Hip-hop fans have, in the past, raised issue with some of Macklemore's actions: the Kendrick text going up on Instagram, the possibly anti-Semitic costume at a Seattle concert, the hats. But this might be beyond the pale: According to Noisey and to a Reddit thread from someone who claims to attend the school in question, a California high school has declined an appearance from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis--and the $10,000 fine arts grant that came with it. Apparently, students from Aliso Niguel High School, which is in Southern California's Orange County, won a contest to receive a visit from the rapper and producer and the grant to help support the school's art programs. (The Orange County Register reports that the contest was held by Chegg, a textbook sales and rental website.) However, parents and administrators balked, reportedly saying that the duo "promote misogyny and drug use." Macklemore is aware of the situation:

Students are also fighting back, staring a Change.org petition to save the visit, and to help fund their arts programs. The notion that Macklemore promotes drug use is a tough sell, given that his breakthrough hit, "Otherside," chronicled his struggles with drug use and his recovery; "Starting Over," from he and Lewis' massively successful The Heist, is an act of contrition after a relapse. Earlier this year, he spoke candidly about how his wife's pregnancy was a catalyst for his recommitment to sobriety.

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