When Mac Miller dropped his first album, K.I.D.S., the creativity of his samples, unique production style, and optimistic lyrics quickly launched him to fame. However, Miller’s style in future albums changed drastically, and arguably became much more creative (or at least more unique) as his career progressed. Miller’s albums aren’t always cohesive; there aren’t always clear messages in the collections of his songs. Instead, Miller’s goal in his music was to share his experiences with others, and, especially in his later albums, to detail his struggles with maintaining his mental health. He noted that he sought to find a level of comfort in his music, perhaps in the form of cathartic release (Jenkins).
Miller was certainly a big-C creative, because his style and experimentation with music was so unique to him. His creative process can be encompassed by a quest for creative flow. When he wrote his albums, Miller would take trips to places far away from his home, like Hawaii or Chile, in order to give himself new perspectives and environments for his writing process. In this way, he was able to evade the problems with niche thinking that can be associated with expertise in any given field. He said that, during recording sessions, he would live in his studio and singularly dedicate himself to his music-making.
Miller’s most engaging pieces might be the pieces when he was at his most raw, because part of the allure of his work is that his changing attitudes towards life and his mental health are well documented (by him). His earlier work has a lot to do with establishing himself in the rap/hip-hop industry while balancing his personal happiness, but he also metacognitively observes his feelings of inadequacy in an industry made up of other creatives. In his last album before his death, Miller’s optimism was still present, but he had clearly done some deep reflecting on his mental health journey and his battle with substance abuse. Miller’s experimenting with psychedelics probably impacted his creative process, and might be seen as an example of collecting and distracting himself from stress to increase his capacity for creative flow. Miller effectively destigmatized discussions about mental health in the rap community and, thus, transformed the music industry. After his death in 2018, his estate has released two posthumous albums that have been praised for their unique sounds. Mac Miller’s ability to discuss even his most private feelings in his music should be commended, and his honesty about his mental health may be his most lasting (and most creative) contribution to the music industry.
https://www.vulture.com/2018/09/mac-miller-interview.html
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/mac-miller-15936.php
https://hiphopunrapped.com/articles-hiphop-rap-socialissues/2009-no-more-mac-millers-journey-to-self-acceptance
https://hellogiggles.com/reviews-coverage/music/a-celebration-of-mac-miller-and-his-creativity/
This is such an interesting post and person. Mac Miller and his music I know have had such a global impact on people, and I love that even after his death people still celebrate him for both his creativity and his talent!
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out how his experiences influenced his music. Sometimes struggles in life manifest themselves and inspire successes elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that we get to see some of Miller's thoughts in the music released after his death. I think posthumous releases might give you a better insight to a creative's process because they may or may not expect people to see them; intrinsic motivation is high. His death has certainly been tragic for the music community.
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