I met Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) in the spring of 2010. I was in Minneapolis for the Soundset Festival and he had just come off tour with Grieves & Budo. Since then I've been aware of the Seattle emcee, catching bits of tracks here and there on the internet. He eventually teamed up with producer Ryan Lewis and the two of them are making quite a lotta noise, and not just in the Pacific northwest. Macklemore often brings a heavy dose of humor to the rap routine. But unlike traditional camp, he brings the funny with a razor sharp style that makes you appreciate the skill. Dig this brand new cut called "Thrift Shop" (featuring Wanz). This is the very definition of unsigned hype.