This is a nice piece. Very glad despite your nervousness that you put it out there. You do have an abundance of sincerity and enthusiasm, crouched inside of what seems a rather justifiable horror at the many responses to the song.
My only critique of the piece is that it is long, and that is from someone who naturally writes very long, so don’t make much of it. Having glazed over about half way through this 10 minute read, and wanting to honestly engage what you are saying, sincerely. Hoping that in having this conversation will alleviate some of your concerns.
Your background & histrionics which you put here, without wanting an allyship cookie, should be noted as just that. Uncomfortable conversations YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE. Not ones forced upon you by a systemic set of oppression that is white supremacy.
That this song will benefit you, and the people you hope to have tough conversations with isn’t something you need to have white guilt about. That said, much of the piling on that the song is receiving is also quite well deserved, and is in fact ingrained in the culture of hip-hop, which is the medium he chose to express his passion.
While this song holds zero appeal to me, and much of the criticisms I’m seeing are way off base, deal in some rather specious critiques, and enraged me as well. I’d not say they weren’t necessary.
Knowing next to zero about Macklemore’s music, except listening to that song “Same Love” ~ there was a revulsion, clear & visceral. Here is a cis-het white man singing about LGBQTA & trying to give them an anthem. Not speaking for me, but to my issue. It forever turned me off to him. However, later on he spoke at length on a radio station, and for whatever reason, I listened to an hour of him discussing race, racism, Black Lives Matter issues, and even Iggy+Azalia Banks, along with many other things.
His heart is true, and as you say sincere, however there is such a frankness, and slickness (which is the perogative of pop music, even Hip-Pop) that feels manufactured. So we’ll have to see if he walks the walk, not just talks the talk.
His music, to my opinion, is beyond sub-par, it is paltable. It is saleable, to large masses, and that doesn’t make it subpar, that is just a part of the equation. But as you point out that sells, gives a broader audience to the message, but at 8m+ long, I’m guessing it won’t be a radio fave or sell so much since it was given away.
To package all of this, and the forthcoming album, as a watershed moment in his consciousness, seems to make light of the gravitas. The song lyrically/thematically is him talking in a mirror // narrative inside his head, and is the height of navel gazing. As you hoped, I hope, that others will see that, and be illuminated. But awareness…is a far cry, as white people can CHOOSE to address the issue, while every other marginalized person that doesn’t fit the patriarchal archetype can suffer the issue being forced on them, by society at will, and constantly, ever second of their life.
So once aware, once guilt is shone a light on, then what? What great reveal does all this lengthy song accomplish. Do I get involved, when the narrator is skeptical if he should even be there, or is a we in the we? It is an existential crisis, but gives no solution. Even ends on a lilt but alas just reminds me hip hop is not a luxury.
There are many reasons to not like the song. Many reasons to be suspect of you or him and your allyship. That feeling of discomfort, which you are both experiencing, and which is being heralded as a public discourse about its authenticity. That is what confronting your privilege looks like.
Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.
Good art, of which I’m not putting this song, or Macklemore, is just like confronting your privilege. Because to become comfortable with just naming it & not growing (he’s done two song on this & has evolved) is not progress. Nor does he think that because he put out this song his work is done. He is most definitely uncomfortable about it, wary of criticisms, but again and this is not a dig, but just like with his addiction. We must be ever vigilant that he not relapse.
He occupies entirely too much space in pop culture, as does his whiteness. Alas though that shouldn’t be easy, certainly to my mind the homophobic Eminem took up infinitely more space. In return we got white kids who think they are about Rap & Hip-Hop, with absolutely zero-respect for the culture. Violent talking homophobic thugs is what we got. He did support black artists and put them on his label, but I’m remiss if not one of them turned out to be as big as Eminem. That was never the point, and I digress.
There are several really good articles which might help you process your feelings. One is on Blativity, and this is a quote that seems germane:
Since he already has their ear, perhaps he can do something credible with his platform, like continue to challenge his own privilege while calling his peers and fans to task too.
The rest of the article goes on to call out the people who are easy to dismiss. His critics do not represent everyone, only the most vocal. The other one is a great article at the Atlantic, and that sums it up in words I’d aspire to write.
Instead I’m still working on what I want to say and reading up on thoughtful people’s opinions. Thanks for putting yours out there, it definitely puts a finer point on some of the things in my head.
Again these are just my thoughts, not a condemnation, or a manifesto. Hope that you can use them in whatever way you deem.