Young Seattle golfer’s essay on Macklemore’s impact on his coming-of-age

BY SIMON STEPHENS • SPECIAL TO CG

The bond between city and artist is something that is evident in both the work they produce and the image they project to the world. When an artist can bottle up art with community, magic can happen. For me, as a 21-year-old, Macklemore is doing just that.

Music permeates the lifeblood of Seattle. The Puget Sound birthed artists in nearly every corner of the spectrum with a classic hip-hop star Sir Mix-a-Lot, to a legendary crooner like Bing Crosby, to the rawness and swagger of guitar great Jimi Hendrix.

Seattle’s prominent counterculture gave wings to grunge music with bands like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Foo Fighters. They gave a voice to the youth of our region and Nirvana’s front man Kurt Cobain embodied that at the time.

Those bands woke the world up to Seattle. For me and many, the next Seattleite to truly imprint their art into the greater cultural lexicon in a meaningful way was Macklemore.

“Thrift Shop” was a defining moment in my middle school years for me and my peers. It was the sheer absurdity of the lyrics, the melody and short looping saxophone that drove the whole song. And of course, the visuals of the music video are iconic. Every aspect of it was like nothing else on radio or video at the time.

Gone where mentions of expensive clothes and jewelry. The chorus (sung by the artist Wanz) is about going to the secondhand store with $20 and wondering what treasures can be acquired. A broken keyboard, a knee board, and of course that almost mythical leopard jacket. That fur coat is as synonymous with Macklemore as Prince’s heels or Kanye West’s pink polo.

His style propelled him to super stardom, and I totally see his style in his Bogey Boys products. The brand even carries its own “Thrift Shop” inspired garb — evidenced by the leopard print turned in for a green Masters-like jacket.

Ben Haggerty cares as deeply about connecting with his fans and community as much as he cares for his hip business ventures. A lifelong Seattle sports fan, Haggerty was able to fulfill a dream of owning professional sports teams with his stakes in the Kraken and Sounders.

Though Macklemore’s music career has taken a breather, his influence and undeniable vibe can be felt in his new golf ventures and it’s obvious that he loves his hometown.

He inspires me and played an important role in my “growing up” here in Seattle — and I dig his new duds, too.