Macklemore's VMA win for "Same Love" on Sunday was hailed as a victory for equal rights --mainly by Macklemore himself -- but openly-gay rapper Le1f is not having it.
SLIDESHOW: A BRIEF HISTORY OF 'SAME LOVE'
"It saddens me out that a straight man is the voice pop music has chosen for gay rights," the OUT100 honoree wrote on Twitter on Tuesday morning. Later, Le1f added that Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have "blatantly" ripped off one of his songs.
(source: @LE1FNY)
Le1f's comments concluded a rant he initiated on Monday morning, after the VMAs aired. In a series of tweets, which has since been deleted, Le1f voiced his frustration that a straight white man won an award for a song about gay interracial love.
(screencaps via Buzzfeed)
The New York-based MC embodies, along with fellow rappers Cakes da Killa and Mykki Blanco, a new generation of openly-gay artists trying to transcend their underground roots to reach mainstream status. Le1f has received critical acclaim for his self-released mixtapes but has not yet landed a major record deal.
In comparaison, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, two straight men from Seattle, have scored a Billboard #1 spot with their single "Thrift Shop," and their independently-produced debut album The Heist is slated to a reach Platinum certification in the US, having sold close to 1,000,000 copies.
"Thift Shop" debuted on US charts on August 28, 2012, with a brassy hook reminiscent of Le1f's single "Wut", which was officially released on July 19, 2012. Did Le1f get robbed? Listen to the two songs here and judge for yourself:
Le1f "Wut"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis "Thift Shop"
