Macklemore and Ryan Lewis head to Abu Dhabi

Ahead of his performance with Macklemore at du Arena on Friday, Ryan Lewis speaks to us about their rise from indie artists to full-fledged global pop stars.

Macklemore, left, and Ryan Lewis. Brad Barket / Invision / AP Photo

It’s amazing what a hit song and a swag of Grammys can do.

Until early last year, the hip-hop group Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were relative unknowns in the mainstream pop world. The Seattle duo were building a small buzz in their local hip-hop scene courtesy of two EPs showcasing Macklemore’s vibrant lyrics and Lewis’s punchy production.

Even their independently produced debut album, The Heist, was released quietly in 2012.

It was the album’s fifth single, the now ubiquitous Thrift Shop, that finally registered with the wider public. Since its release in August 2012, it climbed stealthily to dislodge Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven at the top of the American charts in February last year.

A new beat

In hindsight, one could understand the mass reception to Thrift Shop; it went against the grain of modern hip-hop. For a genre obsessed with artists boasting about their monetary value, Thrift Shop found Macklemore satisfied with himself for purchasing “granddad’s clothes” and finding a fur jacket for “99 cents”.

The song’s winning production by Lewis was also absent of the hard-dance beats prevalent in hip-hop today. Instead, it relied on a combination of sturdy drums and a catchy looping saxophone riff.

Lewis says Thrift Shop’s success was made even more satisfying because the song has been kicking around with the duo since 2010.

“Macklemore recorded one verse two years before it came out,” he recalls. “So I had a cappella and a little bit of drums at the start. When I went to work on it, I did about seven different beats for it that just weren’t working.

“When I finally finished it I did feel a sense of victory that we finally made it. We thought it would appeal to a niche audience of people who love thrift shopping without even thinking that it would get on the radio.”

The track’s success, which included two Grammys for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, had fans clamouring for The Heist, which went on to sell more than 1.2 million copies and saw the duo headlining festivals and arenas.

Musical collaboration

Despite the changes, Lewis says his relationship with Macklemore – real name Ben Heggarty – never changed.

The two met through MySpace back in 2006, when Haggerty released his debut solo album The Language of My World. Lewis, who was a professional photographer, a drummer in local bands and part-time producer, became Haggerty’s visuals man and creative consultant.

The partnership eventually developed into a musical collaboration in 2008.

Lewis says their chemistry lies in being “totally different people”.

“Ben is a phenomenal stage man and connector. He is the kind of person who wants to go out to people and push himself out of his comfort zone,” says Lewis. “I have never been wired to be front and centre of spotlight and ready to dance. I am more interested in the stuff that comes together behind the scenes to build our grand vision. We play different roles but I think we both need each other to make it kind of work.”

Gratitude to fans

The Heist’s success has also focused attention on Lewis’s production skills.

The dramatic sounds encompassing hip-hop, rock and soul elements found on The Heist led him to being asked to helm the decks for other leading pop artists. While not wanting to reveal names, Lewis says he is flattered by the offers but would rather focus his energies on working on the anticipated follow-up to The Heist at the end of their world tour in September.

Until then, each live performance is described as a thank you to their fans for the support.

Lewis says the duo are particularly fond of the first generation of fans who stuck with the group from the early days.

“It is definitely a special bond,” he says. “We have appreciation for them because they really started the movement. They know more about us and some of the darker songs that we wrote earlier than the fans who joined us when our songs became more radio-­appropriate.”

• Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform at du Arena on Friday. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are priced from Dh295 at www.ticketmaster.ae