Introduction

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, is an American rapper and musician. He achieved a meteoric rise to fame without assistance from a major record label, and instead pays Warner Bros. Records a minor fee to promote his tracks through the radio. Macklemore often collaborates with producer Ryan Lewis, and the two have released many of Macklemore’s most successful tracks as a musical duo. As of 2021, Macklemore’s net worth is estimated to be $25 million.

Early Life

Macklemore was born in Seattle on June 19, 1983. He grew up listening to rap music and became a fan of groups like Digital Underground, Mobb Deep, Nas, and the Wu-Tang Clan. By the time he was 15, Macklemore was writing his own raps. In high school, he developed the stage name “Professor Macklemore,” which was later shortened to simply “Macklemore.”

Early Involvement in Music

Before graduating from high school, Haggerty worked on his own mixtape under the name Professor Macklemore. In 2000, he released the mixtape called Open Your Eyes. While attending high school in Seattle, Macklemore collaborated with a group of other students to form the hip-hop group Elevated Elements. They released one album together before Haggerty moved to Santa Fe to attend the College of Santa Fe. After graduating high school, Haggerty released a full-length album called The Language of My World under the name Macklemore. Despite not being accepted into the College of Santa Fe’s music program, Macklemore stated that his time in this city helped him improve his rapping. He moved back to Seattle and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College in 2009.

Collaboration With Ryan Lewis

Macklemore had known Ryan Lewis since 2006, but it wasn’t until 2009 that they started to work together as a musical duo. During this year, Macklemore released a second mixtape entitled The Unplanned Mixtape. Although Macklemore hadn’t quite achieved mainstream success yet, the mixtape nonetheless took the number 7 spot on the iTunes Hip-Hop Chart. After releasing a series of EPs and mixtapes with Ryan Lewis’ help, Macklemore was performing to sold-out crowds by 2011.

Breakthrough

Macklemore experienced a major breakthrough with the release of The Heist, his second studio album. This release debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard top 200 in 2012 and sold 78,000 copies that week. The album featured the hit “Thrift Shop,” which reached the top of the Hot 100 Chart without the backing of a major record label. A second single off The Heist, “Can’t Hold Us,” also peaked at the top of the Hot 100 Chart. Macklemore spent the next few years collaborating with a range of other artists, including Ed Sheeran and 2 Chainz.

In 2016, Macklemore returned with another studio album. The Unruly Mess I’ve Made was the artist’s third entry and featured songs like “Wednesday,” “White Privilege II,” and “Drug Dealer.” In 2017, Macklemore announced that he and Ryan Lewis were taking a break from working with each other.

Post-Ryan Lewis

In 2017, Macklemore released Gemini, his first studio album produced without assistance from Ryan Lewis. The album featured a song called “Glorious” with contributions from Skylar Grey. The album also featured collaborations with Lil’ Yachty and Kesha.

Macklemore’s Net Worth

As of 2021, Macklemore’s net worth is estimated to be $25 million. His success as a rapper has allowed him to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the music industry and perform to sold-out crowds around the world.

Personal Life

Macklemore has struggled with drug addiction for many years. He checked himself into a rehab center in 2008 and was clean for three years following that. However, he relapsed again in 2011.

Macklemore dated his girlfriend Tricia Davis for seven years before they got married in 2015. The couple has two daughters and holds a minority share in the Seattle Sounders, a soccer team in MLS.

Conclusion

Macklemore’s meteoric rise to fame without the backing of a major record label has made him a unique figure in the music industry. Collaborating with producer Ryan Lewis, Macklemore achieved huge success with songs like “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us.” Although he has faced personal struggles with addiction, Macklemore continues to be a successful artist with a net worth of $25 million.