This past Tuesday, November 8th, commemorates the eleven-year anniversary of Mac Miller’s debut studio album, Blue Slide Park. Although Mac is no longer with us after an overdose in 2018, his legacy lives on through his passionate fanbase, dedicated production team, and best of all, his music.
I’ll admit, I don’t know everything about Mac Miller. I can’t tell every song nor do I know every detail about his life. Nevertheless, his work has sincerely touched me, which is something worth writing about. In doing so, I hope to inspire some future listeners along the way. So without further ado, here’s my case for why you should listen to Mac Miller.
For me, it all started with his fourth studio album, The Divine Feminine. I remember listening to this album a few years ago. The title of this project immediately caught my attention; The Divine Feminine. Although I didn’t know much about Mac at the time, I knew he was often categorized as a rap artist. Today, many rap songs are filled with hyper-sexualized, misogynistic language towards women and girls. Thus, a rap album that describes women in an all-powerful way within the title? I liked that concept. Of course Mac did not disappoint when it came to the music. The beautiful instrumentation, the incredible music sampling (specific nod to Good Will Hunting in “Soulmate”), the inclusion of female vocalist Ariana Grande, I could go on forever. Don’t even get me started on the beautiful cover art, which is a photo taken by his brother, Miller McCormick.
In an album that explores topics such as love, sex, and spirituality, Mac is able to explore these emotions in a tasteful fashion. When he talks about women, he refers to them as God-like figures of whom he feels blessed to be around. So many women today, myself included, have been socialized to believe that there is something inherently wrong with us. Multi-billion dollar industries profit off of our insecurities about ourselves. Thus, it was so comforting to listen to an album that goes against this narrative and talks about women in a positive light. After all, that is the narrative that should be taught in the first place.
The craziest part of it all? The Divine Feminine is not even my favorite Mac Miller album.
If you really want to fall in love with Mac Miller, you have to listen to his 2018 project, Swimming (bonus points if you listen to the sister album, Circles). This album explores themes of growth and personal healing as well as struggle. It’s beautifully complex both in idea and composition, making it not only my favorite Mac Miller album, but also my favorite album of all time. Let me take you back to my first listen:
It was my senior year and I was bedridden with the flu. Sneezy, congested, and utterly exhausted, I could not lift a finger. Not to mention, I was in the midst of college applications so the timing was terribly inopportune.
In enters: Swimming.
For the next 58 minutes, 39 seconds I did not think about any of that. I wasn’t worried about the string of supplemental essays I had to write. I didn’t think about my perpetually runny nose or dry cough. Instead, I was swimming alongside Mac as he took me deep into the murky waters of his mental state. Mac spoke openly about his struggles with addiction and depression during his life, using albums like Swimming as a means of catharsis. Throughout this project, he uses the act of swimming as a vehicle to describe the mental battles he faces. At the beginning of the album, for instance, Mac appears as though he is drowning. In the opening track “Come Back to Earth,” the sound production creates an underwater atmosphere that reinforces this idea. Through lines like “I was drownin’, but now I’m swimmin’ / through stressful waters to relief,” Mac illustrates the mental battle he fights to stay afloat.
As the album progresses, however, Mac begins to tread water and feel grounded within himself. This is demonstrated through songs like “Self Care” and “Small Worlds,” which are filled with metaphors related to his healing process. By the end of the album, Mac appears to be above water as his final tracks are produced with clear, crisp sounds that were absent at the beginning. Songs like “2009” and “So it Goes” create a peaceful atmosphere through orchestral solos that I could listen to for the rest of time. The thematic progression within the album is so carefully crafted. It almost reminds me of Taylor Swift in the way that every lyric, every production choice, and every note is so deliberate. His love for his craft bleeds through his music, and I simply cannot get enough.
I remember finishing this album with tears brimming in my eyes. Mac’s music made me feel understood. I often feel like my generation is emotionally detached from everything. Due to the rise of social media and the prevalence of hook-up culture, it often feels like we don’t know how to be real with one another or with ourselves. Mac’s music goes against this trend as he is brutally honest in his work. He reassured me that it’s ‘OK’ to embrace wherever you are in life. He showed me how authenticity and vulnerability can be a form of art.
This authenticity is what makes Mac’s work so special. His music made me feel less alone. This ability to make people feel seen is an incredibly powerful gift; one that I hope we all can benefit from in whatever way we may need. This is my case for why you have listen to Mac Miller. I promise, you won’t regret it. I know that I don’t.