Macklemore texted Kendrick Lamar to apologize for winning Best Rap Album

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A lot of people are upset with Macklemore. I guess they were upset even before the Grammys, but after Macklemore and Ryan Lewis picked up four major awards (Best Rap Album, Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song), people are really losing their damn minds. I mean… I understand if you think Kendrick Lamar got robbed. He probably did get robbed for at least one of those awards (although I still don’t know the difference between Rap Performance and Rap Song). But… this is still just the Grammys. It’s not like it really matters. I thought Gary Clark Jr. got robbed too, but then I reminded myself: it’s the Grammys. It doesn’t matter.

But I guess there’s a worthy discussion to be had about cultural appropriation (direct it at Madonna too though), frat-boy liberalism and white privilege, etc. But would it make a difference to your Macklemore Hate-on if you knew that he and Kendrick Lamar are bros and Mac texted him after the Grammys? Macklemore even posted some of the texts on his Instagram too, with this message:

My text to Kendrick after the show. He deserved best rap album… I’m honored and completely blown away to win anything much less 4 Grammys. But in that category, he should have won IMO. And that’s taking nothing away from The Heist. Just giving GKMC it’s proper respect.. With that being said, thank you to the fans. You’re the reason we were on that stage tonight. And to play Same Love on that platform was a career highlight. The greatest honor of all. That’s what this is about. Progress and art. Thank you. #grammys

[From Macklemore’s Instagram]

I’ll take that. I mean, I’m not taking it on behalf of Kendrick Lamar or anything, but I tend to believe that Kendrick is probably cool with Macklemore and it’s just the fans that are getting their panties in a twist about this. Plus, Kendrick “won” something last night – his performance with Imagine Dragons was WAY better than that nonsense that Macklemore had with Madonna.

Here’s something that I do find vaguely racist though – there are, like, no photos of Kendrick at the Grammys. He was on the red carpet, I saw him speak to E!

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Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet, Instagram.

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85 Responses to “Macklemore texted Kendrick Lamar to apologize for winning Best Rap Album”

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  1. blue marie says:

    Had he not posted it on Instagram I’d be more willing to believe his words. But that posting of the text rubs me the wrong way, it’s just prolonging his spotlight.

    Kendrick Lamar is a better rapper, it should have gone to him but it’s the Grammys so.. what do you expect. There are a lot of great artists that never got a Grammy, so he’s in good company. Also, strictly superficial, Kendrick is hotter than Mackelmore.

    Edit: As for the racist bit about not posting photos of him, I think it’s more of the yahoo’s not knowing who he is, which shame on them.

    • bns says:

      Agreed.

    • Sabah says:

      So true, yeah it’s cool that he texted kendrick but posting it erases any good he was trying to achieve.

      Kendrick is just such a cool dude, and doing so much to progress hip hop. God he’s just so talented! That performance! Ok enough drooling from me

      Go away macklemore

    • V4real says:

      I 100% agree with you Marie. It’s not an honest apology but at least he knows he didn’t deserve that award.

    • Kiddo says:

      Meh. You know what? He might have meant it. After the Grammys, social media went berzerk with postings of Lamar getting robbed. Macklemore probably felt an obligation to make it public. He was in a lose/lose situation. If he hadn’t made it public, people might have assumed he considered himself the better artist, and the hate would have grown for him.

      It’s not his fault that he won, if you feel it was unmerited. The Grammys are full of surprising winners, not always the best artists, historically. He’s just fortunate that Kanye wasn’t presenting this year.

      • blue marie says:

        I get what you’re saying, and while I do think Kendrick is a better rapper I’m also not the type of person to take to Twitter to show my disdain. It is what it is. However Mackelmore needs to develop a thicker skin then, because he wasn’t obligated to do anything and instead this makes him look like a chump to me.

      • Kiddo says:

        I know, @blue marie, but I think he knows he’s not in Lamar’s league. I’m not a fan of Macklemore, and I bet Lamar will have greater endurance in the long run. I feel like Macklemore is a novelty act, but who knows, maybe he’ll develop into something better?

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I don’t think he is a chump at all. It takes a big person to admit when they have won something they didn’t feel they deserved. I am not a fan of his music, it is alright in a silly pop way, but he seems to be a sincere person to me.

    • QQ says:

      BLUE MARIE TESTIFY UP IN HERE! It reeks of humblebrag

    • Vanessa says:

      I thought no one took his picture because he was wearing jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt.

    • jaye says:

      +1000 If the text was kept private then it is what it is. It was humblebraggy, but whatever. If Kendrick likes it I love it. But for Macklemore to post his text, in my eyes, negates some of the positive intention and becomes more of an attention grab.

    • Delorb says:

      Agreed. If he really thought the other guy should have won, then he should have had his name removed from the ballots.

    • Kate says:

      Remember when Jethro Tull won over Metallica in the Heavy Metal category SMH

    • drea says:

      Yeah, there’s something fake and contrived about him posting the text. Like, “See? See that, haters? I’m a good guy.” Meh.

  2. Neffie says:

    And he just had to show this private text, i guess he felt he was being attacked.

  3. Kolby says:

    I feel like they are both talented, but they work in different styles of the same genre. People are entitled to their opinions, of course, but it’s important to remember that the Grammys are not and never will be objective. People get “robbed” every year. Hopefully Kendrick Lamar will get his due in the future.

    Plus, I think people forget that Macklemore AND Ryan Lewis won the Grammy. They are a duo and Lewis’s production has been essential to their success.

    • Meaghan says:

      Agreed on everything you said.

      I don’t know what Kendrick plays though, I don’t listen to rap so Im ignorant on the issue though.

    • Rayche says:

      Yep, Lewis is the brain behind this. He also oversees Mack’s writing and gives his input.

      Lewis is one of the best, if not the best, beat maker working right now.

    • Anna says:

      Macklemore didn’t deserve any of the rap awards that he got, lyrically Thrift Shop was idiotic and the best was ripped off from Le1f anyway. I think New Slaves should’ve won for best song and Kendrick should’ve won the rest.

      I heard Macklemore wasn’t even supposed to be nominated, the Grammy “veto” committee at the end added him to the rap categories.

  4. bns says:

    His whole good guy shtick seems really contrived. He just tries way too hard.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      I have no comment on his talent but I agree that his persona, not personality, grates!

  5. Cleveland Girl says:

    I am sorry but this is just ridiculous. The Grammy judges (whoever they are) picked the winners! A lot of the time they make the wrong decision. But it is NOT Mackelmores fault that he won! Let him enjoy his win, and we should not criticize him for it!

    • jaye says:

      I don’t think anyone HERE is criticizing him for winning, it’s the text thing that people are finding questionable. The Grammy voters, for whatever reason, felt that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis had the best rap song last year. I’m sure MANY people disagree, but it really makes no difference after the fact.

      • We Are All Made of Stars says:

        The Grammy committee picks whomever it is that has made the industry the most money as a way of giving the performer (as well as themselves) more credibility and relevance. And of course more profit-earning potential. I don’t understand all the people who are acting like Macklemore is a jerk or that he did something wrong by stating that he thought somebody else should have won. He always seems like a decent guy to me, and he probably felt awkward about winning over the presumed, and apparently deserved, winner.

  6. Samantha25 says:

    Best Song in any category is for the lyrics. Best Performance is basically a combination of everything – song, production, vocals, etc.

    Tweeting the text seems insincere. It would have been better if Macklemore did publicly during his acceptance speech or press conference.

  7. here's Wilson says:

    why publicize that text? this guy irks me… He’s a goodie goodie… can’t take the hate
    and that damn song grates my nerves too…

    as far as cultural appropriation frat boy liberalism and white privilege… why is it not ok for a white guy to get the Grammy nod in rap category?? the honor usually does go to a black artist if you look at past years… just see jay z and kanye for example

    • Anna says:

      most of the people in the rap category are always black anyway, so I don’t se your point. the reason why people aren’t okay with him winning is because he didn’t deserve the awards, not because he’s white

    • allheavens says:

      Question: On what planet is Macklemore a better rapper or had a better album than Lamar Kendrick?
      Answer: One that hasn’t been discovered yet.

      The point is Macklemore didn’t deserve the Grammy, Kendrick did. No need to inject race.

  8. Alexis says:

    He’s like the bad parts of Lady Gaga with little of the good. Posting that on Instagram was pretty uncalled for. Honestly the whole sentent “sorry I won” is so fake.

  9. gaggles says:

    This dude’s shtick sucks. He’s got this subtle white guy guilt thing going on and he acts like he’s being humble and crap when he’s not. Dude’s full of it and is a sh-t rapper.

  10. tifzlan says:

    Kendrick > Macklemore in every way, shape and form.

  11. Hello Catty says:

    Oh come on! Why give him a hard time for sharing the text? Maybe he couldnt handle being attacked so he tried to appease the public by saying he agreed wirh them.
    If I were him I wouldny give a fcuk and enjoy my success.

  12. Jenn says:

    I think that the Macklemore hate comes from his constant necessity to introduce himself as “hip hop hero”.He sells himself like the “different rapper” as if there aren’t out there queer rappers who rap about LGBT issues or conscious rappers against consumerism,the only difference is that they lack his exposure because they’re black.
    I don’t hold a grudge against him,Eminem has showed before how the white privilege in hip-hop (and in music industry overall) works,so sadly I wasn’t surprised he won over Kendrick,whose album is a hip-hop masterpiece and an instant classic.

    • Leah says:

      Eminem is a stupendously talented rhymer though. Did it help his crossover appeal that he is white? Sure. But no one is arguing his place in the hip hop canon. He is one of the best.

      • Jenn says:

        Indeed he is,but his whiteness helped him enormously in his career,he’s had a reach in mainstream music that many other rappers of his league( Nas?) haven’t had the chance to reach.

      • Zadie says:

        I thought it was harder for Eminem because he was white. What exactly does white privilege? Not being from the US, I have no idea.

      • gaggles says:

        @Zadie It’s not just people in the US who have a white privilege problem. Lots of white people AROUND the world have privilege that they refuse to acknowledge.

        http://www.buzzfeed.com/aaronc13/this-comic-perfectly-explains-what-white-privilege-is

        That’s a comic that explains white privilege.

        http://scotterb.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/blackwhite.jpg

        This is a comic that talks about white/black relations in the us. But I’d argue that this is actually true of a lot of places. Unfortunately both of these focus on the united states, but I think that it goes unacknowledged everywhere else. But apparently only us dumb americans could ever be like this.

      • Zadie says:

        I didn’t mean dumb Americans.
        But, there are almost no people of other races in my country. I saw a black person in person once in my entire life. so, I don’t think white privilege exist here.

      • gaggles says:

        @zadie Okay fine, white privilege doesn’t exist for you in whatever country you are in because there are so few black people (and seriously it’s not just over black people that white people have this privilege). It’s quite possible that that is your white privilege in action in and of itself because there are so few people of other races. Now go to any mixed race country and you’ll experience white privilege. Or not. Thing is you may not realize it because everything seems fair to you already. You don’t have to go through a lifetime of thinking how your race affects a certain situation.

      • Zadie says:

        I just asked because I didn’t hear of the term before. I apologise if I have somehow offended you.

    • Tulip Garden says:

      @Jenn,
      Well-stated. I think the fact that Eminem owns up to the “white rapper” thing being a huge part of his success is why people don’t really shade him for it…that and he is lyrically talented. I mean Eminem said it himself, right? Something like he’s the first guy since Elvis to use it to make himself wealthy.

      • ScrewStewrat99 says:

        I don’t understand how being white helped Eminem or this Macklemore guy. I thought in the rap world you were looked down on as a white rapper? I thought being a white rapper was seen as a joke and you really had to prove yourself to even get any recognition, especially among peers. I mean there aren’t many white rappers so if the privilege was there(I know white privilege exists, I mean in the rap world) wouldn’t there be a lot more white rappers and wouldn’t they be the majority of rappers? I’m genuinely asking because I thought Eminem has talked about how hard it was to be taken seriously since he’s white and that he really had to prove himself among his peers.

      • Tulip Garden says:

        Oh, I wasn’t clear. Being white did make it more difficult coming up, so to speak, for Eminem however once he was accepted within the rap community, being white helped him get recognition (due to the irregularity) and a wider audience simply because people wanted to see who this supposedly good white rapper was. All of this is my opinion only.

      • ScrewStewrat99 says:

        That makes sense, I see what you’re saying. I definitely think more people tune in to see something that isn’t the norm.

        When I responded I wasn’t just responding to your post, but the others that also mentioned white privilege. Thank you for answering though and not jumping down my throat. I love the way people actually communicate on this site.

  13. Simply Red says:

    Mackelmore is not a rapper in no shape or form. He knows this as well.
    Eminem is a rapper but Mackelmore NOT
    Kendrick Lamar is a rapper but Mackelmore NOT
    Jay-Z is a rapper but Mackelmore NOT

    see where I’m going with this, people who don’t seem to understand what rap/ hip-hop is about is saying what is the uproar about.

    Anyway, as for him posting that message, he needs to sit down somewhere..

    I agree with majority who says posting it publicly seem insincere at best.

    • Leah says:

      This exactly. I always think he seemed like a decent guy, but this just seems self serving and disingenuous. If kendrick had posted this it would have made macklemore look good, the fact that macklemore posted it himself looks like a PR move.

    • mzbda says:

      I agree with this comment. Posting the text made it look insincere IMO. If he had texted him to say he felt that KL had been snubbed, great. But to publicize it to make himself look better makes himself look like crap.

      At the end of the day, this is about white privilege. Mackelmore is where he is because he’s white and because he supports to LGBT community. He is subpar and basic as it gets. A black rapper with subpar skills like Macklemore would get no accolades. It is what it is and it’s unfortunate.

    • SonjaMarmeladova says:

      Why isn’t he a rapper? I’m not familiar with the genre, could someone explain that to me?

      • mzbda says:

        For me, he sounds likes he’s speaking on a beat rather than rapping to the beat. I consider his music hip pop, as it isn’t deep rooted in the hip hop culture i.e. Kanye, Jay-Z, etc.
        Thrift Shop was catchy but certainly wasn’t a great song by any means.

    • Dreamyk says:

      Totally agree. The Heist is a great release but it is NOT rap. Also, Thrift Store was one of the weakest songs on The Heist and it won a Grammy? Terrible.

  14. eliza says:

    Desperately Seeking Attention.

  15. Tiffany says:

    I remember seeing Kendrick Lamar on SNL and thinking that kid was something special. He is going to be fine. Mac can’t win for losing in this situation. He reaches out he is a try hard. He does nothing, he is an a hole.

    • Simply Red says:

      Would you post a note for everyone to see..
      He should of left it alone. He made a statement onstage that was enough.
      He sends a comment to Kendrick then instagram for eveyone to see.

      Sometimes, less is better than more

  16. Rachel says:

    I loveeeeee Kendrick!

  17. Thunderthighs says:

    Jeez. I must be the only one on this site who likes Macklemore at this point. 🙁 I listened to the whole album and I think it’s really good. But I must be biased because I haven’t listened to GKMC… I’ll do that now then amend my status if necessary.
    That said, Jeez! It’s the Grammy’s. Baha Men, Yes, Baha Men have a Grammy award!
    The best artist doesn’t always win. Calm your titties. And Macklemore didn’t award himself the win, it was given to him. So attacking him for something he really had no control over somehow feels not kosher to me. Bit what do I know?

    • Zadie says:

      I like him too.

    • littlestar says:

      I like him too. He’s decent enough. I like that he doesn’t sing/rap about bitches and hos and his music is upbeat and happy.

      • Anna says:

        @ Littlestar I guess you haven’t heard all of Macklemore’s music then.
        Let’s stop this whole thing of Macklemore being the only “socially conscious” rapper and that he doesn’t rap about superficial things

      • littlestar says:

        What does he rap about then that is so bad? I’d like to know.

  18. Leah says:

    Macklemore record should not have won best hip hop album. I don’t mind it winning best pop or something like that. But it wasn’t the best hip hop album. He is more a pop artist than a hip hop artist.
    Lyrically he is rather clumsy and elementary. Both Kendrick and Drake are playing in a different league. And if you just wanted to go for who had the best record sonically, as much as i hate Kanye his record is way better sonically.

    • Vanessa says:

      Drake? Lol.

      • Leah says:

        Drake is a way better rapper than macklemore. I am not saying he is the best but in this context where he was also nominated sure it would have made more sense.

      • jaye says:

        C’mon now. As far as word play is concerned, Drake is nice. He’s a talented rapper…not the most talented, but talented nonetheless. He’s not as nice on the mic as Kendrick, but there’s a reason he’s got a huge fanbase that includes quite a few of his contemporaries.

    • littlestar says:

      Kanye’s latest album was in no way even close to something like Dark Fantasy, but I agree, I thought some of the songs on it were quite good. Lyrically, “Blood on the Leaves” is excellent, imo. As for Drake, I do like him A LOT, but lyrically he is probably on the same level as Macklemore.

  19. Marigold says:

    There’s a great article in The Onion about the Grammys that pretty much sums up how much they suck.

    http://www.theonion.com/articles/songs-that-are-always-on-in-background-expected-to,35055/

    Sometimes satire is just the truth.

    • We Are All Made of Stars says:

      “Roberts confirmed that the songs that you turn on to drown out those in the background were not nominated.”

      OMG so hilarious and true.

  20. nk868 says:

    i wish cb would cover kendrick more often, but calm down kaiser always being so quick to label anything negative happening to an african american in the industry as racist. he’s a relative newcomer and a lot of mainstream people don’t know who he is just yet. cover him and give him some more attention in the gossip blogosphere and maybe he’ll get more coverage elsewhere! at least during the actual telecast they def cut to him in the audience many times

  21. Vanessa says:

    I heard one Kendrick song & it was very good. I may have heard others but I don’t remember. I don’t know why so many of you are surprised Macklemore won, he had 3 huge songs last year. Anyway, they’re both really ugly so you know they didn’t get by on their looks. Both of them.

  22. Christina says:

    The reason why Macklemore posted the screenshot of his text to Kendrick was stated in the text. He wanted to say something when he was accepting the one award they aired on the show, ( a different award by the way) but he was unable to and he got cut off quite quickly. So with that in mind, had he done that it would have been public anyways..making the Instagram of his text irrelevant. He is not being insincere and Kendrick had nothing but nice things to say about Macklemore on the red carpet. As another person mentioned earlier the awards are not Macks alone either. He and Ryan Lewis are a team. The awards belong to Ryan too. Some people don’t think Macklemore is rap…fine. Though what is he then? He isn’t singing. Thrift Shop is not a full accurate representation of his songs or ability either. The hate for him is usually uncalled for. He and Ryan worked their asses off and came to be successful with no record label or other type of backing. They are an inspiring story and deserve to revel in their success instead of have to defend themselves at every turn. Macklemore has a lot if positive messages in so many of his lyrics. For example he is quite honest about his past drug addiction and recovery. He does not glamorize drug use like many rappers do these days. Honestly I think to many of the haters are just jealous of the independent way Mack & RL navigated their career.
    P.S.
    There are plenty of pics of Kendrick on the Grammy carpet when you do a Google image search.

    • Anastasia Beaverhausen says:

      THIS!! Thank you voice of reason.
      Why must we hate one and love the other. I would have been fine if either one won. I love them both and think they are both great at what they do. Thrift shop is a silly fun song that blew up huge, nothing more, nothing less. I pretty sure best rap songs don’t have to be super serious, right? Popularity does factor into these awards. Also, I don’t judge either of their talents by what’s played on the radio. I said in another post that I’ve been a fan of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (awesome producer btw) for a while so I know they can and have made way better songs. If I’d only based my opinion of Kendrick Lamar on what plays on the radio, I would have been like what the hell are you all smoking.

      • Not says:

        its not about hate..its that ..i cant explain it to you, you wouldnt understand..And i get that..Its a discussion you(I) only have with people in (my) innercirkle…You would not get what mean.
        But thats not a bad thing.
        The discussion above, should’nt even be…But well. I wish i could explain so you’d understand…I wish I wish I wish.

    • gaggles says:

      sorry he sucks. He’s so basic that it’s just sad.

    • Cheryl says:

      Yes, Thank you voice of reason (Christina). Great summary. Not sure why M’s sincerity is stirring up so much disdain.

  23. ashley says:

    Kendrick Lamar was robbed! The Heist is trash compared to good kid mad city,but i digress. Thrift shop…winning grammies is laughable.

  24. TheCountess says:

    Please no more thumbnails of this guy for a while. He looks like a glow worm.

  25. Not says:

    Thats a good thing he did. He shouldnt be even…I dont want to talk about this…He just shouldnt have won.