Shortly after the release of Blue Slide Park, there was a distinct shift in Mac Miller’s style, and although the dark, drug-inspired soundscape of Macadelic would do wonders in broadening Mac’s growing fanbase, that mixtape also introduced listeners to an artist who was less concerned with exuding positivity and far more worried about deconstructing what life was really about. “I'm askin', ‘What am I supposed to do?’/Done so much in my short lifetime, but I haven't done shit.” Songs to revisit : “Best Day Ever,” “Get Up,” “Life Ain’t Easy,” “Poppy,” and “The Scoop on Heaven” Similar to his early outlook on life, Mac’s understanding of death was also ultimately rooted in positivity. Also, on I Love Life, Thank You ’s fourth track “The Scoop on Heaven,” he dives deeper into what happens when our loved ones pass away by imagining aloud what heaven would look like.
, Mac Miller dedicated “Poppy” to his late grandfather, and over the course of the track, Mac details his longing to be reconnected with him and mentions the pain of having to come to terms with his death. While rare, the topic of death and the afterlife also came up from time to time. Staying positive regardless of what life throws your way is an inspiring, yet black-and-white, outlook that’s arguably more likely to be accepted by teenagers than adults, but that perspective is largely what defined much of Mac’s work pre- Blue Slide Park. On other Best Day Ever tracks like “Get Up” and “Life Ain’t Easy,” Mac argued that even though life will knock us down, there are two types of people in this world: those who get up and keep living and those who let their troubles consume their lives. As one would probably expect from the sugary sonic makeup of tracks like “Best Day Ever,” Mac Miller’s early philosophy on life reeked of wide-eyed optimism. and Best Day Ever didn’t show any signs that Mac Miller would grow into the artist that he was at the time of his passing, but even during his breakout era at the top of the 2010s, the Most Dope rapper offered his perspective on how people should live their lives. “No matter where life takes me, find me with a smile/Pursuit to be happy, only laughin' like a child”ĭavid Wolff/Patrick/Redferns/Getty ImagesĪlthough Mac Miller would eventually become known for creating music that sought out answers to some of life’s most daunting questions, his early output was originally characterized as nothing more than frat rap. In memory of the late rapper and in honor of what would have been a landmark birthday for him, we embrace his “most cherished past-time” by analyzing the evolution of his perspectives on life and death. Beyond the prevalent instances of songs foreshadowing his untimely passing, however, Mac Miller’s music also explored existential concepts such as the inevitability of death and the true meaning of life, a tendency that he once revealed to Complex was his favorite thing to do. There is an astonishing amount of haunting lyrics sprinkled throughout his catalog, from admissions like “I need to wake up/Before one mornin' I don't wake up” on the GO:OD AM deep cut “Perfect Circle/God Speed” to the tragic “I might die before I detox” line on “Malibu” from his 2014 mixtape Faces. The late Pittsburgh artist often documented his long-lasting battle with addiction, and as a result, it can sometimes be hard to revisit his music, even on days as momentous as this. More than three years after his fateful overdose, that sentiment undoubtedly reopens old wounds for his family, friends, and fans. Mac Miller would be celebrating his 30th birthday today. Mac Miller was one of Hip-Hop’s greatest existential artists, so for what would have been his 30th birthday, we analyze the evolution of his perspectives on life and death.
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