White Privilege Songtext
von Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Now nod your head and wake up


I see so many people lost who really try to pretend
But am I just another white boy who has caught on to the trend
When I take a step to the mic is Hip-Hop closer to the end?
'Cause when I go to shows the majority have white skin
They marketed the windmill, the air flair and head spin
And white rappers albums really get the most spins
The face of hip hop has changed a lot since Eminem
And if he's taking away black artists' profits I look just like him
Claimed a culture that wasn't mine, the way of the american
Hip-Hop is gentrified and where will all the people live
It's like the Central District, Beacon Hill to the South End
Being pushed farther away because of what white people did, now
Where's my place in a music that's been taken by my race
Cultural appropriated by the white face and we don't want to admit that this is existing
So scared to acknowledge the benefits of our white privilege
'Cause it's human nature to want to be part of something different
Especially when your ancestors are european christians
And most whites don't want to acknowledge this is occurring
'Cause we got the best deal, the music without the burden
Of being black in a system that really wants you to rock
'Cause all you need is a program and you can go and make Hip-Hop
And we hate the mainstream cause we're the ones that took it
Now we listen to Aesop Rock and wear t-shirts that say Brooklyn
But it's not about black and white, right?
I mean, good music is good music regardless of what you look like
But when you don't give them props isn't that selfish?
That's like saying rock was actually started by Elvis
So where does this leave me?
I feel like I pay dues but I'll always be a white MC
I give everything I have when I write a rhyme
But that doesn't change the fact that this culture's not mine
But I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
This is something that's effortless and shouldn't be hard
I said I'm gonna be me, so please be who you are
But we still owe 'em 40 acres now we've stolen their 16 bars

Hip-Hop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through

If I think I understand just because I flow too

That means I'm not keeping it true, nope

Hip-Hop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, I'm not keeping it true

Now I don't rap about guns, so they label me conscious
But I don't rap about guns 'cause I wasn't forced into the projects

See, I was put in the position where I could chose my options
Blessed with the privilege that my parent's could send me to college
Now, who's going to shows?
The kids on the block starving?
Or the white people with dough that can relate to my content?
Marketed the music now adapted to the lifestyle
What happened to jazz and rock 'n' roll is happening right now


Where's my place in the music that's been taken by the media
With white corperations controlling what their feeding ya
I brought up Aesop Rock but I'm not even dissing dude
We love Hip-Hop and what do you think caucasians are listening to?
And I speak freely when I write this
If a black emcee examined race there goes half their fan base, white kids
And this is so true
And we didn't even have to fight the system, we just went and picked up the microphone too
And we got good at it so we should be rapping

But only supporting them is like burning Jimmy and buying Clapton, now

Clapton's incredible but no Jimmy no foundation
So here comes history and the cultural appropriation

White kids with do rags trying to practice their accents

From the suburbs to the upperclass mastering a language
But Hip-Hop is not just memorizing words
It's rooted in authenticity something you literally can't learn
But I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
It's something that's effortless and shouldn't be hard
I said, I'm gonna be me so please be who you are
But as I'm blessed with the privilege, they're still left with the scars
Come on

Hip-Hop started off in a block that I've never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, nope

Hip-Hop started off in a block that ive never been to
To counter act a struggle that I've never even been through
If I think I understand just because I flow too
That means I'm not keeping it true, I'm not keeping it true