Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper, singer, and record producer.
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In 2010, Miller signed a record deal with Pittsburgh-based indie label Rostrum Records. His debut studio album, Blue Slide Park (2011), reached number-one on the US Billboard 200chart, making it the first independently distributed debut album to top the chart since Tha Dogg Pound's 1995 album, Dogg Food. In early 2013, Miller launched his own record label imprint, REMember Music. After his second studio album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off (2013), he left Rostrum and signed a record deal for himself and his label with Warner Bros. Records in October 2014. With them, he released three studio albums: GO:OD AM(2015), The Divine Feminine (2016), and Swimming (2018). He also served as a record producer under the pseudonym Larry Fisherman[1], producing music for SZA, Vince Staples, Lil B, Ab-Soul, Riff Raff, Smoke DZA, and himself.
1992–2010: Early life and career beginnings
Malcolm James McCormick was born on January 19, 1992,[2] in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,[3] the son of Karen Meyers, a photographer, and Mark McCormick, an architect.[4] His father is Christian, and his mother is Jewish.[5] Miller was raised Jewish, had a Bar Mitzvah, and celebrated the Jewish High Holy Days.[6] Because of his religion, he described himself as "the coolest Jewish rapper", in a rival response to Drake's own claim to be "the best Jew in the Rap game".[6]Miller was raised in the Point Breeze part of Pittsburgh.[7] He attended Winchester Thurston School,[8] and graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School.[9]
A self-taught musician, Miller played piano, guitar, drums, and bass by the age of six.[9][10]He first started rapping at the age of fourteen.[11] Before that, he wanted to be a singer.[12] In high school, he decided to focus on his hip hop career, later noting, "Once I hit 15, I got real serious about it and it changed my life completely ... I used to be into sports, play all the sports, go to all the high school parties. But once I found out hip-hop is almost like a job, that's all I did."[10] He originally went by the name Easy Mac and released the mixtape But My Mackin' Ain't Easy in 2007 at the age of fifteen.[2] By 2009, he established himself as Mac Miller, and released two mixtapes: The Jukebox: Prelude to Class Clown and The High Life.[2] At the 2010 Pittsburgh hip hop awards, Miller won 21 & Under of the Year, and Best Hip Hop Video for "Live Free".[13]
2010–2013: Breakthrough with Best Day Ever and Blue Slide Park
Miller performing at the NYC Governor's Ball in 2011.
Miller signed with the independent label Rostrum Records in July 2010, in the lead-up to his mixtape K.I.D.S.[14] Rostrum president Benjy Grinberg met Miller while recording with Wiz Khalifa at ID Labs.[15] Although Grinberg started giving Miller advice, he did not show interest in getting involved with his career until Miller began work on K.I.D.S., when, as he told HitQuarters, "noticed a maturation in his sound and approach to his music."[15] By that point Miller had started attracting interest from different record companies, but chose Rostrum due to its location in his hometown and association with Wiz Khalifa.[15] K.I.D.S. was released by Rostrum in August 2010.[10] The mixtape was inspired by the film Kids (1995).[16]
Miller embarked on his first headlining tour at the beginning of 2011, The Incredibly Dope Tour, selling out every location.[15] In February 2011, Miller was one of eleven rappers featured in XXL's annual "Freshman Class" list of that year.[17][18] In March 2011, Miller released his fifth mixtape, Best Day Ever.[19] The single "Donald Trump" became his first song to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100,[20] peaking at number 75,[21] and is his most-viewed music video on YouTube with over 159 million views as of December 2018.[22] Best Day Everfeatured mainstream producers such as Just Blaze, 9th Wonder and Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids.
Also in March 2011, he released a six-track EP, On and On and Beyond, produced by Rostrum. In mid-2011, his first TV appearance took place in the VH1 show Single Ladies; he played a fictionalized version of himself that succeeded in selling one of his mixtapes to one of the main characters.[19] Miller featured on Maroon 5's remix of their hit song "Moves like Jagger" in October 2011.[23] Later that month, Miller released a 13-song mixtape, I Love Life, Thank You, featuring Sir Michael Rocks of The Cool Kids, Talib Kweli and Bun B.
Miller's debut studio album, Blue Slide Park, released on November 8, 2011.[24] It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart, with first week sales of 144,000 copies. This was the first independently distributed debut to take the number one spot on the Billboard albums chart since Tha Dogg Pound's 1995 release Dogg Food.[25] Three songs from the album, "Smile Back", "Frick Park Market", and "Party on Fifth Ave." charted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 55, 60, and 64, respectively.[21] By May 2018, Blue Slide Park was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating over 500,000 units sold in the United States.[26]
On March 23, 2012, Miller released his seventh mixtape, Macadelic. The mixtape's single, "Loud", peaked at number 53 on the BillboardHot 100.[21] In mid-2012, Miller premiered two songs produced by Pharrell Williams, from a planned collaboration EP, Pink Slime.[27] At least ten tracks were completed by August 2012 according to Miller,[27] but the project was not released despite a multi-year effort.[28][29] Miller released an EP, You, under the alias Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival on November 21, 2012. Rather than rap, the EP features Miller crooning over lounging jazz instrumentals.[30]
In early 2013, Miller founded the record label imprint REMember Music, named after a friend who died.[31][32] Miller was featured on a six-episode reality series, Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family, on MTV2. It followed the production of his upcoming second studio album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, and premiered on February 26, 2013.[33] On March 4, 2013, Miller released a mixtape, Run-On Sentences Vol. 1, solely featuring instrumentals made by himself, under his production alias Larry Fisherman.[34] Later that month, Miller featured on singer Ariana Grande's lead single "The Way" for her debut album Yours Truly;[35] the song is Miller's highest peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at number nine, and spent 26 weeks on the chart.[21][36]
Watching Movies with the Sound Off released on June 18, 2013, to generally positive reviews, with most critics praising his new psychedelic sound. The album received commercial success, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 102,000 copies in its first week.[37] The album spawned three singles; "S.D.S.", "Watching Movies" and "Goosebumpz". The album featured guest appearances from Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler, the Creator, Action Bronsonand Jay Electronica.[38][39] According to Miller, the album is "very introspective and very personal so it's kind of throwing it all out there and seeing what happens."[40]
He produced Odd Future affiliate Vince Staples' mixtape, Stolen Youth.[41] During October 2013, Miller toured Europe with fellow rappers Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz.[42] Under the moniker Delusional Thomas, Miller self-produced and released an eponymous mixtape, Delusional Thomas, on October 31, 2013.[43] On December 17, 2013, Miller released his first live album, Live from Space.
2014–2018: GO:OD AM, The Divine Feminine and Swimming
Miller parted ways with Rostrum Records when his contract expired in January 2014.[44] On May 11, 2014, Miller independently released his tenth solo mixtape, Faces.[45] Colin Stutz of Billboard wrote that the 24-track mixtape "shows [Miller] introspective, ruminating over his drug use, fame and past."[45] Pitchfork'sCraig Jenkins called Faces his "most consistently honest and personal work to date".[46] Miller later reflected on Faces, noting his drug-addled lifestyle while recording it.[47]The second season of Miller's reality series Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family aired on MTV2 in mid-2014.[48]
In October 2014, Miller signed a recording contract and distribution deal for REMember Music with the major label Warner Bros. Records, for a reported US$10 million.[49]Miller's first studio album with Warner Bros., GO:OD AM, was released on September 18, 2015.[50] It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, with 87,000 sales.[51] By November 2018, GO:OD AM was certified gold by the RIAA.[52]
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Miller performing at the Splash! Festival 2017 in Germany.
Miller began work on his next studio album immediately after completing GO:OD AM, wanting to explore the emotion of love.[53][54]The Divine Feminine released on September 16, 2016.[55] The album features Miller singing nearly as much as rapping, and incorporates genres such as R&B, jazz and funk.[54] It received positive reviews, with Pitchfork stating that the album was succinct and refined in its portrayal of love, consequently accentuating Miller's artistry.[56] The Divine Feminine debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with 48,000 units sold.[57][58]
Miller's fifth studio album, Swimming, was released on August 3, 2018, to positive reviews from critics.[59] Pitchfork described the album as consisting of "wistful soul and warm funk", through his exploration of heartbreak and his own mental health issues.[60] Swimmingdebuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with 66,000 units sold, his fifth consecutive top five-charting album release in the United States.[61] The single "Self Care" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 22, 2018, two weeks after his death—his highest charting song as lead artist.[62]Swimming is nominated for Best Rap Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.[63]
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