Malcolm McCormick, otherwise known as Mac Miller, was one of the greatest rap artists in the music industry. On September 7, Miller’s life was taken too soon and it shocked the world. Miller’s sound wasn’t mainstream. Most people didn’t know who he was until he was featured on a single with Ariana Grande in 2013 but Miller had been producing music a couple of years before that.
Miller produced five studio albums: Blue Slide Park, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, GO:OD AM, The Divine Feminine and Swimming. Swimming was the last album Miller created and was working on music videos for his singles before he died.
Miller started rapping when he was 14 years old and began producing mixtapes in 2010, his first being a legendary album, K.I.D.S., and it put Miller’s name out in the industry. He released his second mixtape, Best Day Ever, in 2011which featured his single “Donald Trump”. Miller then released his first studio album Blue Slide Park, which gained him more fans. Miller dedicated the album to the neighborhood where he grew up.
His most famous album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, is arguably his best piece of work. The 16 track album has a rough sound yet you can find yourself Vibing to every song on the album. There isn’t an upbeat track on the album. Each one is slow and includes lyrics that mean something to Miller. At the end of “Red Dot Music”, Action Bronson, another rapper who is featured on the song, spends the last couple of minutes rapping about Miller, which is something that used to happen to Miller when he was younger. The 13th track on the album, “REMember” is dedicated to Miller’s deceased friend Reuben Eli Mitrani, who died in 2012.
As Miller progressed in the music industry, Miller began to make a sound for himself, creating songs based on his actual life and his struggle with addiction. In multiple interviews, Miller admitted to being addicted to the known drink “lean”, ever since 2012. Since then, his addiction only grew and caused a few legal issues and unfortunately, his death.
Miller is not to be referred to as “Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriend” because he was more than that. Miller’s attitude and humor were what made him and got him the loyal fans he had when he died. He didn’t care what anyone thought of him, or his music; he just wanted to do what he loved to do.
The death of Mac Miller broke the hearts of many who enjoyed his music, his humor and everything he represented. The legacy of Mac Miller will be lived on by his friends, family and the fans who never turned their backs on him.
