I had been trying to get my head around this hatin' on Mackie. Thank you for giving me this perspective. It also informs my opinions on rich folks advocating for the poor, and white folks for the black, and all the rest where the privileged make some small step toward doing the right thing.

I'm gay and I have to say anytime we have an outpouring of support like we seen at the Grammy's I have to say I'm thrilled.

On the other side of that I'd like to point out the entire thing was corny at best and let's be honest: 20 years from now there's a good chance no one will remember who Macklemore was or why you got married during the Grammy's. Sadly, you'll remember that Madonna was there. And for that: I feel sorry for you.

I hear ya. At the core of my being, I am a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' person.

That's why it's fun writing on Slog; it's like a an innocent game of tiddly-winks.

Homosexuals are by far the most obnoxious minority group on the planet.

Intolerance and bitchiness are not unique to any group. It is a standard human trait. A few people bitching should not be enough to turn an ally into a hater. Too bad to see it, but not surprising. We all do it.

But I really liked what she said. Nice to be recognized for being an ally. Thanks.

OT technical question: When we play a YouTube video embedded on Slog like this, does it add a view to the counter on the video's YouTube page?

Just curious.

You need some more of these NALT videos.

The idea of perfection is the greatest enemy of the good, and nothing destroys a good plan like the idea of a perfect one.

@4 Lol. You can't hear the WASP's over the gays. Uh-huh. Sure, go with that.

Some people are never happy. Fuck 'em.

And the endless spiral of the web now brings us folks trying to shut down kibitzers, lumping them in with the haters. As if the problem includes chatting too freely.

"Ssh, the enemy may be listening." Yeesh.

I don't have a problem with Macklemore the guy. I have a problem with the media which promotes a mediocre white rapper over a lot of more talented black rappers, at the latter's expense.

@10

PoopPeabrain, 4 out of 5 of your comments are expressions of discontent.

Thank you.

This almost made my head un-explode after fruitlessly arguing similar points, not only on sexuality, but on race and cultural appropriation. Macklemore is definitely caught in traps that he cannot speechify his way out of.

Identity politics, and the attendant rhetoric that has emerged around "recognizing privilege" and the "proper place" of "allies, is just an endless mess of contradictions, political policing, and double standards that, in the end, protect sheer assholery. I find these kinds of arguments so tedious and so transparently and obviously self-defeating that I all I can think about is how we hand ammo, over and over again, to bigots, zealots, and Randians of the right.

It makes me insane.

And really makes me regret the 10 years of my life I threw away in pursuit of the academic study of it.

This reminded me of the #solidarityisforwhitewomen tag. Despite the legitimate historical criticisms, the present reality is that white women aren't qualified to be vocal on race issues (I'm not entirely sure what being a good race ally actually means yet) so some of us advocate on gender equality thinking that reproductive rights and such are good for all women. But I guess that's not the right way to think? Now I just feel like I'm doing it wrong.

Thankyou, Dan.

The Macklemore backlash is simply absurd. The poor kid can't win.

His critics flail wildly from accusing him of either exploiting gay people or he's a "racist cultural appropriator."

Once again the old adage that "right-wingers need converts and left-wingers need traitors" proves true.

Even The Stranger is totally inconstant. Your new writer Dannielle in one ridiculous line lumped Macklemore in with Miley Cyrus as a racist appropriator, IE:

"This year was overflowing with culturally appropriative musicians rocketing to number one (Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake, Macklemore)"

http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/a…

Come on. Really?

So, we can't bitch about his terrible music because he supports us?

Fuck.

How timely. I actually had to stop following a couple of Tumblrs run by transfolk last week because of they kept getting confused and thinking that "Ally" is a just different way to say "Minion".

"On the other side of that I'd like to point out the entire thing was corny at best"

Corniness ain't no crime.

Funny, there are a bunch of critiques of Macklemore by black writers who say he has no business criticizing hip-hop culture since he's white and from the burbs. Who knows, maybe the shared hate of this song can bring them and the hater-gays together?

Any artist who creates an interesting conversation is doing it right even if he's doing it white (and male and hetero).

I haven't heard anyone coherent complaining about Macklemore for existing or for writing songs supportive of gay marriage. This premise is a ridiculous strawman.

But it's clear as the fucking day that Macklemore is only beloved by white people because he's a straight white dude.

It's infuriating that Macklemore is a millionaire and praised for "doing it on his own" when he's doing it on the backs of thousands of queer and brown people who did the same thing as Macklemore better and longer.

What he's doing is fine. But white society's reaction to him is in-fucking-sane.

Putting the quality of his music aside, Macklemore can't win as a straight white male ally of LGBT people, black people, and women. People who are trying to do the right thing should be welcomed for it and not nitpicked. It's not his fault that the music industry and larger media culture pays more attention to him that to the gay and black people making music with him (or in his preferred genre). On the other hand, as unfair as that attitude is, it pales in comparison with the racism, sexism, and homophobia that people have to put up with. I think he can take it.

Also, raku @22, I'm a middle-aged white dude. Rap is not my preferred musical genre, but like any genre I like some of it. I like Macklemore for the same reason I like Sir Mix-a-Lot: they're local musicians who made good nationally with music I like while generally being decent people. It has nothing to do with him being white. It is true that the media gives a white rapper more play than a black one of similar talent, but that doesn't make him or his fans the problem. Rather than get down on an ally, why not promote the people you think are just as good or better who are not getting the attention they deserve.

By the way, your strawman rants about crazy "social justice warriors" on tumblr is verbatim from the white supremacist community, reddit misogynist community, and MRA/pickup artist community. You need better role models on the Internet. You might as well be ranting about femi-nazis or the homosexual agenda. Treat people who feel they're being hurt by society with a tiny bit of respect.

Here is what actual people on Tumblr who care about social justice are saying about Macklemore, not the strawman version:

You know what, I think the problem is people don’t understand why mackelmore getting awards and recognition for being a rap artist is problematic.

Now, on it’s own. It’s not. It’s just fine. But for mackelmore to get awarded over black artists and gay artists who have been doing it longer, if not twice as long as he has is where it becomes a problematic.

Mackelmore being deemed this righteous, conscious, gay ally is a problem because there are actual black gay rappers who will never get the attention he is getting for exploiting their culture as a white straight man and that’s the problem. Mackelmore is getting rewarded for taking other peoples culture’s, he is being hailed as the only conscious rapper as if Mos Def and Common were not rapping while he was still playing with toys. Rap is black culture, but no one likes when black people do it. That’s too “hood”. So when Mackelmore popped up everyone was happy to welcome him with open arms even though there are so many black men and women who not only rap about real life but about political issues as well, but that doesn’t matter because they are not white straight men. Mackelmore is not gay or black. So for him to be rewarded for things that black and gay people have been punished for is problematic. It is disgusting and unfair for someone who does not understand the struggles that come along with the cultures he tries to market himself with to be rewarded while the people who grow up with these cultures and deal with the struggles being gay and black bring are ignored and pushed aside because no one wants to listen to a sob story unless it has a white, straight, face and that is why it has to end.

Here's an example of great rap that made the rappers about $7 because they're brown. If Macklemore released the exact same song he'd make about $20 mil off it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gHNHrZV…

@22 sooooo.... in other words he should do it in total obscurity and make no money? Not sell to the widest audience possible? What? Christ, you make no sense what so ever. It's not a zero-sum game.

First Macklemore has repeated paid respect and homage to exactly the people you think your defending. Constantly. If you knew one thing about him, you'd know that. He even has a couple tracks about it. One even called "White Privilege.'

How about this: Rather than tearing Macklemore down, it would be awesome if the other queer and brown folk you mention also got the same opportunities at success.

Maybe you could help them them. Macklemore does.

@14 Hahahaha, you are so funny. You've never gone and read my comments, you little fibber. When people like you pick me out for negative, and snide comments, my tinglies start to tingling. Thanks!

People criticize Macklemore without knowing how long he's been supporting this issue. I purchased my first Macklemore single because the profits went to R-74. The queer audience is not generally considered essential for hip hop success.

Music taste is personal of course and The Heist's quality is inconsistent, but several of the tracks are quite remarkably good.

Complaining that Macklemore gets his notices over his peers that are more talented etc is kind of singling out the white guy in the room - there are rappers of every race that I will never understand being popular, and some where I don't understand why they arent more popular. Personal tastes aside, saying talent should rise and it isnt because macklemore is white misses the bigger picture of talent not being the most important factor in promotion.

Macklemore is getting shit for making money off of gay rights for the same reason that folks like Tim Wise are getting shit for making money off of racial equality or folks like Hugo Schwyzer are getting shit for making money off of feminism. Talking good is fine, but when "allies" make that into a profitable career, that's fucked up.

Also fucked up? The huge advertising and PR that Macklemore gave to Dick's, whose owners and family regularly donate to conservative Republicans, including Rick Santorum. Some fucking "ally".

It is true that the media gives a white rapper more play than a black one of similar talent...

That's the point.

... it would be awesome if the other queer and brown folk you mention also got the same opportunities at success.

That's the point.

... misses the bigger picture of talent not being the most important factor in promotion.

That's the point.

You get it, so why aren't you furious at the system that makes Macklemore a worldwide sensation and successful millionaire because he's a white guy? That's the point.

It's not brown/queer people's jobs to convince you to be a better person. If you truly believe that Macklemore is an ally for people without his privilege, listen to him. Don't praise him and listen to brown/queer rap artists instead.

@30, wait a second. Was Sir Mix-a-Lot an asshole for mentioning Dick's in Posse on Broadway? I don't know about the politics of the family that owns the place, though I do know they compensate their workers well, and they're a local institution. I don't think politics plays a factor when Seattleites talk about Dick's.

I, for one, am quite pleased. All of this bitching about our allies who bring a high level of attention to our community. Try to frame us in a positive way. It all smacks of ingratitude. Bitter bitching and whining about people who show us in a positive light is immature and foolish. Whether folks like it or not, Macklemore is successful...and heaven forbid! He is actually trying to do some good with his celebrity.

I cannot do anything about other people's response to rap. I can only regulate my own behavior. I am grateful to any artist who says positive things about LGBT folks, I genuinely appreciate rap artists who have the courage to talk about society's problems...regardless of their skin color.

Artists have the unique ability to reach into all cultures, cross color lines, religious lines, and ideological lines. So, what Macklemore and Lewis did was helpful to our community. Also as the previous poster noted, he talks about problems like "White Privilege" in his music.

I study Gender and the History of Sexuality as a PhD student. It is really easy to get caught up in our differences. That is what ideology and politics expects us to do, let's do something different. Work together, appreciate the contributions everyone makes on our behalf.

~JC
PhD Student
Indiana University- Bloomington

I heart Macklemore. He loves our city, & seems like a genuinely good-natured guy. Hearing Same Love as the anthem for the Ref 74 Campaign always cheered me up, esp. after phonebanking to homophobic eastern Washingtonians.

I'm a devoted ally that has never in my entire life met a gay guy that was nice to me. & I've met a lot.

But equality will always be of supreme importance to me. I'll continue to donate & fight the good fight where/when I can (you're next, OR!), no matter how mean or dismissive anyone is, gay or straight.

I like some Macklemore. Same Love is a great song, mostly for the message. He has some other good songs. I also think that K'naan's Troubadour, and Deltron 3030 are two of the best rap albums. I listen to Tupac, Kanye, and more. Macklemore is popular because his songs are good enough, and they happened to hit at a time the zeitgeist allowed their rapid spread and impact. Music isn't appreciated in a vacuum, and awards aren't given for prolonged mediocrity, or even for the best songs. Tracy Chapman's biggest hit ever was Fast Car, which is not even in the best three songs on its album, much less her top 10 songs ever.

Music awards aren't for being the best, and Macklemore isn't stabbing people in the back when he gets popular instead of them, it just happens.

To all allies... THANK YOU.

Lesbians in country music. White boy rappers. Gay Republicans. It ain't easy being green.

. . . said Dan Savage, the man who famously spent years screaming, bitching and raging at how poorly Obama treated gay people. "Get in his face! It's the only way to make him change! I don't care if he's infinitely better than George W. Bush, he's not perfect!" Yeah, thanks.

@ 31, facts are not in evidence to support your contention that Macklemore's white skin is the only reason for his popularity.

@31: When you say, "Don't praise him and listen to brown/queer rap artists instead."

I am confused by the insistence that there is somehow a finite number of people who can be successful and recognized. There's room for many voices. Eliminating Macklemore from the musical landscape wouldn't somehow cause a queer/trans/other-ed voice to rise up to take his place.

Isn't it better to have more Macklemore's and less homophobes? Don't you think he's paving the way for acceptance of more tomorrow? Hating the music industry doesn't mean we need to hate the musicians that become popular enough to exist within it.

#solidarityisforstraightmen

"I haven't heard anyone coherent complaining about Macklemore for existing or for writing songs supportive of gay marriage. This premise is a ridiculous strawman."

I feel the same way. I haven't heard one gay person say anything negative against Macklemore for writing or performing this song. Where is this coming from? Although I may have missed this because I have stopped reading the comments at my two favorite gay blogs. As a gay man I hope I can get away with saying this; I can't handle all the bitter, bitchy queens who comment on gay blogs. Seriously some gay people can not be pleased. It kind of shocks me because all my gay friends are awesome.

@6 - I don't know the answer to you question for certain, but I can tell you that the owner of the account where the video is posted is able to determine "loads" vs. "plays", the former being the number of times this page was loaded, the latter being the number of times the video was actually played.

Knowing this, I would reasonably guess that playing this video, regardless of where it's imbedded, will count as a play on YouTube's metric, as it does on Vimeo.

@raku - hey asshole - the whiny internet social justice tumblr warrior we hate? That's not a stereotype, that's you. And you embarrass the rest of us because some people have actual work to do. So shut the fuck up, you whiny little asshole, and pick up a phone. Make some cause some money. Start your own fucking cause - maybe 'Whiny Tumblr Enthusiasts For Truth?' - why don't you promote some of these queer artists you keep talking about, that apparently have been rapping about being queer for 20 years? (Hey, you said they were in this game twice as long as Macklemore). Why not post links to Mykki Blanco (http://mykkiblancoworld.com/#/video), or House of Ladosha (https://soundcloud.com/houseofladosha)? Why not be a positive force instead of a non-stop whine machine about a guy who made a legit, earnest attempt about causes that matter?

As it stands now, you're worse than useless.

@30. Exhibit A for my point @15.

I have yet to see a left wing critique of Tim Wise that takes any issue with his arguments or his historical knowledge or his use of evidence. And those who argue that there are scholars of color who make similar arguments are being disingenuous because they know damn well that intellectual inheritance and sharing make knowledge acquisition and scholarship possible (unless of course we really do want to institute "My Group Only" footnotes!). So all that remains, inevitably, is this absurd argument, "If he really cared, he'd show it by giving up his career." (And, as an aside, you do know that an aged right wing talking point against civil rights leaders is precisely this--accusing them of "agitating" for personal gain? It's a cheap shot, and I think cheap shots are, in general, a sign of a person without a real argument.)

When we're talking art--and forces of cultural appropriation--you're not being honest if you don't at least acknowledge that you cannot control any individual's response to a work of art (just like with porn--you cannot debate someone out of desire). And anytime you start pointing at people and saying, "You can be a member." "You cannot." "You get honorary membership provided you do this [only listen, never challenge, ffs, give up your lifelong love or life's work!], I think you've lost your fight.

One note - please stop using "LGBT" or "LGBTQ" when you mean "gay" or "LGB". It's weird and makes it seem like you don't know what words mean.

Here is some queer rapper to get started if you're actually interested, along with the BBU track I posted at the end of #25. Of course there's also local heroes TheeSatisfaction if you need local music. There are hundreds or thousands of brown queer rappers, so take your pick - TV, radio, or Line Out isn't going to push any of them on you.

Le1f, who Macklemore supposedly ripped off for "thrift shop" (I have no opinion on this): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrnq4SZ0…

Queer rappers 8tracks: http://8tracks.com/cmonsters/queer-rappe…

Queer rap from tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/queer-rap

Hating the music industry doesn't mean we need to hate the musicians that become popular enough to exist within it.

That's the point, yes. Nobody is saying to hate Macklemore. The problem is that society and the music industry promotes straight white men over everyone, even if they copy-exact what queer brown people are doing. Macklemore's ridiculous success is the epitome of that, and the exact problem.

@37: And then, when he started to deliver on his promises to the gay community, praised him, donated to his reelection campaign, voted for him, and importuned others to do the same.

Some analysis: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arch…

#43: Read up on 3rd and 4th wave social movements if you don't understand why talking about these things and criticizing culture is important. Picking up the phone and changing laws is 2nd wave activism - important, but it doesn't fix cultural problems.

@ 45, united causes achieve more than those that are divided.

The "cultural appropriation is evil" meme has gotta get put to rest. It's a good thing when the majority is happy to be seen as like the minority. Shit like radio stations playing Elvis but not Bo Diddley, that's racism. Elvis singing black music isn't racist. (And no Chuck D, Elvis wasn't a hero to me, he's a punchline.) Cultural mixing is good. We shouldn't be pissed off by people honestly admiring the style and content of other cultures and trying to emulate them.

(Blackface has a lot of historical baggage that makes it different.)

Wait... we're not allowed to say 'LGBTQ' anymore? Is there a twitter feed or blog I can subscribe to in order to be reminded of the day to day changes in what words are acceptable to use in reference to myself and others?

I whole lot happened between gays "bitching" about Coors beer being anti-gay and gays "bitching" about corporate sponsorship at Pride. Rather un-Dan-like to ignore facts like that.

Oh, and the Coors family is STILL a big funder of anti-gay legislative activity.

#48: I agree. People who care about social justice think Macklemore unjustly benefits from his privilege and thinks he's getting too much success and attention at the expense of queer/brown rappers and artists. Macklemore agrees with this. United!

#51: You're allowed to say "LGBTQ" when you mean "LGBTQ". Those letters mean things. If you mean gay, say gay. It's like - if someone is fighting for Asian-American rights, don't say they are fighting for Asian-American, Black, Native, queer, and disabled rights. It's bizarre.

@54: So can I say LGBQ here? And doesn't marriage equality actually effect lots of T people depending on their sexualities and the laws of whatever state they live in? Wait, why am I even arguing about this?

#19. Yes, this is how I've come to feel about all activism and ally work -- trans (especially), green, animal rights -- you name it. Nothing is ever enough, nothing is ever good enough. And you will always, inevitably, say the wrong thing.

You know Raku, fwiw, maybe 10 years ago I saw Macklemore just fucking destroy a who's who of the NW's best rappers at a freestyle battle. He was clearly the most talented person in a room full of talented people.

That scene was more black than white by a large measure, and Macklemore seemed to be a normal, comfortably accepted member of it. Some of the critiques you make ring hollow given that Macklemore's been part of the fabric of a multiracial scene that he loves and that loves him since his early teens. You set him up as a straw man fresh off the straw bus from Scottsdale or something.

55: Marriage equality affects lots of trans people, just like it affects a lot of white people, disabled people, native people, immigrants, etc. But if you say "I'm fighting for gay and disability rights" when you're talking about passing a state law for marriage equality, it's just as bizarre as saying you're fighting for LGBTQ rights.

Throwing around LGBT to act like marriage equality fighting for trans rights is dismissive of trans rights. Example - in WA state it's still legal and standard practice to discriminate against trans health care. It's illegal in Oregon and California. Those are trans rights. Marriage equality is LGB or gay rights. An inclusive ENDA is fighting for LGBTQ rights. An exclusive ENDA that doesn't include gender identity or expression is fighting for LGB rights.

@47 So where in your scale of importance is posting banal comments to message boards? I swear, if you took half the time you spend bitching about Macklemore and spent it doing something meaningful, you could probably single-handedly legalize marriage equality in all 50 states. The thing that's frustrating is that I don't fundamentally disagree with what you view as the big picture, it's that you are more about attacking the symptoms than treating the disease. That you're abrasive, condescending, and self-righteous pretty much makes you the worst "activist" I've run across in some time, possibly ever.

Btw, Macklemore and Pearl Jam each donated $50k to the Orion Center, who will now be able to continue the services they provide to homeless and, by extension, LGBT youth (OH NO, I SAID IT!). How much did you donate?

@59 Yes, but aren't you wasting time posting?

raku, why are you trying to write trans people out of the conversation? Every place someone used a T in this article or comments, it was relevant. Marriage equality includes trans people; the married trans people that I know have had to be very careful navigating around the inconsistent laws about gender and marriage in our country. You are introducing a distinction where none exists, dividing when others are trying to be inclusive. Don't act holier than thou when you are just as capable of imperfections as anyone else.

Some people are never happy. This is a very good thing. I'm sure Macklemore & Ryan Lewis knew that there would be all kinds of reactions to their political statement. Having some people angry that it is not a queer voice singing the song is good. It gets the conversation out there. We as a community can still be thankful to a straight ally but also question why we don't get more coverage. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert were great at the Grammies. They sounded great. They looked great. They put a great message out there. They also started all sorts of different types of conversations about gays in society, both in our community and outside of it, that will help us move forward in out quest for equality. Personally their song and performance made me feel great.

@58 "Throwing around LGBT to act like marriage equality [sic] fighting for trans rights is dismissive of trans rights."

If you want to actually forward the causes you care about, look at your quote above until you understand why you appear ridiculous to a whole lot of people.

All the Macklemore backlash is fucking ridiculous. If you don't like his music, fair enough, but don't hate on him for supporting gay rights because he's straight. If you're angry at him for his level of success compared to that of his black peers, your anger is being misdirected at him as an individual. He's just one person, you fucking lunatics.

Macklemore is dope.

Raku is obviously a double agent sent here by Rush Limbaugh to make gay-rights-supporters and anti-racism activists look ridiculous.

@13, promoting a mediocre ANYTHING over a lot of more talented ANYTHINGS is the whole purpose of the Grammys. I mean, seriously, do you think "Christopher Cross" was the best album in 1981? Or "We Are The World" was the best song of even March 7, 1985, let alone the whole of the year? The Beatles's only "Song of the Year" was for fucking "Michelle" -- seriously? The Grammys are shit and always have been.

People getting agitated that their favorite obscure queercore rappers didn't get recognized are playing the wrong game. It's just another excuse for meaningless outrage. Team Dresch haven't got any Grammys either, and no rational person is upset by that.

Quick, make a list of the ten best rap records ever made. How many Grammys do you see there? None, most likely. But the same is true for rock and country and every other genre -- if anyone has a right to complain about the mangling of their musical heritage by the Grammys, it's country fans (though to be honest, it's not as bad as they deserve, considering the dreck that gets put out there).

Next, I'll just note that Quincy Jones has 27 Grammys, Stevie Wonder 22, Kanye West 21, Jay-Z 19, Aretha 18, Beyonce and Ray Charles 17, and Alicia Keys 15, while Bob Dylan only has 11, and the Beatles 9 (and only 5 when they were still together). There are plenty of ways for African-American artists to get recognized, especially in recent years.

Speaking just as a creeping toward middle age straight white dude with a whole ton of gay friends and family, who grew up listening to old school NYC hip hop and 80s thrash metal (Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang, Public Enemy, Metallica, Megadeth, etc.) I like and find myself listening to Macklemore often lately, partly because it's new, but for other reasons. I also find myself, out of the rap that I still listen to, listening the most to later Beastie Boys and 2 Skinnee J's (long defunct, you've probably never heard of them unless you were into rap in the northeast in the early-mid 1990s--the first wave of nerd core). Then came grunge. I used to also listen to Dave Matthews Band like crazy.

I rarely listen to any of the old rap NYC rap anymore, or Metallica, or DMB, or a lot of stuff I used to listen to. Why? Because I'm probably like most people, and you listen to music that does something to or for you. You identify with something in it. I grew up in SW Bridgeport CT, a literal stones through from ghettos (PT Barnum) where people got shot routinely over crack and who knows what else. We were one of like 5-10 white households on a block of maybe 80-90 families (mix of black, Puerto Rican, and most other Caribbean islands represented. When I was nearly 13 my family came into some money suddenly and moved us out of there to the next town over. Hello, lily-white new neighborhood. I went from being a token white guy in elementary school to having the stereotype of the couple of token black people in my school. I also was part of one a lot of personal problems in my family that made me angry. Cue up the metal and I gradually listened to fewer rap songs and musicians. Cue up girls in high school with the rise of Dave Matthews (I cannot begin to explain how popular they were over there--it was insane). Your musical tastes follow who you are at a given time.

I no longer mentally relate with any form of hood/ghetto rap, or angry metal, or depressing/sad grunge, or "lets get laid in the summer sun over a joint" DMB (sadly), or a lot of things. I listen to Macklemore, like I said, because it's new, but it's also some uplifting stuff. He's not the best rapper skill wise. If you want to hear a very skilled white rapper, with mad lyrical tricks? Eminem would blow Macklemore away. But that's fine; that's not Macklemore's strength. Macklemore is a hell of a storyteller. That's what works so well for him. Some of his songs are almost spoken word in parts.

I still listen to 2 Skinnee J's (one black rapper, one white rapper) a lot because it's fun and uplifting music as well. I still listen to Beastie Boys to a lesser degree, but because it's fun music and because Mixmaster Mike is a ridiculous DJ that is on some crazy higher plane of existence sometimes. I'm a boring hopefully well-adjusted adult and parent now. My tastes have shifted. White people who didn't grow up in the hood don’t, or didn’t, listen to a lot of gangsta rap or whatever else. They can't relate with or to the subject matter. How many guys from the hood listen to country? How many guys from the country listen to country?

Why? Probably, I suppose, because they can't identify with something different from their experiences on a personal level. I *love* some songs still from those genres, because they're bad ass songs. I can listen to certain Metallica or Nirvana songs any time they come in because they're great songs. But to just listen to them all the time? Ehn. Why would I listen to something that does nothing for me emotionally any more or that I get nothing personally out of?

These days I end up listening to bluegrass, film scores or classical more than anything. Make of my mental state what you will over those weird transitions, but it's what it is. You listen to what you identify with. Whites are still a majority in the USA (for now) so they listen to what aligns in some level with themselves.

The same as anyone else, really. I think that’s all it comes down to.

Raku's Guide To Being A Good Ally

• STEP ONE: Listen to the people you are trying to be an ally to.

----
Troubleshooting:
If someone claims you are not being a good ally, you didn't follow the guide correctly.

Boo hoo Dan. Here's a tear for you ... :'( So sad to see someone picking on another white guy huh? Must feel awfully close to your heart for how heavily Trans & Bi people go after you for being intolerant/phobic/ignorant on occasion (and rather than apologizing, getting defensive, and educating yourself -- double down and play the victim -- because as a very successful editor/media personality you OBVIOUSLY are the most oppressed). I wonder why you aren't pointing to equally amazing artists like L13F or Biggie Freda -- oh wait, that's right, you (and the rest of the country) have probably never heard of them! Because they're black hip hop artists who are queer. Here's the point Dan, Queer Black hip-hop artist produces a song about same sex relationships -- it gets no airplay. White straight due produces a song about same-sex relationships - He's at the Grammy's & endless airplay. Critiquing cultural racism & heterosexism IS NOT the same as critiquing an individual. Your analysis (and hers) are both reductionist and lazy. Sad to see that after 25 years at this, you've just become a grumpy old curmudgeon who gives more page space to defending your former oppressors than to your fellow queers (because, the Seattle Times had to cover the first Trans Pride in Seattle) -- than actually engaging with the real issues. I hope you wake up soon and realize that you are perpetuating the problem. People are pointing AT THE PHENOMENON of Mackelmore -- not Macklemore the person -- who by the way LOVES himself some Trans ladies, I have on good authority. You are simply being a typical, knee jerk, talking head reactionary who points at a red herring "STOP YOUR AD HOMINIM ATTACKS ON THIS POOR DEFENSELESS ALLY!!!" -- when people are actually engaging with the issue/phenomina. Because yes, of all the people on this planet that need defending -- Millionaire straight white guys performing black art about gay people, is definitely that person! Spare me. I love how you don't bother to point out that the Billboard Hip Hop & R&B Charts did not have a single #1 by a black artist -- the first time since 1958 -- or how Macklemore is tied to that phenomena. Please -- Do us young queers a big favor -- GO BACK TO ENGAGING WITH YOUR GENERATION. Your ideas are tired. Dated. And need to be left in the 1990's. You continue fighting with your peers -- move out of the way and let younger queers take on OUR POP CULTURE -- with our critique. Remember back to your days in Madison and think about how annoyed you were by the crotchety old queens then. To younger queers -- you've become one of those "old timers" -- in the public spotlight spouting outdated ideas - stuck in the past, and pushing your generations ideals onto a newer/younger generation that has progressed BEYOND your standards. We expect more from our peers (Macklemore) -- and that is our right. You can't accept it - great. That's you. What would have been cutting edge in 1992 (yes, you are dating yourself by defending him)-- not cutting edge in 2014. If you can't see that, well.. you just aren't keeping up. Young queers have moved beyond a "take any crumbs you can get -- because that's all you can get" to a deeper, intersectional analysis that looks beyond begging for scraps. Sorry that offends you, but you can bitch about it in the all queer retirement home we build for you.

Man, I can barely make it through a current youtube rant. That hyper-edited style with cuts for every single thought (and sometimes multiple cuts per thought) is gonna give me a seizure.

Shorter @70: White straight dudes: SHUT UP.

@ 70, given that the "people you're trying to be an ally to" can't agree much of the time, being told you're not a good ally likely just means that "you agree with this other [fill in the blank with name of member of oppressed minority] and not me (e.g., someone who is a member of the same oppressed minority).

Actually, it's good to keep your own opinions and to sometimes tell the people to whom you're an ally that they are being ridiculous sometimes. We don't have to always walk in their shoes to see that.

@70: Because "someone," anyone, can't be wrong? Or full of shit? Or mendacious? Or mistaken? Good to know. Someone is always right. The most upsetest person in the room wins!

@70, "If ANYONE, even an obviously unhinged and naive jackass with a foot-long stick up her ass, who claims the entire LGBTQ universe as her own personal fiefdom, claims you are not being a good ally, you didn't follow the guide correctly." This is not a winnable proposition.

@71, it's really interesting to watch supposed "anti-racists" fall all over themselves to deny Drake and Rihanna their ethnic heritage.

You're also looking at the wrong charts. The singles chart is completely meaningless these days, and is dominated by just a few usually mechanically brainless songs all year long. The #1 R&B ALBUM chart, where much better work can be found, is mostly African-American: T.I., Alicia Keys, ASAP Rocky, Charlie Wilson, Joe Budden, Mindless Behavior, Kid Cudi, Fantasia, French Montana, Kanye West, Wale, J. Cole, Jay-Z, K. Michelle, TGT, Big Sean, Tamar Braxton, The Weeknd, Maybach Music Group, Drake, Beyonce; only Eminem, justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, and Macklemore were white.

The #1 Rap album chart features in addition to those above artists like Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler The Creator, 2 Chainz, Juicy J, Childish Gambino, Lil Wayne, Tyga, and Kendrick Lamar. I look forward to your analysis of how 2 Chainz is a product of white cooptation of black culture and isn't really black at all.

The #1 album chart -- the full chart, not the rap or R&B chart, shows lots of artists of color -- Jay-Z, Beyonce, J. Cole, Drake, Wale, Kanye West, Bruno Mars, and ASAP Rocky.

tl;dr -- you don't know what you're talking about as far as commercial success of black artists goes.

75: You can call someone full of shit for feeling oppressed or outraged all you want, but you're obviously not being an ally to them. For example, I'm no ally to rich white dudes who have more than their fair share of voice in society already.

My thorough guide was for how to be an ally. If you don't want to be an ally to certain people (black people, trans people, queer people, etc), free to be neutral to them (ignore them) or an enemy to them (call them full of shit).

@78, I'm an ally to gay people, black people, brown people, and trans people, but I'm not an ally to you (and I suspect you are not any of those). You are committing harm to the interests of those people literally every time you touch your keyboard. I can appreciate outrage when it is directed at the oppressor. You never are. You want to hear voices? I'm listening to black and gay voices all day long every day; you are listening only to your own echo.

And...that's a rap!

@78, and another thing -- you're not interested in alliances, you're only interested in testing for purity, a test that everyone, but EVERYONE will fail.

@Raku: I love how interchangeable music apparently is to you. It suggests on its face that you have absolutely no musical taste, no ear for anything other than the politics you perceive behind the music, or in many cases, the political veneer someone has laid over the music. People with your thought patterns are responsible for contemporary Christian music.

@80: Clearly it's not, or you would have written "the p-word is the new n-word," and we would have known what you were talking about.

@ 78, what makes you think these people are motivated by feelings of oppression?

Beware of that. You are ripe for exploitation by unscrupulous individuals who would tell you what you want to hear.

Unfortunately my guide for being an ally is very difficult to follow for white dudes. Listening to other people isn't what they were raised to do. They consider "not talking over disadvantaged people" a test of purity. I'd feel for them if they weren't actively hurting people. Is there something they'd understand, like a TED Talk or Reddit post, that teaches these people how to listen?

Raku: You're not being a good ally.

87: I already said I'm not an ally to white dudes. They already have enough allies -- Dan Savage, some white lady on YouTube, the Grammies, the government, money, cultural institutions, all mass media, Fnarf, etc.

@86, I am listening, or I'm TRYING to listen, but you won't let me. Why are YOU trying to drown out alternate voices? Apparently Arielle Scarcella isn't a good enough ally of LGBTQ rights for you, even though she's a real live lesbian with 20 million views on YouTube (and not a white dude, as near as I can tell).

But then, NOBODY is a good enough ally for you; only YOU have the words that need to be heard. But because of your attitude no one wants to hear you. Do you notice how even people who are on your side react to your messages?

Fuck TED. Fuck Reddit. This isn't them. Do you think you're reaching anyone? You're not. Do you think people are going to think differently because of what you've said here? They're not. If anything, you're driving people away, and making these issues and the people who care about them look ridiculous.

You don't appear to be interested in advancing the rights of the disadvantaged at all; all you are interested in is finding things to be angry about. It's frankly unsettlingly close to what those mythical White Dudes do over there on the right wing.

@88: Wait, Aureolaborealis is a white dude, not a manatee? Or do you mean that it's a white male manatee? I FEEL BETRAYED!!!!!!!

Next you're going to tell me Catalina Vel-Duray isn't a real person, or that Fnarf doesn't ALWAYS post from his bathtub with a cigar in his mouth!

@88: I didn't say you weren't a good ally to me. I said that you aren't a good ally, and you're not. Fnarf @89 has done a good job of articulating why.

Raku @58: When you say this, what do you mean "Example - in WA state it's still legal and standard practice to discriminate against trans health care."

Not covering meds? Surgery? I am legitimately curious. I did some googling but wasn't sure exactly what you were referring to.

@ 89, and you scoffed when I said much the same thing to raku once.

Speaking of the Grammys: How can we all be better allies to Lorde?

@90: Pay no attention to the white dude behind the sea fan.
Just gaze into the eyes of the gently swaying manatee before you.

I tried expanding @70 several times in an earnest attempt to figure out how to be a better ally. More fool me. This is partly why I focus on other worthy causes. Being an ally is fraught.

@17: I for one like that people that disagree with each other write for The Stranger.

On "listening" as a mandate or price of admission for an ally:

I taught AfAm studies for about 10 years, and I can tell you from that experience that the self-described "white allies" in my classes were decidedly unhelpful in their contributions in my classes. In a course on the 1960s, a white ally demanded that I remove the Civil Rights Movement from the syllabus because, and this is a direct quote, "There isn't a black student in the class." (Apparently, black students are walking Movement historians who come to college solely to educate their white peers on race.) Another white ally submitted a fantastic paper documenting how Clarence Thomas misused Martin Luther King's writings, but then attached a piece of paper at the end of it saying that he only did it because he was obligated to for the course, but that, as a white ally, he had no business ever questioning any person of color. I could give you dozens of such examples of allies ordering the "oppressors" to be (condescendingly and presumptively) deferential to the "oppressed" they identified as such in a given room. A classic example was when I was leading a break-out session on the campus and had a white student shout, literally shout, that we had to stop because no person of color was in our particular circle. She didn't see the Korean student in the circle who, of course, burst into tears because, as she put it, "I never count as a person of color."

These pleas of "listen! Listen!!! LISTEN!"" are so self-congratulatory. I find it hard to believe that any person of color, or queer person, or disabled person, or [take your pick] would want a person, from jump, presuming so much while respecting so little.

These kinds of politics are doomed to self-defeat and, worse, they mobilize the right (and this isn't just about Fox news and national elections; the backlash this kind of political grandstanding produces is a key factor in the right-wing attack on the humanities).

@88, so what you're saying is, fuck LGBTQ rights. Only race matters.

And yet, you're wrong on the facts, as I have demonstrated above -- the Grammys have been extremely rewarding to artists of color. The Billboard charts, too. Quincy Jones may not be your kind of black man, but he IS a black man.

There's just this ooooone little award that really bugs you, because it's a white guy, even though the white guy was doing an extravaganza, the centerpiece of the awards, in support of gay love in conjunction with that other well-known white male oppressor, Queen Latifah, during with almost three dozen couples gay and straight, black and white, got married on national television.

That makes you look ridiculous. You have to realize that, right?

So, you want to shout down the voices of "some white lady" who is the premier under-30 gay rights advocate on the internet, Queen Latifah (oppressor white dude, probably a fat-shamer too), a 70-year-old lesbian couple from Indiana, a couple of black dudes from LA, and all those other people, and all those millions of people who saw the rights of gay people validated on live TV for the first time in their lives, all because...why again?

Because no one is listening to YOU.

But I hate to tell you this, but no one is ever going to listen to you when you shit on gay rights so vociferously.

#89: Someone on YouTube telling black queers on tumblr to stop criticizing the rich white Grammy-winning, SNL-hosting Macklemore is not being an ally. I don't care if she's a white lesbian or a black queer herself. It's fucking ridiculous. How is this so hard to get? She and Dan Savage are literally trying to shut up black queers on the Internet for the sake of Macklemore.

Raku @58: When you say this, what do you mean "Example - in WA state it's still legal and standard practice to discriminate against trans health care."

Not covering meds? Surgery? I am legitimately curious. I did some googling but wasn't sure exactly what you were referring to.

#92: THANK YOU for @'ing me with a neutral tone, it's saved my night.

I am not an expert in law and don't know anything about fight in WA state since nobody is reporting on it, but here are news reports when the anti-health care discrimination laws were passed last year in California and Colorado. Discrimination is definitely the norm in WA state but I don't know the specific laws or situation between health care providers.

California: http://transgenderlawcenter.org/archives…
http://www.advocate.com/politics/transge…

Colorado: http://www.therainbowtimesmass.com/2013/…

@71 slogs had multiple posts on big freeda...

@raku, so if she was a black queer you wouldn't care what she was saying? Sounds like you're breaking raku's rules of being an ally....

@100, what you don't seem to be able to grasp is that there was a big black queer right there on the stage with Macklemore. There were black queers kissing and getting married on the floor in front of the TV cameras. But it's OK for you to talk shit about them because?