Macklemore

Macklemore is a Grammy-winning rapper and songwriter. Born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, he spent his childhood in Seattle, Washington. He began writing lyrics at age 15 and graduated from Garfield High School before earning a bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College in Olympia in 2009.

Macklemore independently released his first mixtape, Open Your Eyes, under the name Professor Macklemore in 2000. He returned with The Unplanned Mixtape in 2009. He began collaborating with producer Ryan Lewis that same year, leading to the release of The VS. EP (2009) and The Heist (2012), which propelled him into mainstream success.

The Heist produced the No. 1 singles “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us” and earned four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album. Macklemore and Lewis released This Unruly Mess I’ve Made in 2016 before parting ways professionally. He went on to release the solo projects Gemini (2017) and Ben (2023).

Macklemore married Tricia Davis in 2015 after nearly a decade together. The couple share daughters Sloane (born in 2015) and Colette (born in 2018), and son Hugo (born in 2021).