Ben Haggerty better known by his stage name "Macklemore".A comparable no name he came into the mainstream for the first time on the XXL freshman top ten. I am going to review his first mainstream album debut "The Heist" fully produced by Ryan Lewis.
The Heist starts off on a high note with an inspirational song entitled "Ten thousand hours". This track is not only the prologue setting a great stage for this album but it also shows a level of honesty and being proud of doing the unconventional which will be prevalent through out. "Cant hold us" ft Ray Dalton, an independent musician/songwriter from Seattle is the next track on this CD This song has some of the best flows on the album. The next track and single "Thrift Shop" is one of my favorite songs on the album (and also my favorite party record currently". Thrift shop is a proud counter-rap-culture anthem, talking about the faded appeal of Gucci shirts and the rise of having a completely unique style and getting away from popular trends. Now we get to my least favorite track on the album "thin line". Honestly there is nothing really fantastic about this track, but none of it is bad either it's just a good, solid and upbeat track (which should be a spoiler for what I think of the album overall). I have to say before I get into this track that regardless of how you feel on this topic, this next song is a complete game changer in every sense of the word. "Same Love", a complete open journal of a straight guys (Macklemore) brutally honest opinion of the negative stigma gay culture has, the struggle they go through on a day to day basis and the fact that people talk numb about this topic everywhere, the fact that Macklemore is the first person ever to take on this topic (in a rap song) to the mainstream is mind-blowing and opened the flood gates for rappers to talk about whatever they want regardless of taboo's. This song is another one of my favorites "Make The Money" despite it's semi-typical title is has amazingly inspirational verse's of the struggle of a passionate rapper, though a common topic the words and feeling are so real and heart felt, it stands out. The hook is about keeping your ground and keeping your convictions through the fame. Imagine yourself in a smokey bar at 2 in the morning, drunk and honest telling your bartender all your problems this is the theme of the song "Neon Cathedral" featuring the great folk/blues talent of Allen Stone. "BomBom" Featuring "The Teaching" is a great instrumental track co-composed by Ryan Lewis and The Teaching. The next track "White walls" Ft.School Boy Q and Singer Hollis. A poppy song with upbeat banter mostly about women and alcohol it's a fun song. "Jimmy lovin" Ft.Ab-Soul of Black hippie is another brutally honest take on being a member of the mainstream music industry. Macklemore talks about staying true to yourself when you a have people feeding you bullshit left and right. Ab-soul provides the hook as well as a third verse where he is playing a member of the industry. "Wing$" is another one of my least favorite songs, its good but his overly in-depth play on using new shoes as a long simile for conformism and stepping outside of the mainstream really doesn't come across as well in this song. This is the only track on the album that I would say is bad, "a wake" featuring Evan Roman. Bad Beat, but rhymes and delivery followed by a decent hook ties this trash bag together."Gold" Ft.Eighty4 Fly is another good inspirational song with a poppy beat. The lyrics are strictly feel good in every sense of the word, then the beat changes and Macklemore goes straight punchlines and flow. The next song "Starting over" featuring the lead singer of the band "Band of Horses" Ben Bridwell is an inspirational song about his feeling (guessing he's pretty comfortable with those topics) but he has a way with words and the instrumental gives him no choice but to be honest. The final track on this album "Cowboy Boots"..a weird mix of a folk song, a bar sing along and a rapper spilling his heart to the patrons. This song kind of reminds me of Fun. and Mumford and sons as far as production goes.
Overall Rating 4 out of 5
Macklemore is a very talented artist who has approached each instrumental Ryan Lewis has given him with complete honesty and skill with flow and wordplay. the content was good, though he might have played it safe on a couple of tracks. I can't wait to see what he does on his next album, and see him branch out from a topic standpoint. The features on this album where all good and played there part. I highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in more the money, hoes, clothes, dro, and coke..and liquor.
-James Whitman
