Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

I may be a little late on this, but I've been listening to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis lately. You guys have most likely heard their catchy song Thrift Shop that has been number one and has been invading the radios, iPods, and everywhere around you. Once you hear it, it probably gets stuck in your head and you can't seem to stop singing it. You're probably wondering, how can a song about a thrift shop get so popular and why is it getting stuck in your head? If you listen to the lyrics, the song has a deeper meaning. In fact if you listen to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's other music, they're music has a deeper meaning.

When I first heard the song Thrift Shop, I fell in love with the song. I didn't pay attention to the meaning, but the song was just so catchy and funny. It wasn't until I came home for spring break and my sister was talking about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's music. She told me to listen to their other songs. At this point I already listened to Same Love and that song and music video was deep. But after my sister told me to give them a listen, I finally looked up the lyrics to Thrift Shop. In the first verse Macklemore raps, 'Bummy and grungy, fuck it man, I am stunting and flossing and saving my money and I'm hella happy, that's a bargain.' He then raps in the second verse, 'They be like, "Oh, that Gucci - that's hella tight." I'm like, "Yo - that's fifty dollars for a T-shirt." Limited edition, let's do some simple addition, fifty dollars for a T-shirt - that's just some ignorant bitch. I call that getting swindled and pimped. I call that getting tricked by a business.' After reading into the lyrics, Macklemore does prove a point about society today. Everyone is so wrapped into what they have and always have to have the best and most expensive. We get tricked by businesses everyday because they say that their product is the best, when there are other cheaper brands that are just fine. I am so guilty of this. Macklemore isn't legit saying to buy clothes at the thrift shop, but he's trying to tell the world that brands aren't everything. Just because you have a certain brand shirt, it doesn't mean you're going to make more friends. People shouldn't be so materialistic.

After reading the lyrics to this song, it made me wonder what his other songs were about. If you watch his music video to Same Love, that will explain exactly what the song is about. But Macklemore is right. In today's society, we still have a problem with same sex marriage. I believe that it's ridiculous that we still have this problem. Why can't people be accepting of who a person is? Why does who a person love matter so much? I know that a lot of Christian's still have a problem with same sex marriage, but as for me growing up going to Catholic school I learned to accept everyone for who they are. Macklemore says in his song, 'And God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten.' I believe that Christians forget that God loves everyone, not matter who they love. With the way my parents raised me and what my school told me, God loves all his children. I didn't think differently of people who love the same sex. They are equal to me. I have a few friends who are gay and they are the most caring people. They are no different than I am, I don't understand why it still has to be an issue.

Another song that I really found that was deep is Otherside. The song has a story line to it and it very emotional. He raps about a guy who starts drugs and eventually takes bigger doses and starts harder drugs. This guy eventually passes away from overdose. The meaning behind this song is basically that you should be your own person. Just because other rappers like Lil' Wayne raps and does drugs, doesn't mean an upcoming rapper should do the same thing. Taking drugs isn't a lifestyle of a rapper. You should be able to become who you want to be and shouldn't feel pressured in doing things you don't want to do. He says that he used to have that problem because he followed those footsteps with drugs. He got clean and is not better and still has his career. Growing up in our society, you face pressures by your peers. With these pressures, you can go down the wrong path. You should have your own mind and do what you think is right. You don't have to do what others do. Be smart and do you.

There are plenty of other songs by Macklemore that is very inspirational. He raps about the truth and has a good mind set. He's different and I hope he gets big soon and stays the way he is. He's not like the other rappers who rap about sex, drugs, and money. He raps about real world situations and gives sense to others. If you haven't listened to his other songs, you should get into it and listen to his words of wisdom.