Activism, anger and rebirth: the return of Macklemore

There are tours that are not like all the others. Some want to both blast and send messages. Like that of Macklemorewhich in 2026 returns live (also) in Italy after more than two years of absence from our country. Just two years ago the American rapper released “Ben”, the third studio album which inaugurated a new phase of his artistic journey.

A “new” Macklemore

Sunday June 28, 2026 Macklemore will be the protagonist of a date at Kozel overhead crane in Milanwhere he will bear the signature that distinguishes him: energy, yes, but also commitment. In fact, among the most recent releases three protest songs stand out: “Hind’s Hall” (2024), “Hind’s Hall 2” (2024) and “fucked up” (2025), three pieces which, due to their political and social content, have attracted great attention at an international level.

The Macklemore that we will see in 2026 is no longer just the light-hearted one of “Thrift Shop” or the more epic one of “Can’t Hold Us” with Ryan Lewis: we are talking about an artist who has undergone a profound transformation, shifting the focus of his music towards urgent social and humanitarian issues. “Hind’s Hall” (1 & 2) are protest songs created in support of student movements and the Palestinian cause, the proceeds of which were donated to UNRWA, while “fucked up” explores the contradictions of modern society and mental health, themes that have always been dear to the artist.

The old certainties

Anyone who has already attended one of his concerts knows that the Seattle rapper loves to put one on show theatrical and motivational. Macklemore remains one of the few artists to have won Grammy Awards without one major behind: this freedom translates into total control of the stage.

There ladder will probably balance the classics of the “Ryan Lewis Era” (“Same Love”, “Glorious”) with the more introspective pieces of the latest album “Ben” and the new protest anthems. You should also expect monologues between one song and another: he is an artist who loves to connect with the public, talking about his struggle against addictions and his vision of the world. Macklemore is very distant from that rap that thrives on aesthetics and self-celebration. He is an artist who knew reinvent yourself.

Reborn from the ashes

The central theme of Benjamin Hammond Haggerty’s life is the decades-long battle against substance abuse. Unlike many colleagues who glorify certain excesses, Macklemore showed its darkest and most humiliating side. After all, “Ben” is simply the story of the heavy relapse after years of sobriety that occurred during the lockdown.

For years, the name “Macklemore” was associated with flashy fur coats and radio hits. Its growth also passed through the dismantling of this mask: choosing his first name for the title of the album was an act of reappropriation of his own identity. Fatherhood also played a role: Haggerty has often said that his need to talk about social justice and climate stems from a desire to be able to look his children in the eye twenty years from now.

He has dedicated a lot of time to the study of “white fragility” and his role as a white artist in the black culture of hip hop, while with his activism he has shown that he is not afraid of displeasing part of the public or the industry in order to remain faithful to your ethical values.