White Walls Explained

White Walls
Cover:	White Walls.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Schoolboy Q and Hollis
Album:	The Heist
Recorded:	2012
Genre:	Hip hop
Label:	Macklemore LLC Warner Bros.
Producer:	Ryan Lewis
Chronology:	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Prev Title:	Can't Hold Us
Prev Year:	2013
Next Title:	Arrows
Next Year:	2014

"White Walls" is a hip-hop song by an American hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, taken from their collaborative debut studio album The Heist (2012). The song's hook is performed by singer Hollis, while American rapper Schoolboy Q, performs a guest verse. "White Walls" was released to American contemporary hit radio on October 8, 2013 as the fifth and final single from The Heist. The song debuted at number 100 and has since peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has sold 1,000,000 copies as of January 2014.^[1]

Release and promotion

The song charted at number one on the US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles prior to its release as a single, due to high digital downloads subsequently after the album's release. Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Schoolboy Q and Hollis performed "White Walls" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 27, 2013.^[2] The song impacted American contemporary hit radio on October 8, 2013.^[3]

In November 2020, “White Walls” went viral on TikTok, being used in many videos.

Music video

The music video, directed by Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Jason Koenig, was released September 9, 2013. The video features cameo appearances from several rappers including A$AP Rocky, Trinidad Jame$, Wiz Khalifa, Big Boi and Sir Mix-a-Lot, as well as DJ Drama.^{[4] [5]} Parts of the music video are shot inside a Vogue Tyre warehouse, and the eponymous whitewall tires are explicitly mentioned by Macklemore to be Vogues.^{[6] [7]} The video also features several Cadillac models, including an SRX, Escalade, two XLRs, several Eldorados and a Coupe de Ville.

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2013)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[8]	81
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[9]	49
Chart (2014)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[10]	55
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[11]	85
Germany (Official German Charts)^[12]	86
US Billboard Hot 100^[13]	92
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[14]	26
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[15]	35

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chart Watch: Pitbull & Kesha & Eminem & RiRi . Paul Grein . January 8, 2013 . Yahoo Music .
2. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Perform with ScHoolboy Q on 'Leno' . . New York . August 28, 2013 . October 31, 2013.
3. CHR – Available for Airplay . . Cherry Hill . August 31, 2013 . https://archive.today/20130828114720/http://fmqb.com/article.asp?id=16691 . August 28, 2013.
4. Web site: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis party with A$AP Rocky in 'White Walls' video. Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. 2 February 2016.
5. Web site: Ortiz . Edwin . Video: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Schoolboy Q & Hollis "White Walls" . . Complex Media . September 9, 2013 . September 10, 2013.
6. Web site: Hip-hop video shot in Vogue Tyre warehouse . Tire Business . October 1, 2013 . March 20, 2014 . Tire Business Staff Report.
7. Web site: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – 'White Walls' Official Video Featuring Vogue Tyres . Rides mag. . September 30, 2013 . March 20, 2014 . Evo.
8. Web site: 2013 Year End Charts — R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Prometheus Global Media. December 13, 2013.
9. Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2013. Billboard. November 7, 2021.
10. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 2014. austriancharts.at. January 6, 2020.
11. Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2014. Billboard. October 1, 2019.
12. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts. de . . offiziellecharts.de . 10 August 2015.
13. Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2014. Billboard. October 1, 2019.
14. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2014. Billboard. October 1, 2019.
15. Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2014. Billboard. October 1, 2019.