Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis formed their hip hop duo in 2009 in Seattle, Washington. Consisting of rapper Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) and record producer Ryan Lewis, their initial collaboration began in 2006 when Lewis assisted with Macklemore’s promotional activities as a photographer. This early partnership evolved into a musical collaboration, leading to the release of their debut extended play, ‘The VS. EP,’ in 2009. This EP reached number 7 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart. They continued to release music, including ‘VS. Redux’ in 2010, and performed at notable festivals such as Bumbershoot and Sasquatch Music Festival.

The duo achieved significant commercial success with their debut studio album, ‘The Heist,’ released on October 9, 2012. The album featured hit singles such as ‘Thrift Shop’ and ‘Can’t Hold Us,’ both of which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. ‘Thrift Shop’ was notably the first song since 1994 to top the Hot 100 without major record label backing, showcasing their independent approach with strategic support from Warner Bros. Records for radio promotion. Their second number-one single, ‘Can’t Hold Us,’ made them the first duo in chart history to have their initial two singles reach the top position. ‘The Heist’ debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard 200, selling over 78,000 copies in its first week.

At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis received four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album for ‘The Heist,’ Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance for ‘Thrift Shop.’ Their music often addressed social issues, as exemplified by their single ‘Same Love,’ which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. They followed up with their second album, ‘This Unruly Mess I’ve Made,’ released on February 26, 2016, which charted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. In June 2017, Macklemore announced an indefinite hiatus for the duo, allowing them to pursue individual projects.