“Ben” by Macklemore Is Independent Music Enshrined In 2023
Macklemore’s next album to be released is entitled “Ben,” and will be here soon. Regarding said moment, the memo from the streets is certain: the mainstream music machine’s mailing list has a lot of catching up to do. With hype generated across social media, America’s favorite rap artist is about to get in-your-face fresh—both artistically and business-wise.
“Ben” represents next-level sheer genius. It’s Macklemore’s enchanting ability to roll out fun, glitz, glamour and fan-support of his creations to match industry standards. I would even say that it is an impending industry revolution about to happen—a step upwards in the always-necessary campaign to keep the great minds in entertainment free. “Ben” continues a magnificent march of albums and singles that have resulted in Seattle’s supreme hip-hop sensationalist: Macklemore. Incredibly, Macklemore’s collection of music is Self-Released!
His work with songwriter and digital-wonderman Ryan Lewis took place while Macklemore continued to work solo and while he also collaborated with others. “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (featuring Wanz) was Macklemore’s first Number One hit internationally, driving them each upward into super-stardom. It earned a Grammy in 2014 for Best Rap Performance. It was also the industry’s first music in close to twenty years to top charts without the support of a major label.
The song somehow proved to our cynical, internet-obsessive western world that everyday music from the kids ‘round the neighborhood still mattered. Somehow that had become a novelty. Macklemore’s work upon the industry brought our heart “back to the streets”, once again. And that might just be where great music currently is needed most.
The success of “Thrift Shop” was followed by the success of the duo’s “Can’t Hold Us” featuring Ray Dalton, a track in their October 2012 album The Heist. The verve and wild rambunctiousness of Macklemore put a smile upon the western world again. Real estate markets were finally on an upswing, recovering from the industry’s far-spread economic crash of 2008. Japan’s threat of nuclear holocaust had subsided. President Barack Obama was in the Oval Office. The Heist delivered culturally critical celebration through song. It was something like peace mixed nicely in with all the American legacy propaganda our national heroes have encouraged us to devour.
Macklemore has proven himself infallible, even if his roll-out is often comparable to the thrift shop experiences he enshrined in his first hit. As a solo artist, Macklemore released two studio albums, and three mixed tapes, plus about thirteen music videos, and a whole ton of singles. It’s a continuous outpouring of crisp new sounds, outrageous and unique collaborations, and all in an indiscernible sequence.
Together, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis created two studio albums, two EPs, seventeen singles, and fifteen music videos. Those golden sounds were released in the same way any small mom-and-pop shop can decide to throw a street party.
“Ben” is scheduled by Macklemore for release on 3 March, 2023. It can be pre-ordered in any version of which Macklemore’s audiences are loving these days: digital, colored LPs, CDs and (yes) on cassette. It’s all there, ready for you, at Macklemore.com. His packaging includes t-shirts, long sleeves, and hoodies. It is as lovely as the artist’s stunning “Bogey Boys” clothing line (first mentioned by the artist on Instagram on the 10th of February 2021).
Tickets for an upcoming 2023 European Tour can be purchased through Macklemore.com. First show of “The Ben Tour” will be at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on 3 April 2023. Tour then rolls through the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Paris, plus a whole bunch of venues throughout the country of Germany. Following that, shows are scheduled in Poland and Austria and Switzerland. Next are two shows in Milan, Italy, followed by performances on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Macklemore will also participate in festivals abroad: the Main Square Festival in Arras, France, the Colours of Ostrava 2023 in Czechia, the SonneMondSterne Festival in Germany, and the Festival Fête du Bruit dans Landerneau 2023 in France, and the Open Air Gampel 2023 in Switzerland. His final European destination is Norway’s Ypsilon 2023.
Macklemore is managing the works (i.e., album release, the new line of Bogey Boys clothing and accessories, his upcoming touring dates, and all the stuff we don’t even know about yet) by keeping his inner workings close to home. Tricia, his wife, keeps things moving. She also handles key video and art direction and, at the same time, raises the couple’s three beautiful children. His young daughter Sloane routinely generates priceless dialogue on social media in support of her dad’s brand. As of today’s announcement by Macklemore (20 February 2023), we know that Sloane will be leading the direction of the music video for one of the singles from “Ben” entitled “No Bad Days.” That music video is scheduled for on-line playback on 3 March 2023.
For an addition of slick, at the beginning of the month, Macklemore called upon his grandma’s reputation (of course!) to promote “No Bad Days”. On 13 February 2023, the highly acclaimed songwriter contacted followers on social media. He offered to have them nominate someone deserving of “the best day ever”, for the purpose of then rewarding said person. Fans are asked to explain why using photographs and home videos paired with the hitmaker’s song. So it goes that with every tagging of #NBDBEN, the artist shows America once again how well transparency wears upon us all. Because even though Macklemore is now bigger than life, his grandma is still helping him make sure people still like him.
Stuff this kind and sweet only happens in independent music.
Written By Corinne Devin Sullivan, 9 February 2022