This video is from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis when they performed on Augustana's campus.  It was shot from my iPhone from a distance so forgive the videography.

I had the pleasure of seeing Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform here in Sioux Falls back in April.  I must admit, I only really knew 'Thrift Shop' and had heard rumblings of 'Can't Hold Us' and 'Same Love'.  I had previously seen Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform 'Same Love' on Ellen long before it was a single.  I was very moved by the song and its meaning.

‘Same Love’ is a song about stereotypes and how people judge too quickly.  It also calls out the hip-hop community and their overuse of gay slurs.  I found this song very poignant and timely.  As I’ve written before, I cry at everythingand this song didn’t quite make me cry, but it made me listen.  I agree with a lot of what Macklemore is saying in this song.  I give him immense credit for wording this song so eloquently while still getting his point across without being mean -spirited towards those who may not agree.

I consider myself an ally to the LGBT community and I think a rapper helping elevate this topic to a higher consciousness is great.

Oprah always said on her show, “When you know better, you do better.”  I believe she quoted Maya Angelou on that, but it’s still a great lesson.  I think if people knew more about the LGBT community and their allies then there wouldn’t be so much tension and misunderstanding.

One of my favorite lines from the song is as follows:

“Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it’s all the same love
About time that we raised up”

The best part about seeing this song done live is the audience participation.  Being an ally to the LGBT community, I find myself having to defend how and why I feel the way I do about gay marriage, but hearing the audience at Macklemore's show applaud and cheer in agreement of what the song is defending just made me feel all gooey and warm inside.  For a brief moment you forgot you were at a concert and you felt like you were part of a real movement of change.

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