Macklemore just released a 9-minute song all about white privilege
"White Privilege II," featuring Jamila Woods, explores the Black Lives Matter movement, racism, and cultural appropriation.
Calling out Miley Cyrus and Iggy Azalea, Macklemore raps, "You've exploited and stolen the music, the moment. The magic, the passion, the fashion you toyed with. The culture was never yours to make better. You're Miley, you're Elvis, you're Iggy Azalea."
He later asks, "We take all we want from black culture. But will we show up for black lives?"
Macklemore also explores his own privilege saying, "My success is the product of the same system that let off Darren Wilson," citing the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown.
Macklemore released a statement with the track: "This song is the outcome of an ongoing dialogue with musicians, activists, and teachers within our community in Seattle and beyond. Their work and engagement was essential to the creative process."
He also revealed that as a company, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis LLC are working with four organizations to support "black-led organizing and anti-racist education & discourse": Black Lives Matter, People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, Youth Undoing Institutional Racism & Freedom School, and Black Youth Project 100.
The song is a sequel to "White Privilege," a song from his 2005 release "The Language of My World."
You can download the song for free on iTunes and stream via Spotify below. "This Unruly Mess I've Made" will be released February 26.