It may have all been fun and games for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' first new single "Downtown," but for their follow-up, the rap duo are getting a little more serious. On Thursday (Feb. 25), one day before the release of their new album This Unruly Mess I've Made, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released a stark video for their Leon Bridges collaboration "Kevin."
The song, which tackles opiate addiction, the death of Macklemore's friend and doctors who are quick to give out (potentially unnecessary) prescriptions, got a fittingly intense music video. Macklemore sings in an abandoned house, wandering the halls as he raps about this modern American plight. As he wanders, he passes by Bridges who takes over vocal duties for the chorus, singing in a garden.
Shot solely in one location and in black and white, "Kevin" is a major departure from "Downtown," which featured colorful streets, a silly cameo from Ken Griffey Jr., mopeds aplenty and more.
And, if "Kevin" sounds like a familiar song to you, you're not alone. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis first debuted the track with Leon Bridges at the American Music Awards in November, though the song is just now getting an official release.
"Kevin" is the second single to receive a video from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' new album This Unruly Mess I've Made, which is due for release on Feb. 26. It follows the release of "Downtown." Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have also preceded this release with the release of "White Privilege II."
