Macklemore ON: How To OVERCOME ADDICTION & Master Your Darkness For SUCCESS | Jay Shetty

TL;DR

Real fulfillment comes from making art you love regardless of its success, not from awards, sales, or public opinion. Macklemore relapsed into active addiction at the height of his fame because he couldn't handle the noise and outside judgment. He describes addiction as an allergy: one drink or hit triggered an uncontrollable craving from the very first time.

Transcript

I believe that what's supposed to be will be and when I can get in that place of acceptance that regardless of what happens with Maniac or the next single or my album and how many first week sales it does and YouTube numbers all of that is not happiness it is completely the best-selling author and host the number one Health and Wellness podcast on ... Read More

Key Insights

• Cutting out the noise of outside influence is central to staying grounded as an artist. Regardless of a song's success, critical acclaim, or lack thereof, knowing who you are as a person is the most important part of being an artist.
• Seeing yourself through how you think other people see you is false and wastes the finite time we have. Inheriting others' imagined perceptions of you drains a precious, limited life.
• Shedding the concern for outside opinion is a daily process, not a destination. Macklemore stopped reading reviews and what people wrote, choosing instead to make art from a pure, genuine place where happiness and fulfillment lie.
• Success at its height coincided with the lowest internal point. After Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us hit number one, the music became public property and Macklemore returned to active addiction, unable to navigate sudden fame after years underground.
• Turning to drugs to escape criticism made things worse rather than better. There is no escaping the noise through substances; the healthier path is finding ways to cope, heal, or tune it out instead of adding drugs on top.
• Addiction is a progressive disease that intensifies when substances are layered onto fear. Macklemore turned to a place of fear that became a paralyzing force, leaving him scared and unable to deal with the outside world.
• Addiction works like an allergy: the first sip, hit, or sniff triggered an uncontrollable urge for more. At 14, his first drink escalated from one shot to twelve vodka shots in about 30 minutes.
• Unexamined early trauma may drive the urge to numb painful feelings. Macklemore suspects early sexual trauma, something he only recently confronted after finding a community of men in recovery willing to speak openly about it.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Macklemore stay grounded despite fame and public opinion?

He focuses on cutting out the noise of any outside influence and getting back to the core of who he is as a person and artist. He stopped reading reviews and what people wrote about him years ago, making art because he loves it. He describes this as a daily process rather than something he has fully arrived at, and says coming from a pure, genuine place is where happiness and fulfillment lie.

Q: Why is it a waste of time to worry what other people think of you?

Macklemore says we get a precious, finite amount of time on Earth, and we waste it wondering what others think and inheriting how we believe they might see us. He references the idea of seeing yourself through how you think other people see you and how false that is. Recommitting daily to blocking out that noise and knowing who you are regardless of success or acclaim is what matters most as an artist and person.

Q: When did Macklemore lose his sense of self and relapse into addiction?

It happened at the height of his success, coming off number-one songs Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us. The music that felt like his suddenly became the world's and open to public interpretation. Having been an underground rapper his entire career, he didn't know how to maneuver that skyrocket moment. At the mercy of critics and scathing reviews, he went back into active addiction, compounding the problem by turning to drugs to escape.

Q: Why does turning to drugs to escape criticism make addiction worse?

Macklemore explains there is no escaping the noise through drugs; the real work is figuring out healthy ways to cope, or better yet to heal, or simply to tune it out. Because his addiction is a progressive disease, putting drugs on top of his fear made everything that much worse. He turned to a place of fear that became a paralyzing force, leaving him scared and unable to deal with the outside world during that period.

Q: When did Macklemore first start drinking and using drugs?

His first drink was at age 14. He found a liquor cabinet above the fridge in his house, took one shot of vodka, and loved how it made him feel, saying he was finally turning things off. He kept going and took about twelve shots of vodka in roughly 30 minutes while weighing around 130 pounds. He then threw up in a McDonald's and had to run from the cops, marking the beginning of a painful drinking career, with marijuana and pills following.

Q: How does Macklemore describe the way addiction affects him?

He describes it as being like an allergy: once he had a sip, hit, or sniff, he wanted more and could never turn that off. From the very first time, he didn't take two shots and stop out of caution; he went straight from one to twelve in a short period. This inability to moderate was present from the very jump, reflecting an unhealthy relationship with substances from the beginning of his drinking.

Q: What does Macklemore think caused his addiction?

He believes it is a collection of things rather than one cause. While he is unsure about the science of genetics or being predisposed, he points to things that happened at an early age that he wanted to turn off. Only relatively recently has he examined these, after finding a community of men in recovery who openly discussed early sexual trauma. He suspects that trauma may have been a reason, something he never heard people talk about openly before.

Q: What made Macklemore decide to seek recovery at his lowest point?

He describes it as coming down to a choice between life and death, and knowing the truth. He had been lucky enough to already go to rehab and understood that addiction is a disease. Even though externally he had awards, acclaim, millions of fans and dollars, internally he had completely lost track of who he was and what actually mattered. Recognizing there was another side to that dark, life-and-death place is what redirected him toward recovery.

Summary

In this video interview, Jay Shetty interviews Macklemore, a multi-platinum and Grammy award-winning artist, about his journey with addiction and recovery. Macklemore shares how he lost himself during the height of his success and turned to drugs to escape the pressures of fame. He opens up about his near-death experiences and the darkness he felt during his addiction. Macklemore also discusses the importance of service and community in his recovery process. He emphasizes the need to get outside of oneself and to think about others as a way to find fulfillment and happiness. He talks about how his wife, who is also in recovery, has been a supportive partner in his journey.

Questions & Answers

Q: Where does Macklemore feel he is today?

Macklemore believes that it is important to cut out the noise of outside influence and to know who he is as a person and artist...[continue]

Q: Did Macklemore ever lose track of himself and his values during the height of his success?

Yes, Macklemore explains how his skyrocketing success led him to lose track of who he was and what truly mattered in life...[continue]

Q: When did drugs first come into Macklemore's life?

Macklemore first tried alcohol when he was 14 years old and fell into an unhealthy relationship with drugs from there...[continue]

Q: What was the goal behind Macklemore's drug usage?

Macklemore describes his drug usage as a way to escape and numb the noise and pressure he was feeling...[continue]

Q: What led Macklemore to want to find a way out of this dark place?

Macklemore realized that he needed to find his community again and connect with the people who truly knew and loved him...[continue]

Q: How did Macklemore's lyrics and music change during his addiction and recovery journey?

Macklemore believes that his music has always been influenced by his personal growth and self-work...[continue]

Q: What are some of the practices and rituals that have supported Macklemore's recovery?

Macklemore emphasizes the importance of service, looking inward, and doing the step work in recovery...[continue]

Q: How does Macklemore approach the experience of sad and depressive thoughts?

Macklemore acknowledges that he still experiences moments of depression and sadness...[continue]

Q: How has Macklemore's wife been a supportive partner during his recovery process?

Macklemore shares that his wife has been his rock and has shown up for him by staying clean herself and holding him accountable...[continue]

Q: How does Macklemore believe secrecy perpetuates addiction?

Macklemore believes that secrecy is a common aspect of addiction, creating a barrier to seeking help and finding support...[continue]

Takeaways

Macklemore's journey with addiction and recovery sheds light on the importance of staying true to oneself and finding fulfillment outside of external validation. He emphasizes the role of service in getting outside of oneself and finding meaning. Macklemore's story also highlights the significance of having a supportive partner and a strong recovery community. Ultimately, openly discussing addiction and seeking help can alleviate the stigma and create a space for healing and growth.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Macklemore opens by explaining his song chant is about returning to the core of who he is as a person and artist, regardless of outside success or criticism. He argues that making art from a pure, genuine place is where true happiness and fulfillment live.

• At the peak of his fame, with number-one hits Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us, Macklemore lost track of himself and relapsed into active addiction. He describes turning to drugs out of fear to escape critics and think pieces, which only worsened his progressive disease.

• He recounts his first drink at age 14, taking twelve shots of vodka in 30 minutes, and describes addiction as an allergy where one taste triggered uncontrollable craving. He links it to unexamined early trauma he only recently confronted through a recovery community of men.