Hip-Hop, Videos | Fences — Arrows (Feat. Macklemore) [Music Video]
Posted by jeffwbaird on August 11, 2014
It’s been almost two years since Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released The Heist to a small group of core fans, and saw their lives transform alongside the newfound stardom. Last December, in the midst of a small touring break, Macklemore penned these two verses for his good friend and collaborator, Fences—whose latest project, Lesser Oceans, comes out October 14th. It’s the writing we’ve gotten from Macklemore since he became a household name, and it serves as an intimate and introspective view into the challenges he’s faced grappling with fame.
Between hip-hop culture’s reactions to Macklemore’s Grammy victories and Drake’s call-out at the ESPY Awards, Mack’s received quite a bit of disdain for the popularity of “Thrift Shop”. In a recent Reddit AMA, he said that he went through a great period of fear when he thought that was all the world would ever know him for. Here he addresses this by saying, “He makes mistakes, tells stories to his paintbrush/And when the world finally sees his art/He wishes that he never would have made it.”
The video is at-once symbolic of this dilemma, as he’s seen climbing a sky-high diving board filled with his Rolling Stone covers, given the choice to make the plunge or back away. Regardless of your thoughts on the artist, this is a powerful and engaging look into the past two years through Macklemore’s eyes, and the latest narrative about the difficulty adjusting to fame.
Videos | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. ScHoolboy Q & Hollis – White Walls
Posted by VMan on September 9, 2013
Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Schoolboy Q, and Hollis release their visuals for “White Walls.” This is probably one of my favorite track off “The Heist,” and though Mack and Ryan didn’t go as in with this video as they did with “Can’t Hold Us,” they still manage to write and direct a stand out music video.
iTunes: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. ScHoolboy Q & Hollis – White Walls
Hip-Hop, Trap | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Can’t Hold Us ft. Ray Dalton (Major Lazer Remix)
Posted by Grubeats on May 24, 2013
It’s Friday. It’s Memorial Day weekend (thank you troops). Don’t let overcast skys kill your vibe. Major Lazer x Mack & Ryan x Ray Dalton. Boom.
Hip-Hop, Videos | Raz Simone – Hometown (Video)
Posted by J_Salzer on April 17, 2013
April 8th Raz Simone released his latest song/video called “Hometown”, the same day as his court date in New York. The new song has a special meaning to Raz because of events occurring in his life recently. As he’s known to do Raz uses this video as an informal letter to his fans about what he’s been going through. To hear more of Raz’s story check out his recently released solo debut EP “Solomon Samuel Simone”, available for free download here.
I am a huge supporter of the up and coming hip-hop scene in Seattle. It was produced people like Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis, The Blue Scholars, and Grieves. It is also home to up and comers like Sam Lachow, Raz, Gift Uh Gab, and many, many others. Check out the video above and don’t sleep on Raz.
Interviews | Music Talks Presents: Schoolboy Q – Sex, Drugs, and Hip-Hop
Posted by Grubeats on November 28, 2012
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Music Talks is back with their newest interview, mining into the mind of West Coast rapper and TDE affiliate, Schoolboy Q. Touching on everything from the birth of Q, to his favorite munchies, to his career goals. The Black Hippy is hopeful that his fans will stay as passionate about his music as he will for Mary Jane. Judging by the peanut butter response from Q, it’s fair to say some of is die hard fans are hungry for more than just his music. His response to “The person I look up to most is ____,” caught me off guard. I expected the LA native to respond with a West Coast legend, but you can’t knock Diddy’s success as an artist and a businessman.
With Mac Miller, Avicii, and now Schoolboy Q in the books, prepare yourself for Baauer and Macklemore x Ryan Lewis coming in the next few weeks.
DOWNLOAD: Schoolboy Q – Setbacks [Mixtape]
Hip-Hop, Review | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis: Live In Boston [Concert Review]
Posted by Grubeats on November 26, 2012
Thanksgiving came one week early for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis fans, as the duo energetically turned the sold out House of Blues into their musical cornucopia. As the sun set and the brisk Boston air settled, fans from all over New England lined Landsdowne Street hours before the doors opened, hoping to grab a spot close enough to catch a drop of Macklemore’s sweat. Many stood dressed in character, more than likely raiding their grandmother’s closet or the local Goodwill earlier in the day to find the freshest fur. Some went as far as cutting their hair to match that of the #SharkFaceGang captain. It’s amazing how dedicated fans can be.
With hopes of bypassing the line and making my way into the heated venue a bit earlier than the rest, I stopped at the box office only to find the media list was still “under construction.” With time to spare, I snapped some pictures of the infamous Heist Tour Bus, detailed with everything from a mountain goat to a cactus to a Paul Wall grill, before spotting young Ben Foley of Swaggernaut Productions. As Ben and I chopped it up, we noticed Ryan Lewis grabbing a breath of fresh air out of the venues side door. As fans remained oblivious of their idols presence, we calmly let the man enjoy a moment of tranquility before it was his time to drop the needle on the vinyl.
Hip-Hop, Review, Videos | Reflecting on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “The Heist” [Review & Documentary]
Posted by Grubeats on October 25, 2012
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First off, thank you to Jabari Presents for this fantastic production.
By now, many of you have hopefully scraped the wax out of your ears and christened your drums to the incredible art featured on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ debut LP, The Heist. Yes it reached the #2 spot on Billboard, yes it sold 78,000+ units in week one, and yes the duo accomplished this all independently, but that is not why this project is so special to me and so many others. Mack and Ryan are still the kids you used to play neighborhood ball with. They’re still the guys who will shake your hand or take a picture with any fan on the street. They’re still representing authenticity for the people.
“The Heist” will be in consideration for the album of the year come December, that’s without question. What may fly under the radar is the amount of blood, sweat, tears, and man hours that went into this project by both Mack and Ryan. Lacking anything but determination and perseverance, this documentary shines light on what it means to be an independent artist working at such an eminent level. There are no handouts, no pampering, no CEO black cards. Loyalty, love, determination, resilience and passion for the art is the driver. If you are unable to see the transparency in their music, this album may not hold the same weight, but there is enough versatility on the project that you should still be able to connect with one or two records. On a final note, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis will forever hold my respect. Although I’ve never met them personally, their music is honest, open and genuine enough to lead me to believe otherwise.
Below I’ve listed some of my personal highlights if you haven’t listened to the album and need a starting point. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the album, positive or negative, so please sound off in the comments section.
Most Creative Beat: “Thrift Shop”