Gemini by Macklemore
Genre: Hip-Hop / Rap (USA, 2017)
Grade: C-
The first album in a while for Macklemore without Ryan Lewis finally allows the artist to be basic AF.
Okay, since I’m reviewing a Macklemore album voluntarily, you’re probably assuming that I’m white. I can see why you would arrive at that assumption. For me, I like “Thrift Shop” and “Same Love” (his LGBT anthem) quite a bit, but I could also see the argument that he was a fairly clumsy rapper with limited vision.
Time hasn’t been kind to him and, while I don’t think that he’ll ever be this generation’s Vanilla Ice (because who could ever be that cool—pun not intended) I have heard better rappers since his breakthrough that have more complicated visions to express with the world.
The problem with this album is that it’s forgettable. I couldn’t tell you one song on the album that I liked and the only song title that sticks in my head at all is the track “Corner Store” because that was the stopping point for me when I was listening to the album while driving a few days ago. I was halfway through that shitty track when I arrived at home. I deleted the tracks I’d listened to and I ended up starting my driving for the next day with that same damn track. Also, this never really feels like a Macklemore solo album because every single track on this album has at least one guest star. It’s an album where the main feature is lost in a sea of guest stars.
