After weeks of waiting… No, make that three years of waiting… last night, fans finally had the opportunity to purchase, download and listen to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s debut album, “The Heist”, and virtually overnight, everything has changed for these Seattle natives. The reception they received for this album’s release was unbelievable to watch, even from the sidelines, and I am sure Macklemore and Ryan Lewis both woke up still a bit in shock this morning.
Fans who have followed this pair from the start know that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have put countless hours, early mornings and late nights into this project, and the enthusiasm they have received from fans is well deserved. Even in the past few weeks, as the two have been touring, fans have been getting anxious for this debut album. But, at 10pm last night, almost an hour before “The Heist” was even released on iTunes, the excitement really began. At that time, Macklemore posted on Twitter: “Even if it’s only for a couple of minutes…… WE’RE NUMBER ONE!!!!!!”, with a picture announcing that “The Heist” had made it to the number one spot on iTunes’ Hip 
Hop/Rap Charts. For any hip hop artist, this moment would be monumental, but little did Macklemore and Ryan Lewis know what was soon to come. At 11pm, “The Heist” released, and Macklemore announced, “3 years in the making…and I’m extremely honored, proud and excited to announce. #THEHEIST IS OFFICIALLY OUT!!!”, with a link to the album on iTunes. His words expressed what a passionate journey this has been. Only 30 minutes later, at 11:30 P.M., Macklemore tweeted again, saying, “I’m tripping out man……. Thank you all.” with a link to a photo of the Top Albums of all of iTunes. Just half an hour after its release, and “The Heist” was already holding the #1 position, an honor many musicians can only hope and dream of. Two hours after that, #TheHeist was trending on Twitter, as fans poured out their congratulations and appreciation to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
The album itself is incredible. Definitely one I can recommend without any hesitation. Two creative artists, each with a style of their own have come together in a collaboration worth all of our attention. The album is well rounded, fun, and full of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ personality. Fans will not be disappointed.
From local Seattle boys to a number one album on iTunes and trending on Twitter over night; I look forward to seeing where Macklemore and Ryan Lewis end up, how they continue to represent Seattle and the Northwest, and how they stay real through all of this excitement. After all, it is all about the music, and let each of us never forget where we came from.
Follow @Macklemore and @RyanLewis on Twitter.
“THE HEIST” is available for download, HERE, on iTunes!
