Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have become one of the most popular rap and hip hop duos since their release of The Heist in 2012. The Heist featured two songs, “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us,” that both reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Since the debut of their first album as a duo, Macklemore and Lewis have released three more singles, performed at the MTV Video Music awards, went on a world tour and most recently released their second album, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made. This album contains lyrics and vocals that truly exhibit Macklemore’s unique style of powerful messages and catchy beats.
“White Privilege II”
This track is a sequel to “White Privilege,” which Macklemore released in 2009. In the song, he raps while making a statement about discrimination and the Black Lives Matter social movement. At almost nine minutes long, the song got a little boring in the middle and almost made me want to fast forward. But by the end, the tune picked up and even featured vocals from Jamila Woods, who is most famous for collaborating with “The Social Experiment” on their hit “Sunday Candy.” Although this wasn’t my favorite Macklemore song, it definitely tells a message I’ll remember.
“Downtown”
This song has a fun and energetic beat for the entirety of the song. It reminds me a lot of “Thrift Shop” from The Heist in 2012, which introduced fans to the unique style of Macklemore for the first time. “Downtown” is by far the most well known song on the album and even reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It features four other artists, creating an even more lively performance.
“Growing Up (Sloane’s Song)”
“Growing Up” was written for Macklemore’s new-born daughter, creating a truly meaningful song. He sings about creating memories, teaching important life lessons and promising to be the best possible dad. Ed Sheeran’s calming voice is featured in the chorus creating soothing vocals. This is definitely my favorite song on the album because of how much Macklemore cares about his daughter and wants to teach her valuable lessons while still having a good time.
Since the huge success of The Heist, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis had big shoes to fill with their new album. I would say that this album was mediocre at best. Although it did have a handful of good songs, it also had songs that I don’t see myself listening to ever again.
