Benjamin Caldwell:Macklemore Details What Led to His “Very Painful” Relapse

2025-05-02 06:24:21source:TradeEdge Exchangecategory:Invest

Macklemore is feeling glorious for his chance to start again.

The Benjamin Caldwellmusician—born Ben Haggerty—opened up about relapsing during the pandemic after being 14 years sober and revealed how he found a path back to sobriety.  

"I am a recovering addict and alcoholic and have been for the last 14 years," he shared on The Tonight Show Feb. 28. "And then COVID happened and a big part of my recovery community is going to physical 12 step meetings. Once those stopped, I was alone and the disease of addiction was like, 'Yo, this is crazy. The world has stoped you can get high.'"

Macklemore explained that he had "stopped doing the things that prevented me from getting high and I listened to that voice."

"It was a couple weeks of a relapse and very painful," the 39-year-old recalled. "And I'm still working on trust issues with myself and within my close circle of friends."

However, the "Can't Hold Us" singer took away a valuable lesson.

"It definitely was a reminder that whatever I put in front of my recovery will be the first thing that I lose," Macklemore admitted. "I think, for me, it's not a linear path. It's the one disease that tells you, ‘You don't have a disease.'"

He noted that along with trying his best and making mistakes along the way, "There's some [mistakes] in the future too, somewhere along the line, in some capacity with my life but I just want to be able to share that with the people that I love and that follow me."

Macklemore—whose third studio album Ben comes out March 3—reflected on how his struggles have played a part in his music.

"The relapse was an opportunity for me to get back to that place of, 'Okay, what went on?'" he shared. "Let me talk about it and let's get vulnerable."

 

Back in January 2021, Macklemore opened up about the help he received from the sober community.

"I didn't know that there was a community that was there to support, love me unconditionally, and had the same f--king disease," he said during an appearance on People's Party with Talib Kweli. "It continues to save my life."

He noted, "That's the most important thing in the world, is being of service to other people, getting outside of your own f--king head."

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App

More:Invest

Recommend

Back trouble and brain fog bothered suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing, his posts show

After Luigi Mangionemade the difficult decision to undergo spinal surgery last year for chronic back

It's really dangerous: Surfers face chaotic waves and storm surge in hurricane season

As Hurricane Irma raged in the Caribbean at the peak of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, rising p

RHONJ: Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorga Share Final Words Before Vowing to Never Speak Again

This family feud has run its course.After over a decade of fighting, Teresa Giudice finally decided