Macklemore & Ryan Lewis took time from their tour to rip the roof off of the Knocksville studio and talk about their hands on approach with branding, how they’ve created such a hungry fanbase, and running naked around Capitol Hill.

On their extended breaks between albums …

In terms of having a high standard for the art that we put out that was something we both shared, just perfectionism…almost to a fault. That’s why we don’t put out as much music as a lot people. We’re constantly fine-tuning and reworking stuff.

On the importance of winning at home…

When you’re proud of the place you’re from, and you rep it well, and you do it from a place of sincerity, people connect with it.

Macklemore on rehab…

There wasn’t this climactic downfall of a rock bottom, but all those years of wasted time accumulated into “Okay, I’m down to get help.”

Macklemore on his approach to making music…

I don’t like to be contained by a beat, I like to be able to be free within it and what I feel. I’d rather break those barriers of what those traditional norms are of rhyme schemes.