In the midst of scheduling a sit down with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, I was reminded of the first time we showcased the duo here at the Dopehouse. Back in 2009, I was introduced to the Seattle duo with “Otherside,” the first leak off their debut VS. EP. Being a huge Red Hot Chilli Peppers fan, the sample used is what caught my attention at first, but what was being said kept me listening. From the press release that accompanied the song:
“Otherside” mashes big drums and orchestral pieces over Anthony Kiedis’ classic song about battling with heroin addiction. Macklemore now tells the story of Hip-Hop’s experience with drugs and a first person narrative about his own struggles with drug addiction and rehabilitation.
Take a listen to “Otherside” below, then proceed further down for a free download of their debut EP.
Based off an idea to sample relevant, contemporary bands, the EP exposes Hip-Hop fans to genres they may be less familiar with, with the hope of appealing to hipsters (let’s be real). “VS.” re-imagines the sounds of Beirut, The Killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Arcade Fire and many more.
