This week, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis proved that doing it independently can pay off, as their collaborative debut The Heist bowed at No. 2 on the charts with 78,000 copies sold. The Seattle, Washington natives have built a strong following over the past few years, touring around the country and taking their time recording their LP. Meanwhile, Sauce Money had some choice words for Jaz-O, to which the former Jay-Z associate did not take well. Finally, Machine Gun Kelly chopped it up with HipHopDX, defending his lyrical abilities as “genius” and explaining that he doesn’t feel like he’s accepted from the Hip Hop community.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Bow At No. 2 With The Heist

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis dropped off their collaborative debut The Heist last week, and were projected to sell somewhere between 70,000 and 80,000 copies. The estimations were correct: with this week’s chart, the Seattle, Washington duo bowed at No. 2 with a staggering 78,000 units moved. “The fact that a small group of people recording, mixing, editing videos & shipping albums from a 500 sq foot room can push 78,000 first week is a testament to the fans. They are the ones that pushed this album, spread the word, and brought so much attention to what we do,” wrote Macklemore on Twitter. “The music industry is coming to a point where what big companies have on their agenda can’t compete with what the people want. You guys who supported this album made it #2 on the Billboard charts. No big budget, no cosigns,no radio department. Just people that connect and care about the art enough to buy it, stand behind it and spread it amongst friends and family.”

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Sauce Money Calls Jaz-O A “Piece Of Shit,” Jaz-O Responds

Earlier in the week, Sauce Money gave an interview where he didn’t have nice things to say about his former associate Jaz-O. The Brooklyn, New York rapper called Jaz-O a “piece of shit,” stating that while he wouldn’t go into specifics about why he doesn’t like him, he said it’s rooted in his character. “He’s kind of a two-faced kind of nigga. He’ll back-bite you about a nigga,” he said. ‘He just a type of individual – and I don’t wish him no harm, but I don’t wish him well, either. They don’t know the type of nigga that he is. Fuck him, man.” It didn’t take long for Jaz to fire back, stating, “I’m not a gangsta but I’m gangsta. He’s angsta. That’s gangsta without the G.” He said that he “bred” Sauce Dinero and Jay-Z, and added, “I would implore him to not think that I’m on this Rap beef shit all the time. Nigga, you’s my friend so this shit is personal. I will come and punch you in the face…I’m in Tampa, Florida. I will come to New York to punch this nigga in the face, if need be.”

Machine Gun Kelly Defends His Lyrical Abilities As “Genius”

Machine Gun Kelly gave a candid interview to HipHopDX this week following the release of his debut album Lace Up. The Bad Boy rapper addressed how he doesn’t feel accepted by the Hip Hop community, and addressed how a radio host recently downplayed his lyrical abilities. “I think the fact that I can take what’s going on in my world – which is a world that three-fourth’s of the world will never understand – and explain exactly what’s going on and put that pain and passion into it, I think my lyrical ability is fuckin’ genius,” he declared. He also revisited the controversy surrounding “Invincible” and staying true to his core. Read the full story here.

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Other items of note:

– Gunplay’s Armed Robbery Caught On Tape, Rapper Could Face Life In Prison

– Lupe Fiasco Claims He Was Visited By Aliens As A Child

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– Gucci Mane Involves T.I. In Young Jeezy Beef & Releases “Truth” Video

– 50 Cent’s “Street King Immortal” Pushed Back, Says “Detox” May Be An EP

– Prodigy Says Havoc Doesn’t “Deserve To Get Shot,” Adds That Others Do