Macklemore (Formerly Professor Macklemore) is the stage name for Ben Haggerty. Haggerty is an American rap artist who has been releasing music since 2000, but whose popularity has risen significantly in the last few years. His most recent and most popular single "Thrift Shop" has almost 60 million hits on Youtube. Macklemore is an artist who boldly creates music regarding issues such as consumerism, homosexuality, and the destructive mass media culture America lives in.
I would like to bring to light Macklemore's song, "Wings" because its lyrics have to do exactly with what we have been examining in class- the dominating consumerism culture within America.
Here is the link to the music video:
Wings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAg3uMlNyHA
"Wings" is a real life throwback told through the eyes of Macklemore as a child growing up in the 90s. The lies of the empire that name brand logos are what define us and that in order to be cool and fit in one must succumb to the price tags of the most expensive commodities are experienced first hand as young Macklemore lets his Nike shoes become his very identity. Macklemore gives voice to one of the ironic foundations of the empire, that when we buy things in order to "stand out" and be "our own person" what we are really doing is simply verifying that the empire has captivated our imaginations. This realization is prominent in lines such as
"I'm an individual, yea, but I'm part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said"
The kingdom is ever present in this work as Macklemore grows up and the song begins to be told through his current eyes; Macklemore challenges everything about the culture around him. He admits that he feels "strangled by these laces" and the oppressive consumerist mindset of the world surrounding him. He mocks the media who suggest that he isn't allowed to crease his shoes or even take them out of their box for fear of dirtying them.
I think the most prevalent display of the Kingdom in this song is found in the lines:
"But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change, or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me, but I'm trying to take mine, off"
Macklemore is downright treasonous when he names Nike's founder as an agent of the empire and after wondering to himself whether he will dare to take a stand and make a change in his life, symbolically declares that he wants his Nikes off. Macklemore wants his imagination liberated.
Macklemore suggests that in America we are raised as slaves to the empire of consumerism. He talks about his first-hand experience with the pain that obsession with commodities causes. He challenges the motives of the corporations selling us our "dreams" and goes so far as to call one of them out by name. He admits his on-going struggle with prioritizing "stuff" over what is really important in life. Is this not exactly what we have been doing in class? Macklemore is not a Christian, but I think God is nevertheless working in him to give voice to the Kingdom.
Why do you think Macklemore singles out the Nike corporation in his attack on the consumerist economy in America?
Do you think that God uses non-Christians to bring light to his Kingdom?
Why do you thing Macklemore begins this song through the eyes of a child? He also uses a children's choir to sing the chorus of this song, what impact does that have on the meaning of the song? What impact does it have on us, the listeners?
I completely agree that Macklemore tackles controversial topics and reinforces the social norms that need to be stressed within our run-of-the-mill, middle class American cultural outlets. I do think that God uses non-Christians to bring light into his kingdom, that he uses all of his children, Christian or not, for his purpose. Consider the Good Samaritan, despised by the Jews for their mixed-blood ancestry that served the injured man as an act of humble companionship. As far as consumerism goes, Macklemore creates a glacial impact on the audience by utilizing children to sing the chorus, given that not only are we slaves to consumerism, but our children can also be slaves if we do not moderate their lifestyles with discretion.
ReplyDeleteSo drop the Nike's and go to the thrift shop?
It's hard to find a music artist who addresses these issues and has good talent, but I think Macklemore nails it. Sometimes in our own lives we can see our childhood dreams taken and twisted. Just as Macklemore's story shows a kid who wants to be good at basketball to be cool is taken in by Nike because their shoes promise that he will jump better. I can see how we are taken captive and this music video does a good job at challenging that system we are apart of in order to be apocalyptic in our classes sense of the word.
ReplyDeleteI love how God can work through anybody and everybody. I was actually thinking the exact same thing a couple classes ago; I'm definitely a fan of "The Heist" and other tracks Macklemore has released, and I was thinking of that line "I listened to what that swoosh said!" also. I think it's neat that he begins this track from the perspective of an innocent child seeking adventure, only to have his world shattered by consumerism, when the beat just drops out and he goes, "Whoa." I guess that's just what happens when you seek adventure, and start pushing outward at the consumerist walls that surround you.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece and great analysis, Kim! Macklemore is definitely doing some prophetic work of late while speaking truth to power. I count it as good news that the video for this song has been viewed over 11 million times.
ReplyDelete