So if a white guy raps he's stealing culture? But we can still buy your sacred rap?

Pretty weak they are going after Macklemore for no reason other than his skin color. At least he had the courage to challenge homophobia in a homophobic genre. What original social horizons are THEE broadening? Oh they aren't. Theyre picking on the white guy. Huge creative balls THEE. Enjoy your mediocrity.

Macklemore is just plain cheesy -- that's their underlying beef. I mean, "HIM?!"

Nobody wants to buy a bitter rap album which probably explains why nobody listens to Seattle hip hop outside of Metro area high schools

Damn it's good to see the Stranger finally nab at the Mack diss. Honestly the Jewish community is still waiting for an apology for that costume last spring. I mean "not my idea of a stereotype" really stings considering the rise in anti-Semitic violence in France and the Ukraine. Meanwhile he's having his name put on school benches while he bounces around the city with a hitler youth buzz. Same Love was the most condescending homophobic rap track I have ever heard from a Seattle musician. I don't see why Seattle should stand behind an idiot who built his platform on top of fake based. smh

I'm no Macklemore fan, but it does seem rather weak that the most original thing you can come up with is to take cheap shots at another artist.

The non-Jewish community is still waiting for an apology for the Beastie Boys.

Larry - your "My Philosophy" column is getting so played out. You haven't had your pulse on the Seattle rap scene for the last 2 years with the exception of a few "critically" approved artists. Maybe you need more space to expand on your thoughts, but there have been just too many examples of a lack of diverse opinion that represents the variety of great music coming out of the town that makes me ponder why the Stranger has yet to replace you. You're time has passed and your lack of passion to stay on the pulse has not been lost on this reader.

@Johnny Utah…I agree with your first post. Regarding the second however, there are so many creative rap artists from the 206 dropping unique music that is getting listened to across all of the US and globally.

@4 Can you please back up your statement and tell us how Same Love is homophobic?

My understanding was that Ben "Macklemore" Haggerty grew up in the CD and went to high school at Garfield which is currently 62% minorities. Sounds to me like he didn't appropriate black culture, the culture appropriated him.

The one on the left seems to have very nice looking breasts.

I'm not a fan of Mack, but this is just a cheap shot and adds nothing to the conversation of race in hip hop. How does Macklemore co-opt black culture and hip hop? Think rationally for a moment whether this accusation goes beyond skin deep. Is he rapping about experiences that he has not had (lying)? What part is inauthentic? What has he stolen? Is Macklemore harmful to hip hop and to black culture? Those are real questions worth talking about.

There's a more intelligent discussion here, but this isn't it. This is, ironically, sounding more like reactionary conservatism. Congratulations.

Funny, Thee and Ben used to all be friends, rocking the same shows, and most of the time believe it or not, agreeing on the same topics. One of the first songs I heard from him was white privilege. I remember feeling like every white rapper should have a song like that in tribute to the house they are in, and to show they have some understanding of where this came from. And I saw a raz show..... eh. Hella mediocre. So yes he is trolling. So... I find it hard to not say anything about this, because I did the shows at maple lane and Greenhill with him, I met kids years later, black brown and white, who told me if it weren't for me and him coming and doing those shows, they would still be locked up or dead. They even had started some workshops for youth in their own community. So does raz see mack as a problem to his community, or his career? And thee moved to New York ain't it? Mack still on the hill! I grew up in Gary, In, East Chicago, Detroit, Hammond...etc. The last thing i would be writing about would be a white rapper, cause he ain't the problem over there! Apparently in Seattle, your only hardships and and hood problems are macklemore hustling harder than you. Step your bars up and quit crying! Raz is an ok rapper, that's his fault, not macks. Go get some real problems

@1 "At least he had the courage to challenge homophobia in a homophobic genre. What original social horizons are THEE broadening?"

Seriously?? Two queer lady rappers *existing* in a scene that's heteronormative and hypermasculine is broadening social horizons. Not to mention the line/track "I don't usually do guys but tonight I might be bisexual." Or the Black Weirdo project. Or, y'know, just straight-up coming out with a sound that's original and genre-pushing.