Mack Harrison’s “SELF LOVE” is, at its core, a dissertation about self-sabotage and the multiple ways that it can play out. And they are many. Trust me, I know. Those who’ve been there with me since the early days know themselves all too well. The narrator in this song can’t seem to pull himself up without crashing out more. And the thing is this: most of the crash outs in “SELF LOVE” are self-inflicted, if not all of them. Be they related to drugs, sex, alcohol, rock n’ roll or just not taking care of himself mentally, we get the self-destruction gamut here. It had the potential to be the a very dark and depressing song. In fact, even with my own music considered, it had the potential to be one of the darkest songs I’ve featured (at least on SOTB.com).

I would’ve featured the song regardless, because of its approach to the subject matter. Thankfully, though, we didn’t get that far down the rabbit hole. Instead, we clawed back up and we fought. In doing so, we got at least a finger out of the abyss. The way that Harrison delivers his bars keeps it from being even darker and blacker. He opts for a breezy flow and lyrics that poke a ton of fun at him constantly shooting himself in the foot. It’s very Mac-esque in its approach. He’s hard on himself, that’s for sure. However, he’s also allowing a bit of grace (which I appreciate). He also decides to do better, even if it starts off with a few more burnouts. The reasoning behind that train of thought is simple: he’s tired of taking his own crap. Sometimes, you look at your life and you say “eff it, I can do better.” It’s a struggle, one Mack calls a “rollercoaster ride,” but it can be done. I’ve been there, so I know what I’m talking about.

Before I delve (back) into my own mental health history, I’ll leave the SOTB Faithful with this: you are important, you’re loved, and you’re a helluva lot better than you may think you are. Also, if you can laugh at your screwups and self-sabotage in retrospect, you’re on the way to progress. Check out “SELF LOVE” and support dope music in all its forms, even the tracks that get (reasonably) uncomfortable.