Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Biography

Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, known by his stage name Macklemore is an American hip-hop artist. In 2008, he formed the iconic duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, with the producer, DJ and photographer Ryan Lewis. In 2012, they won a Grammy Award for the album The Heist. Most noteworthy, the album generated the utterly beloved single Thrift Shop.

Macklemore Solo

The rapper of Irish ethnicity developed an interest in hip-hop when he was only six. At 15, he proceeded with writing lyrics. He used to listen to East Coast underground hip hop, therefore he admired Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Nas. During high school, Haggerty was part of a group called Elevated Elements. Furthermore, he organised music workshops during the Gateways for Incarcerated Youth. After 2000, Macklemore pursued a professional career in music. He released his debut EP, Open Your Eyes, as Professor Macklemore. In 2005 he renounced the “professor” part and released the first album, The Language of My World. One year later he met Ryan Lewis at a photo shoot.

Duo Success

In 2009, Macklemore released The Unplanned Mixtape to critical acclaim. Moreover, is spawned the rapper’s debut single, The Town. Shortly after that success, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis formed an official duo. Their first common project was The VS. EP, followed by VS. Redux EP. The latter includes a version of Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Otherside. In 2011 they released the popular hit Can’t Hold Us, which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, they performed at many high profile festivals, like Bumbershoot and Lollapalooza. The year 2012 came with the duo’s first album, The Heist, which reached second place on the Billboard 200. The album generated the Macklemore’s signature hit Thrift Shop. The song reached number 1 in several countries and received a Diamond certification. The artist released his third album in 2016. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, was another collaboration with Lewis.

Photo credit: Discogs