Why Mac Miller’s Death is so Upsetting
There is a saying that Caucasian rappers don't last very long in the Rap/Hip-Hop genre, which is somewhat true since you don't see many. Still, in early 2010, names such as Jay-Z, Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, and Drake were super popular, so how does someone try to be better. That answer is Malcolm James McCormick: Born January 19, 1992, in Point Breeze, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he played instruments at a young age, but when he turned 18 in 2010, his life took a big turn.
After completing high school in 2010 in Pittsburgh, he signed with Rostrum Records, which had famous rappers such as WIz Khalifa, Rich the Kid, Chevy Woods, and many more. When initiated, he created the Album K.I.D.S on August 13, 2010, with popular hits being “Senior Skip Day,” “Nikes on my Feet,” and “The Spins.” “The Spins” is one of my favorites since it samples the song “Half Mast” by Empire of the sun. It also references the movie Kids, made in 1995, which was the reoccurring theme in almost every song. The release of his album was a complete success. It reached number 62 on the US billboard.
Mac Miller gained a lot of fame within a couple of months with his album “Best Day Ever” in March of 2011, featuring hits such as “Best Day Ever,” “Donald Trump,” and “Keep Floating,” featuring Wiz Khalifa. This album reached number 26 on Us Billboard, another successful album he made. With more money being made, more albums were released. “Blue Slide Park” on November 8, 2011, and “Macadelic” on March 23, 2012. In 2013, he released “Watching Movies” with Sound Off,” featuring artists such as Pharrell Williams, Diplo, Earl Sweatshirt, and Tyler The Creator. This album was very personal to the rapper; it was introspective. One of his biggest albums yet after Macadelic, it had many positive reviews, and the features on the album are some of the best ever.
On May 11, 2014, he dropped “Faces,” an album that roughly mentions Mac Miller's drug use, and he talks about his loneliness and fame. It’s a very personal insight about the rapper, which would eventually lead to his death years later. On September 18, 2015, he dropped “GO:OD AM,” an album released with Warner Bros. Records, not Rostrum Records. This album focused on the positives after struggling with addictions.
In 2016 Mac Miller started a relationship with Ariana Grande, with whom he had a strong connection. They were young and in love which had an inspiration to “The Divine Feminine,” an album dedicated to Ariana. Mac Miller was off the drugs for now when he was focused on producing music, and he had someone to love. He states his grandparents had a strong bond when they were married, and it inspired Mac Miller to how love should be portrayed. On September 16, 2016, he released “The Divine Feminine” with streaming hits “Congratulations” Feat Bilal “Dang,” featuring Anderson Paak. “Cinderella,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, and of course, “My Favorite Part,” featuring Ariana Grande.
His life went downhill after a breakup with Ariana Grande in May 2018, leading him to use drugs again. On August 3, 2018, he released “Swimming,” his last album made when alive; it contained streaming hits such as “Come Back to Earth,” “Hurt Feelings,” and “Self Care,” one of my personal favorites from the artist. The album itself was a very depressing type of vibe compared to “The Divine Feminine,” but it was a successful album released by Warner Bros Records on September 7, 2018. Mac Miller was found unresponsive at his house in Los Angeles, California. His cause of death was an accidental overdose of Fentanyl, Cocaine, and alcohol. After suffering from drug abuse all his life, he was put to rest in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Although Mac Miller passed away, Warner Bros Records released Circles, published on March 19, 2020. Mac Miller never finished the album, but Jon Brion describes it as his self-reflection. Thank You was released in 2022. This album consists of Mac Miller’s first three mixtapes released by Rostrum Records.
