Only one dynamic duo could pull off rapping about drug abuse and shopping in the same album: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, in their newest EP “The Heist.”
The album debuted Oct. 9 at No. 2 on the Billboard charts and sold over 78,000 units in its first week.
The Seattle hip-hop duo shows its versatility throughout the entire album; Macklemore’s signature rapping style is only enhanced by Lewis’ catchy beats. They also work with a variety of other artists and instruments, which adds a refreshing variety to their songs.
The songs range from serious to silly with their moods, content, instrumentals and vocals. Macklemore even uses his songs as opportunities to preach his beliefs and ideas.
In “Same Love,” Macklemore declares his support for gay marriage, and he points out how disrespectful hip-hop culture can be towards this issue. The music video for this song, independently edited and filmed by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, has almost 6 million views on Youtube, even catching the attention of stars like Ellen DeGeneres. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis had the chance to perform “Same Love” on daytime talk show “Ellen” on Oct. 30.
Macklemore shifts from rapping about his opinions to his past life experiences when he discusses his struggle with substance abuse in “Starting Over” and “Neon Cathedral.”
In “Starting Over,” Macklemore confesses all the shame and guilt he felt after relapsing: “And you know what pain looks like/When you tell your dad you relapsed then look him directly into his face,” he raps, “Hope that no one is looking/That no one recognizes that failure under that hoodie.”
These lyrics are genuine and thoughtful, but Macklemore isn’t always too serious. In “Thrift Shop,” he humorously raps about the perks of shopping at a thrift store. The quirky music video has over 9.7 million views on YouTube.
“The Heist” also features some feel-good tunes like “Can’t Hold Us” and “Castle.” Out of the entire CD, “White Walls” is by far my favorite song. The lyrics describe driving around in a Cadillac, which doesn’t seem particularly original or unique, yet I can’t help but love the catchy chorus.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are refreshing and exciting. They bring together a mix of talent and energy in order to produce a fantastic CD – and they do it all on their own.
They haven’t signed a record deal with any label, and instead had their album produced by the Alternative Distribution Alliance, an independent record distribution company. Macklemore even makes fun of the record industry in the song “Jimmy Iovine,” (named after a successful music producer) and says he “would rather be a starving artist” than sign with a big label.
“The Heist” showcases some of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ best work, from beats to lyrics to overall quality. The only thing better than listening to this album again and again will be seeing the duo perform it live at the 9:30 Club on Nov. 13.
