Since the success of The Heist, the rapper-producer duo Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) & Ryan Lewis have blown up globally with the tracks Thrift Shop, Can’t Hold Us, and Same Love playing on every radio, however; they have also been met with criticism – especially when they won four Grammys in 2014 including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album, which many people thought Kendrick Lamar should have received. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made is more of an introspective project compared to The Heist as Macklemore has become more aware of how he has reached the position he is in and is more aware of the music industry and society.

The dramatic Light Tunnels featuring Mike Slap starts the album with a choir and brass instrumentation as Macklemore takes on the perspective of how the entire Grammys event was for him in 2014 and the feeling of being an outcast – Mack was an underground artist for so many years and to come through with such a successful project was overwhelming but at the same time he was thrown into the spotlight with his radio singles and Grammy wins that night.

Beef and problems, they want nipple slips

Cause they live for clips, this is economics

So we Botox our skin and we smile for the camera

Might as well get a new nose while we’re at it

This is America and insecurity’s our fabric

And we wear it and we renamed it fashion

Downtown was either created for the purpose of having a radio single or just for fun – but anyway it worked as it peaked at #12 on Billboard’s Top 100 and #9 for Mainstream Top 40. The production illustrates the song as a recreation to “Uptown Funk” and a sequel to “Thrift Shop” and while the song is catchy, it’s basically about Mopeds which is just something I didn’t really expect. This follows up with Brad Pitt’s Cousin featuring XP which Ryan has chosen an unusual sample for while Mack discusses the struggle he went through the pre-Heist days with Codeine before changing his ways – but he also has fun with the track with for some reason telling us that his cat is more famous than whoever while claiming that everyone is asking for the “Macklemore” haircut – which let’s be honest, only white teenage boys got.

The sound of spray cans kicks off the song Buckshot featuring KRS-One & DJ Premier goes into detail about Mack’s illustrious career as a vandalist while trying to rap in between his lunch breaks. He also gives a shout out to Boot Camp Clik member Buckshot. The highlight of the track was when KRS came through with a few bars – the production as well is fairly impressive. Interestingly enough, KRS-One was actually a graffiti artist before becoming an MC and the “One” in his name originates from graffiti culture where some artists would add the number to their tag or signature.

Ben gets emotional in Growing Up featuring Ed Sheeran as a very laid back setting is established through the light tone in his voice as he gives advice to his daughter, “I recommend that you read “The Alchemist” / Listen to your teachers, but cheat in calculus / Tell the truth, regardless of the consequence”. Ed helps maintain the laid back sound while hoping that his personal tribulations won’t pass off to his child by iterating that he is too, “growing up”.

Kevin featuring Leon Bridges is an ode to Macklemore’s friend, who died from an overdose on prescribed drugs in 2010 (previous post is about this track) – Ben calls out the pharmaceutical industry and the lax behaviour of the government towards the illegal abuse of drugs. The production is very well done with the reminiscent old school beat along with a sound similar to “Same Love”. The production on St. Ides is really provides a sense of remembrance of the past as the subject matter focuses on Mack’s past, walking through the city with “..a brown paper bag / St. Ides on that motherfucker”. He reflects on the vast changes made in the city from the destruction of landmarks and his parents selling off his childhood home – often we get attached to houses of which memories are made as children and try to hold on to them.

Need To Know featuring Chance The Rapper is one of my favourite songs of the project – Chance is really killing it this year with the “Ultralight Beam” verse and now this track. He becomes very reflective about his daughter as he wants “all her best friends to be white folks” so that she stays safe while growing up. It is difficult to be black and grow up in such a dangerous environment – especially in Chicago. Both Ben and Chance also show that they would prefer it if it went back to the simpler days when Chance opened for Mack and nobody knew him unlike now when even “the white girls call me nigga at the show” are aware of the artist that he is – being thrusted into the spotlight is a difficult and awkward position because there will always be an immediate positive and negative reaction in such a situation.

The next track doesn’t seem to fit well with the album – Dance Off has a different style of production from the rest of the album and although Idris Elba has been unusually used for the hook, it’s the least impressive track for me – Anderson Paak definitely should have been used more vocally instead of the 10 second cameo he got – especially after he proved himself as a talented artist on Dr Dre’s Compton and his second project Malibu.

The most noticeable thing about the goofy track Let’s Eat is that there is nothing extravagant about the production compared to the previous song and is actually one of the more lighter beats – with the ever-returning piano and what sounds like the background noise of a public area, similarly to a later track. The instrumentation seems to be getting lighter with each track as Macklemore changes up his flow for Bolo Tie featuring YG as the two discuss their woes from those who demand more from the two while YG bites back at the media who exploits him for drama due to his position as a gang member on the west coast.

Macklemore gets very introspective with many of the tracks on this album – and The Train featuring Carla Morrison is anther example of this as the “train” seems to be a metaphor for Macklemore’s journey through the music industry as he illustrates the fact that he’s unable to communicate with people that he used to and he may take the wrong turn with his musical choices or connections. Carla reiterates this fact in Spanish by saying “Another city, another life” – Mack is constantly moving around the world on tour and barely gets a chance to keep in touch with relatives or friends while he gets to connect with the audiences who go to watch him.

I remember when I bought my first ticket

I’ve been going, haven’t turned back since then

This return day must be a misprint

Made a wrong turn now I’m long distance

And I miss them

The closing track White Privilege II is a follow up to Part One on The Language of My World (2005) and is a reflection on the concept after Mack has become famous and is more aware of the culture. The song is separated into three parts – where Ben constantly questions the position he is in and whether he should have a voice in the Black Lives Matter movement, although he knows that being silent is not the answer. The mind state of those who do not believe racism exists and the speakers that Mack has provided a space to express their views for the movement is showcased well as Jamila Woods closes the track by stating “Your silence is a luxury / hip-hop is not a luxury” – Hip Hop is used to combat the silence of those who choose to not get involved.

THOUGHTS

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis really stepped up their game with this project, from the various subject matters to the diversity in production. However, there doesn’t seem to be a proper flow, with vibrant tracks such as Dance Off appearing right after such a calming track as Need To Know. He addresses his success at several points throughout the album, especially in White Privilege II, where as mentioned, because of his race, he is unsure if he is able to speak out with the Black Lives Matter movement but at the same time, he wants to use his position in the industry to help spread the message to his listeners. The song received a lot of backlash because “Macklemore” was the one gaining the attention from stating facts that other rappers had already, but my view is that he’s also speaking out to the fans who may have the wrong mentality about the situation and try to get them to have a conversation and understand what is happening in America.

The Heist has a certain replay-ability to it that this album does not exactly have right now with only a couple listens logged in, however; this album really demonstrates the diversity in Ryan Lewis’ production and he really has done a great job on this – maybe his finest production yet. The subject matter seems to be all over the place, from dropping “deez nutz” in a song to a track dedicated to a close friend and that begs the question, what is the overall message of the album? Is Macklemore trying to undercut the serious tones of songs discussing the music industry and privilege with humorous and entertaining tracks like Let’s Eat?

He needs to find a focus because relying on goofy tracks and silly jokes is not something that he should not rely on to diffuse the situation and lighten the tension. Mack should be confident enough to put out an album with tracks that stay on a consistent tone – hopefully he understands this and the next project will appear more in sync.

I would give this project a 7/10.