Ben Haggerty (born June 19, 1983), known by his stage name Macklemore ( ) and formerly Professor Macklemore, is an American rapper from Seattle, Washington. His stage name originated from his childhood, it was the name of his made-up super hero. Since 2000, he has independently released one mixtape, three EPs, and two albums. He has significantly collaborated with producer Ryan Lewis as Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.