With a new album on the horizon, Macklemore made his way to the The Breakfast Club. Aside from talking about the new record, Gemini, he gave his thoughts on why he and Ryan Lewis are no longer working together, a near-death experience, and white supremacy.
Back in 2013, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took the world by storm with their No. 1 hit “Thrift Shop.” The tandem’s hot streak continued with more hits, platinum plaques and Grammys. Now that the duo has parted ways, Macklemore wanted to clear the air. “There’s no beef at all,” he said, admitting that they just needed time away from each other after working together so closely for ten years straight. “I think after the last album it was like let’s take some space, let’s take some time and go work with other people.”
Gemini , which drops on Sept. 22, will be Macklemore’s first release since announcing that he and his creative partner had creatively separated. Described as “fun,” the new album that features Offset, Lil Yachty and others is according to the platinum star a reflection of where he’s currently at in life.
Macklemore also spoke with Angela Yee and DJ Envy about a horrific car crash he recently experienced while driving with his young nephews. “We were driving to the hotel and a guy came taking a turn that you probably should’ve taken at about 15 miles an hour – he was probably going 50 – almost tipped his truck and smashed into me,” he recollected during the interview. The Grammy Award-winner said he felt “lucky to walk away” from the crash that left the alleged drunk driver who caused the commotion unconscious at the scene of the incident.
The rapper’s experiences with substance abuse, as well as his thoughts on white supremacy were also discussed. “It’s on white people to fix this problem,” he said. “We as white people are the reason why white supremacy exists.” Macklemore, who feels the system was built for him as a white male to succeed in America, stressed the importance of having honest conversations regarding race.
Hear all that Macklemore had say during his conversation with The Breakfast Club by watching the full interview above.