The song "Wings"
The song Wings is an American hip-hop song produced by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The song which was released in 2012 under the album The Heist raps about the influence held by multinational corporations like Nike, as well as the evils of advertising. The song thus explores the subject of the American pursuit of identity through consumerism as it illustrates American’s obsession with brand labels and logos.
The metaphor of sneakers
To better illustrate the subject matter of American consumerism in the song, Macklemore and Ryan use sneakers as an allegory to portray the pattern of infatuation with keeping up with trends among the American society. Therefore, the title, of the song, Wings is metaphorical as it seeks to compare sneakers to the larger consumerism patterns in the American society. A careful analysis of the song “Wings” illustrates Americans infatuation and attachment to brands and labels as well as the downside of the American consumerism culture where the young people tend to ascribe consumption of particular brands to self-fulfillment.
The effect of consumerism culture
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis use the example of sneakers to illustrate the effect of the consumerism culture in the United States where a majority of the Americans are infatuated with certain brands and labels. The song uses the setting of the late 1980s and 1990s when hip-hop was rising and popular sneakers such as Nike and Michael Jordan were associated with the then hip-hop culture. For any teenager growing up at the time, shoes were considered a very important element of the culture, as the generation commanded a preference for sneaker shoes, “It’s gotta be the shoes generation.” As the protagonist, Macklemore takes us back during his childhood when he acquired his first pair of Air Jordan sneakers; “I was seven years old, when I got my first pair. And I stepped outside. And I was like, Momma, this air bubble right here, its’ gonna make me fly” (Macklemore & Ryan, 3). The example, of Macklemore’s attainment of his first sneakers when he was just a child, illustrates that children are socialized into the consumerism culture early in life, such that when they purchase certain items, they view it as a pure accomplishment as they are able to connect with the commercial ideas and commodification of the purchased items (Berger, 32). Additionally, as the plot unfolds, Macklemore realized that with his new pair of Air Jordan sneakers he would command respect just like the other big boys. That in its own illustrates that the consumerism culture is both enticing and illustrates conformity. In short, Macklemore and Ryan aim to illustrate how the consumerism culture succeeds in defining what people should consume, when to consume and the effects of the consumption.
The obsession with brands
The pattern of American consumerism has succeeded in making people obsessed with particular brands as they are deemed as elevating one’s identity in the society. In the song, Macklemore keeps echoing the chorus, “I want to fly, Can you take me far away, Give me a star to reach for, Tell me what it takes, And I’ll go so high.” (Macklemore & Ryan, 3). The chorus is intended to make the audience contemplate the current consumerism patterns and the extent to which people have become consumed into it. When Macklemore had purchased his sneakers, there were a group of teenagers that were coveting his new brand, to a point that they ended up beating him and stealing his sneakers. Following the incidence, Macklemore notes that “This dream that they sold to you, For a hundred dollars and some change, Consumption is in the veins, And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes” (Macklemore & Ryan, 3). Therefore, Macklemore’s perspective was transformed where he realized that sneakers were no longer a defining aspect of one’s life especially owing to the turn of events that had been brought about by his sneakers. According to Luchs, there are negative associations of certain product preference especially when they result in negative outcomes to people who cannot afford and all is brought about by the dominant consumerism culture in the United States (Luchs, 6).
The impact of consumerism
In conclusion, the song “Wings” by Macklemore and Ryan illustrates the effects of the popular American consumerism culture where people are often coerced into buying particular brands or labels that are popular just so as to fit into the societal needs. The symbolic example of the sneakers in the song is an example of how the American population is obsessed with consumerism and brands. The obsession with keeping with the consumerism culture coerces especially the youth to be fixated on particular brands or labels and hence they are forced to invest all their money into purchasing certain goods just so as to have their identities and lifestyles defined. Nonetheless, the consumerism culture and the obsession with certain brands make people lose their real sense of identity as they strive to keep up with the materialistic needs of the society. Thus, Macklemore maintains that people do not need to fall into the trap of consumerism since it is not a reality but simply an illusion that does not define one’s identity or personality.
Works Cited
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. “Wings.” The Heist. Dir. Zia Mohajerjasbi. Perf. Ben Haggerty, Lucas King. Macklemore LLC, 2011. Music Video. YouTube. 9th Sep 2018.
Berger, Arthur Asa. “Ads, fads, and consumer culture: Advertising's impact on American character and society.” Rowman " Littlefield, 2015.
Luchs, Michael G. "The sustainability liability: Potential negative effects of ethicality on product preference." American Marketing Association, 2013.
