Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ‘rap for people who don’t like rap’

Video by Emmie Velarde

MANILA, Philippines–Grammy 2014 Best New Artist Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who performed to a packed, spellbound crowd on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena, is not spared from critics, who label their music “rap for people who don’t like rap.”

There’s a ring of truth to that. Sound- and production-wise, a lot of the songs performed at the gig, the Manila stop of a world tour, were more glossy than gritty, bereft of the sense of danger that is a trademark of hip-hop.

Underneath the polished exterior, however, most of Maclemore’s songs do have dark undertones, especially those closest to home, like “Otherside” (which he performed a cappella) and “Starting Over,” which tells of the battles fought with his inner demons and struggles with substance abuse.

Unblinkingly, he told the rapt crowd. “Drinking, using drugs… I didn’t have control. I went into rehab in 2008, got out broke and had to move back in with my parents, which wasn’t cool. But then I started to make music with Ryan.”

At times his spiels came close to being preachy, but Macklemore no doubt succeeded in demonstrating his power as a performer. Jam of the night was the throbbing and whipping “Can’t Hold Us.” It was such a crowd-pleaser that, to conclude the party, Macklemore dished it out a second time—this time wilder, with the dynamic guru hopping about and… crowdsurfing!

Read full review in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday, March 19.