Macklemore and Ryan Lewis head "Downtown" in their latest single. Specifically, Macklemore raps about buying an $800 moped, then having his girl with Mariah Carey hair ride along. It's old-school hip-hop storytelling, and while featuring three of the genre's greats: Grandmaster Caz, Kool Moe Dee and Melle Mel. (The fourth featured artist, Eric Nally of the theatrical rock band Foxy Shazam, is a bit more random, though maybe he was the one who inspired Macklemore's impulse purchase to start—who knows.)

Comparisons to Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" are already piling up, mostly because of the '80s music references. What's more important to realize, though, is how Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are trying to do what worked for their breakout debut, 2012's The Heist. Just as how its lead single, the Ed Sheeran-assisted "Growing Up," is similar in tone to "Same Love," this follow-up may as well be their answer to "Thrift Shop."

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis will perform "Downtown" for the first time at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards. Listen below.

Revisit "Why Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Should Win Album of the Year."