An Analysis of Consumerism in Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's 'Wings'

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's song 'Wings,' focusing on its exploration of consumerism and its impact on identity, particularly within the context of sneaker culture. The essay examines the song's lyrics, literary devices, and the personal experiences of the artist, Ben Haggerty (Macklemore), to illustrate the negative effects of consumerism on individuals and society. It highlights the influence of brands and logos on social standing and the transformation of the singer's perspective regarding these material desires. The analysis also touches upon the broader implications of consumerism, such as income disparities, and the significance of the song in providing a critical perspective for the audience. The essay concludes by emphasizing the song's ability to resonate with a global audience and its potential to guide listeners away from futile material pursuits. The references include scholarly articles on consumerism and street culture.

Running head: SONG ANALYSIS
SONG ANALYSIS
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1SONG ANALYSIS
Introduction
The song “Wings” has been sung by the hip hop duo of America, Macklemore and
Ryan Lewis. The song was a part of their debut studio album titled ‘The Heist’. The song also
contains the uncredited vocals of the American singer-songwriter, Hollis. The song was
released in the United States of America on the 21st of January, 2011 and in the United
Kingdom on the 20th of July, 2011. The context of the song is based on a contemporary
subject that concerns audiences from all across the globe. The essay will further engage in an
analysis of the song with respect to the issue and context on which it is based as well as the
aesthetic features utilized by the songwriter in order to bring out its purpose.
Discussion
Ben Haggerty, popularly known as Macklemore, is an American rapper and
songwriter. Macklemore commenced his career as an artist in the year 2000 and since then
has been able to release a mix-tape, four albums and three EPs. Ryan S. Lewis is an
American disc jockey, videographer, songwriter ad producer. He is widely recognized as
being part of the popular hip-hop duo ‘Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’. The artist began his
career in the year 2006 and since then has been engaged in several collaborations as well as
individual projects. The duo released the song ‘Wings’ in the year 2011 along with the
autobiographical music video of Macklemore, directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi.
As described by the singer Macklemore himself, the song is based on the pertinent
issue of consumerism that has gripped individuals from all over the world. According to him,
the song “Wings” is based on the pursuit or search for identity with the help of an exploration
of the phenomena of consumerism (Npr.org, 2020). The purpose of the song as described by
him is to differentiate the individual from his or her infatuation with the material and fleeting
happiness of labels, brands and logos, which is ultimately connected with their power to

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purchase these material goods. The commodity that is highlighted by Macklemore in the song
is shoes. However, the scope and purpose of the song is not limited to this particular
commodity and is rather applicable to all such material goods for which individuals may have
a fascination. The song portrays a broader image of a consumer and thereby the history of his
lineage to the first memory pertaining to the desire for retail.
The significance of the issue of consumerism discussed in the song relates to its
negative impact on global societies and the people who reside in them. The ill effects of
consumerism includes the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor due to
differences in the consumption of resources and income disparities. However, the song can
also be related to the popular hip-hop culture of wearing sneakers. The sneaker culture can be
described to signify a lifestyle where the wearing of sneakers acts as a determiner of the
individual’s standing among his or her peers (Brace‐Govan & de Burgh‐Woodman, 2008). In
this regard, it can be noted that the representation of an individual from this culture and his or
her social standing was determined by the worth of their sneakers. The more expensive the
sneakers, the more popular the individual would be deemed. As the singer suggests in the
song, ‘it’s gonna make me fly’, he expected that his shoes would help him to become popular
and successful.
The purpose of the song may be considered to be the provision of a clearer vision to
the young generation regarding the futility of such consumerism. Macklemore and Ryan
Lewis seem to accept that they have gone through what they mention in the song, and their
experience may act as a guideline for their audience. The concept consumerism and
consequently is direct connection with the sneaker culture is highlighted through the lyrics of
the song in a personal yet universal manner (Dinkins, 2014). The individual experiences of
the singer adds to the personal touch of the song, and on the other hand, the ability of the
audience to relate to the lyrics provides a universal appeal. One specific mention regarding

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the experiences of the singer is depicted through the murder of a person because of his
sneakers. The portrayal of this incident changes the tone of the song from an exaltation of the
singer’s exaltation of the sneaker culture to that of a criticism of consumerism.
In the first verse of the song, Macklemore uses various literary devices to paint a clear
picture of the sneaker culture. He presents his vision of himself as a successful basketball
player and how his shoes had a huge role to lay in it. He mentions how he thought he was
better than most of his friends who could not afford the expensive sneakers from the sports
brand Nike and Adidas. In the second verse the singer continues to highlight the
transformation of his conception about the sneaker culture through anecdotes about his past
experiences as a youth. These experiences have been identified to be the guiding factors that
helps him to evolve his perceptions about the negative effects of consumerism. The rhyme
and rhythm of the song is designed in a manner so as to emphasize on the hopes of the singer
to be able to become successful in life with the help of his sneakers.
Conclusion
From the above discussion regarding the analysis of the song “Wings” by
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, it can be deduced that the impact of sneaker culture was
widely felt in America and more dominantly in the hip-hop community. This sneaker culture
can be directly related to the negative impacts of consumerism, where brands and logos
become the defining elements of the social lives of individuals. The significance of the song
primarily lies in its ability to appeal to the global audiences and highlight the transformation
of the singer’s perceptions through a depiction of his life experiences, both through the lyrics
of the song, as well as the music video. This depiction is expected to act as a guideline so that
the audience may not indulge in such futile material desires.

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References
Brace‐Govan, J., & de Burgh‐Woodman, H. (2008). Sneakers and street culture: A
postcolonial analysis of marginalized cultural consumption. Consumption, Markets
and Culture, 11(2), 93-112.
Dinkins, E. G. (2014). Three-point shot: Basketball, poetry, and critical literacy. English
Journal, 48-53.
Npr.org. (2020). NPR Choice page. Retrieved 2 March 2020, from
https://www.npr.org/2012/11/23/165667816/macklemores-brand-of-socially-
conscious-rap