasing music under Macklemore LLC. In a radio advertisement for Dr. Pepper, Macklemore stated that he does not like having to conform to anyone’s expectations, but instead prefers to remain as unique as possible. With that, this preference could explain his hesitancy to sign with a major label.
Macklemore also has not been without his fair share of controversy. His continued advocacy for the same sex marriage agenda has made him an enemy of many conservatives who favor traditional marriage. Likewise, he has garnered suspicion and criticism for his belief in 9/11 conspiracy theories. While he says that he is for equality for all and does not advocate discrimination of anyone, he invited anger and criticism when he appeared at a recent music festival dressed in an Orthodox Jewish costume. Many people felt he crossed the line with his costume and was mocking the Jewish faith. However, that controversy dissipated in due time, and Macklemore remains one of today’s most popular hip hop artists.