by Ollie Rankine

Few artists have experienced the spectacularly unique fall from grace demonstrated by Seattle hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. It’s not unfair to say that most of us were left a little bemused following The Heist’s controversial victory at the 2014 Grammys when it claimed the title of Best Rap Album while in the same category as both Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, m.A.A.d City and Kanye’s Yeezus, two of the unquestioned masterpieces of the 2010s. “You got robbed. I wanted you to win” began the guilt-inscribed apology sent to Kendrick Lamar as Macklemore’s status plummeted from admirable underdog to sympathy seeking Grammy thief.

Once revered as the much needed indie act to shake up hip-hop’s mainstream diversity, Macklemore has since been searching for redemption in the “wilderness” of the Pacific North West in America. “What I couldn’t find in a hotel room, on the road or in Seattle, I found in the middle of nowhere” was the message in his video that announced his imminent comeback in the form of a second album, titled This Unruly Mess I’ve Made. The title references the turmoil that followed his 2014 Grammys victory and this becomes clear in opening track, ‘Light Tunnels’.

Macklemore opens the album by drawing a particularly messy outline of an evening at an awards ceremony. Amongst the many sounds orchestrated by Ryan Lewis, a voice is heard announcing “and the award goes to: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis”. Still attempting to apologise for his apparently unwanted victory, Macklemore looks for forgiveness by telling us all how uncomfortable and out of place he felt on that fateful evening two years ago.

Second track and first single ‘Downtown’ raises the tempo. The song features veteran New York MCs, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee, and Grandmaster Caz and is perhaps the most Heist-esque track on the album. A hip-shaking groove that echoes Mark Ronson’s ‘Uptown Funk!’, ‘Downtown’ will soon become that 1am floor filler that we all undoubtedly will learn to hate.

Macklemore’s attempt to raise awareness for gay rights during his debut album track, ‘Same Love’ has been mirrored, however this time he tackles the prescription drug crisis in latest single, ‘Kevin’. Leon Bridges’ maudlin vocals, “Doctor please, give me a dose of the American dream” gives the track a certain degree of soulful tragedy as they lie embedded amongst the funk fuelled verse. Is this song about to start an anti-substance abuse revolution though? Regrettably, it’s not convincing.

Finally we reach ‘White Privilege II’, the nine-minute closer that features Jamila Woods. The track is fundamentally an overly produced, white guy rant that attempts to unify the many issues that feature throughout the album. From police brutality to celebrity infatuation, Macklemore’s efforts to write a powerful social protest song to link in with the Black Lives Matter campaign is unfortunately not quite as eye opening as I think he’d hoped. Much like that annoying Facebook friend who posts endless status updates pretentiously highlighting social injustices, you just can’t take the white rapper seriously when he just keeps banging on about how racially intolerant we all are.

Although his stance on why he makes music has arguably altered for the better, Macklemore’s pursuit of being respected as a serious artist still remains in tatters. Perhaps it’s all water under the bridge now that Kendrick has finally rightfully claimed the prize he was robbed of two years ago with his latest album To Pimp A Butterfly. However, Macklemore’s attempt to win back some of the critics will receive no such credit. (4/10)

Listen to This Unruly Mess I’ve Made here, and tell us what you think below!