Macklemore’s White Privilege II

Area: Music, Social & Political Philosophy
Grade Level: High School & Beyond
Topics: race
Estimated Time Necessary: 9 minute song, 45 minute discussion

Lesson Plan

Objectives:

Seattle hip hop rapper Macklemore (aka Ben Haggerty) is one of the few widely-known rappers who is white. In his song “White Privilege” (2005), Macklemore sings about his experience as a white rapper, including how being white was advantageous in the music industry. In 2016, Macklemore collaborated with Chicago singer Jamila Woods to release the sequel “White Privilege II,” in which the first verse depicts his experience at a Seattle protest over the Ferguson grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson after the shooting death of Michael Brown. In this 9-minute song, Macklemore thinks out loud about being white and questions his role and responsibility in the Black Lives Matter movement.

The song and lyrics can be found here:

http://genius.com/Macklemore-and-ryan-lewis-white-privilege-ii-lyrics

Some other notable parts of the song include the second verse, where Macklemore thinks about how he has appropriated rap culture, the part in the third interlude where a woman says, “I have an advantage? Why? Cause I’m white? (laughs) What? (laughs) No,” and the part in the fourth interlude where a man asks, “What are you willing to sacrifice to create a more just society?”

In a social studies class, this song can be used to initiate a discussion about the Black Lives Matter and civil rights movements, the history of racial discrimination, and the fight for freedom and social justice.

Group writing activity: Have students get into small groups to collaborate on writing a new verse for “White Privilege II,” and have those who would like to do so perform it in class.

EXPAND TOOL TEXTCOLLAPSE TOOL TEXT

Discussion Questions

  • How does the song make you feel? And why?
  • Do you see examples of white privilege in the world?
  • Do the privileged have a responsibility to speak up for people who are less privileged?
  • What should people be willing to sacrifice to create a more just society?

Resources

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