Macklemore wore a costume reasonably construed as an offensive Jewish stereotype during a surprise performance with Ryan Lewis at a Seattle museum Friday, and is now being called anti-Semitic.
This is the guy who performed his hit single “Same Love” at the Grammys while several gay couples married on stage. The song’s video won him an MTV Music Award for “Best Video With a Social Message.” Here he is in the costume, which included a giant nose, beard and bowl cut wig, during the performance of his hit single, “Thrift Shop.”
Check out @macklemore performing “Thrift Shop” as a stereotypical Jewish man. So much for same love, eh? pic.twitter.com/yZ19QmxIV0
— Ian de Borja (@idb1204) May 19, 2014
Macklemore responded to the criticism via Twitter (of course), arguing he had no idea it might be construed as a stereotype:
A fake witches nose, wig, and beard = random costume. Not my idea of a stereotype of anybody.
— Macklemore (@macklemore) May 19, 2014
He also confirmed he is not Jewish in this tweet, which he has since deleted:
It’s ok y’all! Macklemore can’t be anti-Semitic. He’s got hella good Jewish homies! pic.twitter.com/zGyix7NxGA
— ✰ (@ohitsbarbara) May 18, 2014
The performance was at the opening of a new exhibit called “Spectacle: The Music Video” at Seattle’s EMP Museum, which is dedicated to pop culture.