Ben Haggerty, widely recognized by his stage name Macklemore, is a Grammy Award-winning artist and one of the most prominent figures in commercial music over the past decade. However, before Macklemore could dominate the charts, he needed to overcome the substance abuse issues that troubled his early adult life.
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Ben Haggerty, better known by his stage name Macklemore, was born in Seattle, Washington, on June 19, 1983.
Haggerty began writing lyrics and songs at the age of 15. During this time, he was heavily influenced by East Coast hip hop, including artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Nas.
While in high school, he created the stage name “Professor Macklemore” for an art project, which he later adopted for his music releases.
In 2000, he recorded and released his first project, a mixtape titled Open Your Eyes. Shortly after, he simplified his name to Macklemore and released his debut full-length album, The Language of My World, in 2005.
In 2006, Macklemore met producer Ryan Lewis, and together they formed the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. They released an EP titled The VS. EP in 2009.
In 2010, the duo released the track “Otherside,” which samples the Red Hot Chili Peppers song of the same name. The song explores many of Macklemore’s struggles with substance abuse.
“I don’t have moderation when using drugs and alcohol. It got to the point where it was hurting my life, my potential.”
“I’ve seen my people’s dreams die
I’ve seen what they can be denied
And ‘weeds not a drug’ – that’s denial
Groundhog Day life repeat each time
I’ve seen Oxycontin take three lives
I grew up with them, we used to chief dimes
I’ve seen cocaine bring out the demons inside
Cheatin’ and lyin’
Friendship cease, no peace in the mind
Stealin’ and takin’ anything to fix the pieces inside
Broken, hopeless, headed nowhere
Only motivation for what the dealer’s supplying
That rush, that drug, that dope
Those pills, that crumb, that roach
Thinkin’ I would never do that, not that drug
And growing up nobody ever does
Until you’re stuck, lookin’ in the mirror like I can’t believe what I’ve become
Swore I was gonna be someone
And growing up everyone always does
We sell our dreams and our potential
To escape through that buzz
Just keep me up, keep me up”
Macklemore has recounted his first experience with alcohol, noting that he drank for the first time at around 13 or 14 years old while alone at his parents’ house.
“Twelve shots in, [my] first time ever drinking alcohol. That’s not people like, ‘yo keep going.’ That’s me, by myself, dolo in the kitchen, like I can’t stop. I can’t turn this off. This feels good; I wanna keep going.”
During high school, Macklemore spent time skipping classes and smoking weed. As he grew older, he began experimenting with other substances, including opioids like Oxycontin.
“[I saw] the grip that it had, just doing it for five or six days, sweating through my sheets and coming off of it shaking.”
Unfortunately, during this challenging period, he experienced numerous tragedies, including the death of his friend, Kevin, whom he had met in recovery meetings. Kevin overdosed at the age of 20, a story that Macklemore references in a song bearing his name.
Macklemore has expressed the difficulties he faced on his journey to sobriety.
“You know, like, Monday, I’ma stop…. OK. Tuesday, I’ma stop…. OK, fuck it, I might as well go on to the weekend. Sunday, I’m done. But after this bag of weed…”
He has battled his own struggles throughout his recovery journey, including relapses. In various interviews, Macklemore has opened up about relapses he experienced, including one that followed the release of his Grammy Award-winning album, The Heist.
After achieving success with that album and hitting number one with singles “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us,” Macklemore stopped attending 12-step meetings and relapsed into pill use and marijuana smoking. He noted that he succumbed to his addiction while trying to conceal it.
There was also a notable absence of music production during this time.
“I’m in meetings with management with sunglasses on and I’m rolling around like a 15-year-old trying not to get caught smoking weed in my car. Straight up, driving all around here, like I was 15 years ago. Same shit. I felt so dumb. I felt like I’m just wasting time. What am I escaping here?”
However, a significant change occurred when his longtime partner, Tricia, became pregnant. Her pregnancy acted as a catalyst for his sobriety, and he soon returned to making music regularly.
“The thing that pulled me back was knowing that I wanted to be a musician, and that if I wanted to do this, I had to get sober. So I’d go a month and be sober, make a bunch of music, and then fall back off, vanish for a couple of months, and go back and forth like that. That’s how I made music for the majority of my teen years and twenties.”
Since gaining fame, Macklemore has emerged as a prominent voice within the addiction community. Notably, President Barack Obama met with Macklemore for a documentary on the opioid crisis and invited the artist to join him for the president’s weekly address.
“I’m here with President Obama because I take this personally. I have abused prescription drugs and battled addiction. If I hadn’t gotten the help I needed when I needed it, I might not be here today. And I want to help others facing the same challenges I did.”
In 2018, Macklemore headlined Recovery Fest in Rhode Island. He continues to inspire millions facing addiction and related issues while producing music that addresses a variety of topics, including substance abuse, racism, and homophobia, among others.
Next Steps
Although Macklemore has faced relapses in the past, he remains dedicated to his sobriety and has openly addressed the issue on multiple occasions. Relapse is a common challenge for many individuals in recovery from addiction. Understanding how to manage urges and cravings can significantly reduce the likelihood of relapse.
If you are interested in exploring substance treatment options, Sunrise Recovery is a drug and alcohol rehab center in Indiana that can provide assistance. To learn more about the treatment plans available at Sunrise, please visit our website and contact our admissions team today.
