Macklemore has opened up on some of the dark times that inspired his new album. In a new interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the 'Glorious' rapper detailed his relapse in 2020 and how it informed his upcoming music. "It was an intense time. The life that I knew, just like all of our lives, was stripped away," he explained "I’m used to a certain schedule of touring, of being gone, of being home, of recovery and being able to go to a physical 12-step meeting.”
But, once COVID started that routine didn't exist anymore, " Eventually, I’m on Instagram while being on Zoom and I’m just not really paying attention to the meetings … and this is what happens when I don’t prioritize my recovery." Thankfully, the relapse was very short but it had a lasting impact on Macklemore and the people around him. "I’m still working on getting back trust, but I think that it gave me a reprieve, a reminder again, a slap in the face. Not a delicate reminder, but a slap in the face reminder."
Macklemore's new album Ben is set to be released on March 3rd and was teased with 4 singles last year featuring artists like Tones And I and NLE Choppa. It's his first new album since 2017's Gemini which spawned hit songs like 'Glorious' with Skylar Grey and 'Good Old Days' with Kesha.