Macklemore Blows Up The Internet & Charts On His Own Terms! - ULTIMATE INSIDER

: Published on Wednesday, January 16 2013; Written by RJ Williams

It takes a special kind of talent and a special kind of tenacity to get one of your tracks on heavy radio rotation without any real support from major record labels. No wonder Ben Haggerty is frequently referred to as Professor!

You might know Ben better by his stage name, Macklemore. And if that name is still unfamiliar to you, his current radio earworm certainly is not! After three EPs, one mixtape, two studio albums, and a huge online cult following, the rest of us now know what fans of the 29-year-old musician have already known all along!

As of this writing, the music video for Macklemore’s single “Thrift Shop” (the fifth single off his second studio album,The Heist) has nearly 55 million views on YouTube! I'm sure I can personally take credit for about a quarter of those, since I have had this gem on a loop for weeks now. The track has hit #1 on the U.S. Rap charts and peaked at a very impressive #5 on the Billboard Hit 100! So, what makes this song – and its mastermind – so special?

Clearly it’s his cheeky sense of humor. “Thrift Shop” very cleverly pokes fun at the stereotypical rap song convention of bragging about one’s personal wealth and tricked-out material possessions. But Macklemore is all about vintage hand-me-downs and finding a sweet pair of velcro kicks for $20 or less! He takes great pride in rocking your great-aunt’s fur coat, and he is not above strutting his stuff in a pair of Batman onesies! Macklemore proves you can still live the gangsta lifestyle even in Grandpa’s old polyester shirts. Now THAT is hardcore!

For still looking fly even on a tight budget, Macklemore proves he has plenty of cred in this business, and his sudden skyrocketing stardom is well-deserved! I’m hoping this guy sticks around for a long time… with or without a record label!

Check out “Thrift Shop” (ft. Wanz) below (WARNING: NSFW language)!