Friendship in Hip-Hop
Mac Miller’s team has been consistent with releasing posthumous albums since it began with 2020’s Circles. The material is vivid with rapper collaborations and laced with ironic lines about Miller’s fate. The late-rapper raps alongside ScHoolboy Q on 2021’s “Friends”, “Swear I’m not alive, I couldn’t tell you if we ever are!” Fans of the late-rapper can now enjoy the recently released long awaited collab project, I Love Life, Thank You. Miller’s music is emotional and raw and often aided by real instruments. On “Love Lost” the hip-hop artist sings, “So I can feel but I can’t touch/You said my love was a bit too much!”
The haunting chant on “Diablo” explains the universal appeal for more doom and gloom lyricism. “Everybody got dead homies!” For many of Miller’s youngest fans, Miller might be their first dead homie. With the help of a caring support system, young people might always be fans of Miller and his prolific career in rap. “They either hate or they on your side/F*ck it, we ridin’!”
Still Asking
Mac Miller declared, “I ain’t askin’ ‘why?’ no more!” on his final album in 2018. Even after death, Miller continues to ask, “why?” He asks on 2020’s “Good News”, “why I gotta build something beautiful”. Somehow, Miller’s posthumous releases continue to get more youthful and optimistic. Miller raps in 2022, “I’m rockin’ the mic forever, you gonna stop me never!”
In retrospect, Mac Miller’s legacy speaks to the importance of making mistakes and even dying as a result. “If I jump, let me fall!” Miller pleads on 2021’s “Colors and Shapes”. “People Under the Stairs” also illustrates Miller’s phenomenal ability to sample old-school beats in a contemporary way. Miller had that special something that reminded rap-listeners to be more tuned in.
What were your thoughts on Mac Miller’s posthumous album? How do deceased rappers influence the rappers of today? How does an artist’s work’s impact change once the artist her or himself passes away? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment!
I think it’s super cool that an album is released after Miller’s death, and it begs the question, who profits off of his music now? I am curious about that. When an artist passes away, his/her work can definitely still impact change. Just look at someone like Bob Marley, for example. His music never decreased in popularity or meaningfulness after his untimely death. So perhaps it is less about the artist and more about the content of his/her creations and whether or not they truly speak to a person’s heart! Perhaps it is the same for fans of Miller?