Nearly a year ago, Otherside, a fan favorite off of the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ VS EP, was remixed and released as part of their VS Redux project. During that span, and spurred on by a powerful fan-base who have long embraced Otherside (the song has over one-million plays one YouTube), Macklemore and Lewis felt compelled to deliver a worthy visual to accompany the already stirring narrative. Along with Macklemore and Lewis, the visual was shot in multiple locations by director and long time collaborator Jason Koenig (My Oh My). The song, remixed and now featuring Christopher Mansfield (Fences) on the chorus, chronicles Macklemore’s personal struggles with drug abuse and its glorification within the hip hop music he loves.
As a companion to the music video, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released a special live version of the remix on iTunes.
By now, most of y’all should know what Macklemore and Ryan Lewis bring to the table. And while this may start out like your typical sneaker head anthem, it’s much more. Pay attention.
Have these two ever released a bad track? I don’t think so…
Dave Niehaus was not only the voice of the Seattle Mariners, he was the voice of my childhood. Some of my most prized memories, growing up as a kid, are accompanied with his voice narrating the moment. He was more than just another radio announcer. His on-air personality was so genuine, that you had a sense who the man was and what he stood for, by simply listening to him call a game.
I understand that people might not know Niehaus. A large portion of my fan base either lives outside of the Northwest, are too young to have listened to him, or just not a fan of baseball. I get it. But I believe that as musicians, it’s our responsibility to pay homage to the people that made us who we are. For me, Niehaus was an imperative part of not only my upbringing, but of Seattle’s unique history and culture. From his signature “My oh my” catch phrase, to the heart and passion that exuded from the radio, his presence will be greatly missed by the community. And for those of you outside of the area, hopefully you’ll listen and get a glimpse of not only a Town legend, but one of the greatest announcers to ever have ever called a game. – Macklemore
Almost a year after they dropped their VS. EP, the Seattle emce/producer duo are back with the Redux. A remixed version of the original with production and guest features from Jake One, Fences, Sabzi (of Blue Scholars) and more.
Last November I was put on to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis by their extremely dope (Red Hot Chili Peppers-sampled) single. Now, nearly a year later, the emcee/producer duo are re-releasing their VS. EP. Fully equipped with bonus tracks and remixes from Jake One, Sabzi and more.
With sparse piano, a backing choir and strings, Macklemore and Mansfield’s stories are exposed. Two young artists who have struggled with addiction and are producing their best work sober, have crossed genres to create one of the most innovative collaborations of the year. The song that served as rehabilitation for not only Macklemore but fans alike, is heightened by Mansfield’s crisp confessional improving upon what was already a heart-aching anthem.
