Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Live in Manila: Get Ready for an Epic Concert Party This 2014!
Winners of 4 Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are all set to party in Manila on March 16, 2014 at the MOA Arena, presented by Concertus Manila and Wize & Ope.
Popping tags at second hand stores was never this much fun to admit or cool until a ‘white dude from Seattle’ named Macklemore (born Ben Haggerty) and his DJ and producer Ryan Lewis, turned it into a song that promotes lifestyle-check, and then the world just couldn’t get enough of it.
The 2014 Grammy Awards
The rap duo won four Grammy Awards last January, including best new artist and rap album for “The Heist,” beating efforts from Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Kanye West and Drake.
“Wow, we’re here on the stage right now,” said Macklemore, thanking fans first, then his fiancé and team. “I want to say we made this album without a record label, we made it independently and we appreciate all the support.”
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis took home the first of the major awards at the 56th Grammys on Sunday night. The rap duo from Seattle won many major awards following their phenomenal success with hits like “Same Love,” “Can’t Hold Us” and “Thrift Shop.” They also received the titles of best rap album, best rap performance and best rap song for “Thrift Shop.”
American Music Awards applauded the indie hip hop duo’s efforts with six nominations, winning the Best Hip Hop/Rap Album category. American Billboard certainly approved their choice of music, with ‘Thrift Shop’ sitting comfortably on the number one spot of the yearend Hot 100 charts across all genres. Other songs that made the Billboard charts include ‘White Walls,’ a song about Cadillacs, and ‘Can’t Hold Us,’ Spotify’s #1 streamed song for 2013.
Background and Early Career
Ben Haggerty, most popularly known as Macklemore, was born on June 19, 1983, in Seattle, Washington. His mother was a social worker who encouraged her son to be supportive of difference. He took to performing as a child, and was influenced by the likes of hip-hop groups Kris Kross and Digital Underground as well as pop superstar Michael Jackson.
He attended Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and in 2000 released an EP dubbed Open Your Eyes under the moniker Professor Macklemore. He released his full-length debut, The Language of My World, in 2005.
Teaming With Ryan Lewis
Taking to hip-hop as a kid, he eventually released solo work before teaming up with producer Ryan Lewis. Macklemore had met teenage DJ and producer Ryan Lewis and the two teamed up and in 2010 released the Vs. Redux EP.
Rather than go the traditional record-label route, the duo opted instead to work on their full-length debut independently, relying on their own business savvy, hard work, word of mouth and online buzz.
Major Hits: ‘Thrift Shop’ and ‘Can’t Hold Us’
The album’s lead single, “Thrift Shop,” eventually reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with eventual sales of more than 6 million downloads. The video for “Thrift Shop” has become a phenomenon as well, receiving tens of millions of YouTube views. The duo’s second single, “Can’t Hold Us,” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart as well, making Macklemore & Ryan Lewis the first duo in music history to have their first two singles reach the top of the pop charts.
Part of the duo’s appeal is their innovation and reliance on ideas and lyrics that go against much of hip-hop’s traditional swagger. “Thrift Shop” talks of a penchant for secondhand clothes, with a chorus sung by Wanz (a onetime software engineer in his fifties), while The Heist song “Same Love” features singer-songwriter Mary Lambert in a celebration of same-sex unions.
The duo went on to have huge success with their debut album, The Heist, released in October 2012. The debut studio album by American hip hop duo.
Independently produced, recorded and released, the album reached number 1 on iTunes within hours of being released on October 9, 2012 with no mainstream promotion or support. Physical copies are available at local Odyssey and Astroplus stores nationwide and also available on iTunes.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are set to perform at the Mall of Asia Arena on March 16, 2014.
Presented by Concertus Manila and Wize & Ope. Official residence is Solaire Resort and Casino.
Brought to you by Concertus Manila. Media partners Monster Radio RX 93.1, 105.9 Radio High, 99.5 PlayFM, 2nd Avenue, ETC, Jack TV, Myx, PEP.ph, ClickTheCity, PhilippineConcerts.com, Odyssey, and BusinessWorld. Tickets are available at all SM Tickets outlets, and online at www.smtickets.com or call 470-222. Tickets prices are: Moshpit, P 5940; Patron, P 4770; VIP Standing, P 3180; Lower Box A, P 3500, Lower Box B, 2650.
For more information, call Concertus Manila at 403-8678.
