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macklewho?

Who are Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and how are they selling out two nights at the O2?

Lads, they have a song called Irish Celebration.

A FEW MONTHS ago no one in Ireland had heard of Macklemore or Ryan Lewis, but today MCD announced that they will be playing a second night in the O2 due to ‘unprecedented demand’.

What the hell happened?

In two words, Thrift Shop.

YouTube/Ryan Lewis

The song, produced by Ryan Lewis and performed by rapper Macklemore, has been number one in nine countries and became an instantaneous hit when it began to get radio play in Ireland recently.

It’s a fun, party song (so fun that one member of the DailyEdge.ie team thought it was a joke) and it made the American rapper a name around the world.  The video has been viewed on YouTube almost 300 million times.

Because of its sudden success, lots assumed it would be a one hit wonder, but when people got wind of another song on the duo’s album supporting equal marriage rights for gay people it seemed there was a little more to these two.

YouTube/iDrenn

So who are they?  Well, Macklemore is a 29 year old guy from Seattle who has been rapping since he was 14, and has had a rough road to success via substance abuse.

He teamed up with fellow Washingtonian Ryan Lewis in 2008 after he got clean, and since then they’ve turned down major record deals in favour of staying independent.

Oh and also – Macklemore is Irish.  His song with Ryan Lewis, Irish Celebration, is an ode to the home country.

From Dublin to Boston, Grafton to Seattle…

YouTube/GrayMatterProduct

Now their single Can’t Hold Us (which you might recognise from a Miller ad)  is number three in the Irish chart, their album The Heist is number six, and it seems they’re having a bit of a moment.

YouTube/Ryan Lewis

If you want to go see Macklemore & Ryan Lewis do their thing in the O2 on September 14, tickets go onsale this Friday at 9am.

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