On September 7, 2018, the music community was rocked when it was announced that Malcolm James McCormick, more widely known as Mac Miller, had been found dead. Even though he was just 26 when he died, he had already released 6 studio albums, 2 live albums, 63 music videos, 2 EPs, 44 singles, 13 mixtapes, and a posthumous Grammy nomination. He was a prolific artist.
Mac Miller was born on January 19, 1992, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mac Miller began to rap when he was 14 years old but had been playing instruments since he was six years old. He taught himself how to play instruments such as piano, guitar, drums, and bass. When he was 15 years old in 2007, he doubled down on his rap career and released his first mixtape But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy. In 2009, he began to go by Mac Miller and released two separate mixtapes.
In 2010, Mac Miller signed with Rostrum Records. He chose this because it was close to his home and had ties to rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was there that he recorded and released his album K.I.D.S. Over the next few years, he continued to climb the charts and make history as a very young artist. He even used several aliases and released music under other names, such as Larry Lovestein & the Velvet Revival, and Larry Fisherman. His welcoming personality made it easy for other artists to collaborate with him. He worked with other artists both creating music, such as Ariana Grande with My Favorite Part, and producing music, such as his production of Sza’s album, Z.
At the beginning of his career, Mac Miller’s work was deemed ‘frat rap’ because it was mainly about sex, drugs, and money. Especially in his album K.I.D.S. and Best Day Ever, there are recurring themes of partying. But his work heavily matured over time. He experimented with jazz and funk over his career, and The Divine Feminine and Swimming are referred to commonly as ‘jazz rap’. He credited Lauryn Hill, Outkast, and Wiz Khalifa as some of his biggest influences. He even had a friendship with Khalifa, who he met during his early years at Rostrum.
Mac Miller’s music discussed every topic imaginable, from drugs to love to mental health. The relatability of the topics is what makes him appealing to many of his fans. His work was fun, boppy, and simple while simultaneously delivering intense messages. The development of his music from frat rap to a more mature style reflects the way his audience grows up overtime.
Throughout his career, Mac Miller struggled with drug use and depression. It was this drug use that lead to his death in 2018, as he accidentally overdosed on a combination of fentanyl and cocaine while also using alcohol. Many creatives like Miller struggle with mental illness and substance abuse, such as Demi Lovato.
https://ew.com/music/2018/09/09/why-everyone-loved-mac-miller/ https://nationaltoday.com/birthday/mac-miller/
Mac Miller was an amazing artist who touched many people with his music. I appreciate the growth of his music with his audience and I agree that Mac Miller does have intense messages in his music, but he does it in a manageable and enjoyable way. While listening to his music the messages are received in a way that is not overwhelming for his audience.
ReplyDeleteMac Miller is one of my favorites, but I only really got into his music after his death. I wish I had the opportunity to appreciate him while he was alive, but the legacy that he has left through his music is timeless. I didn't know about his aliases, and I think that definitely speaks to his creative process. The fight with drugs and alcohol is a difficult one, and one that I think far too many creative people struggle with.
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