Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are back and aiming to make a point.
The duo have unleashed new single ‘Downtown’ – the lead single from their sophomore album.
Set to perform the song this Sunday at the MTV Video Music Awards, the Hip-Pop outfit smartly enlist Hip-Hop legends Grandmaster Caz, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, and singer Eric Nally for the cut, which they’ve been working on for a year and a half.
It’s a clever tactic given all the flack the group received from rap supporters following their clean sweep at last year’s Grammy Awards.
Politics aside, it certainly helps that the track is a banger rich in multi-format appeal.
Take a listen below. Get familiar too, as we envision this being a hit once it goes to radio on September 1st.
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It’s a hit!
This is gonna be as annoying as uptown funk.
Macklemore is just as phony as Iggy. Let’s not crucify the one while letting the other get away with doing essentially the same thing.
Remind me again when Macklemore said derogatory racist statements? Their debut dealt with legitimate issues not just with shallow things like “Fancy.” Of course to a racist like you, all rappers of a non African descent are “phony.”
Gives me old school rap, like before it was called hip hop. It also teases Uptown Funk in parts. Overall, I think it is a hit.
F****** hate it
This song is f***** insane. Especially the 2 downtown breaks. Macklemore knows his lane and he plays it well.
Torn; like the funk about it, the story is so so… I like dude, but he gets praised seriously because he’s white/rapping.., but I can’t be mad, I’ve liked his stuff, this is just ok for now, maybe a few more tries…
Ryan Lewis told Macklemore “Hey let’s just culture vulture like every genre of black, old school music and mash it into one song!” As I do see how the track can be infectious, it doesn’t sound cohesive as it’s overproduced. Plus, it sounds too similar to uptown funk, but hey I’m sure it will be a hit in culdesacs across America as many suburbanite tweens pick out their new pair of Nike Air Max’s…