Macklemore Explains His Controversial Costume
"There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood," the rapper wrote.
May 20, 2014 — -- Macklemore got in a little heat after he wore a costume while performing in Seattle last week that some deemed anti-Semitic because they assumed it depicted an old Jewish man.
The rapper apologized on his website on Monday, saying he wore the costume because it was a secret concert and that it wasn't meant to be a caricature of a Jewish man in any way.
"There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood, especially when people are hurt or offended ... I respect all cultures and all people," he wrote. "I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are. I love human beings, love originality, and ... happen to love a weird outfit from time to time."
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Macklemore, who wore a big witch nose, beard and shaggy black wig, said the extra big nose was chosen only because "As it turns out the fake noses they sell at the costume store are usually big (my nose didn’t fit most of them). So I ended up with a big witch nose. I went with a black beard, because that’s the furthest color from my natural hair."
Macklemore said he never thought he looked Jewish.
"Some people there thought I looked like Ringo, some Abe Lincoln. If anything I thought I looked like Humpty Hump with a bowl cut," he added.
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He continued, "We showed up to the event, I hit the stage in the outfit, rocked two songs, took pictures and went home. We had a great time and it was fun to be a surprise guest in a costume. I’ve always loved dressing up and have been doing so my entire career. The character I dressed up as on Friday had no intended cultural identity or background. I wasn’t attempting to mimic any culture, nor resemble one. A 'Jewish stereotype' never crossed my mind."
The Grammy-winning rapper closed with an apology to anyone that took the costume to heart.
"I truly apologize to anybody that I may have offended. I hope this better explains the situation and my point of view," he said.