the rise of MACKLEMORE By Marissa Yang
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the cherry
Turn on any popular radio station, look through any teenager’s iPod, walk into any college party and you’re bound to hear the infectious beats and catchy rhythms of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ hit single “Thrift Shop,” from their debut album The Heist. The dynamic indie rapper and producer duo have achieved major success in the past year, with The Heist debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200. “Thrift Shop” has been certified double platinum with over 3 copies sold and upwards of 100 million views on Youtube. However, the rapper has not always possessed this widespread popularity and fortune; before The Heist, he was virtually unknown. Despite lacking the support of a major record label, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have made a name for themselves in the hip-hop, rap, and pop music worlds.
The Beginnings Ben Haggerty, better known as Macklemore, has been interested in making music his entire life and cites his upbringing and past experiences as great sources of creativity. Born in Seattle in a stable, twoparent household, Macklemore was greatly inspired by his city, known for its indie/alternative music scene. Though he began listening to West Coast gangster rap like Biggie and Snoop Dogg, he eventually discovered underground rap groups such as Digital Underground and Freestyle Fellowship. “I was listening to a lot of West Coast underground rap like Hieroglyphics and Project Blowed and Abstract Rude. All of those guys were really styling at the time, just crazy styles and cadences. And that’s what I really inspired by.“