Mac Miller 1992-2018: A celebration of a hip hop great

26 year old rapper, Mac Miller, tragically passed away this week and we want to pay tribute to one of the best young rappers to ever grace the game.

It’s still hard to believe that Mac Miller is gone. It’s hard to imagine feeling so strongly about someone you’ve never met. Yet the Pittsburgh rapper created this feeling amongst myself and his millions of followers who were left shocked and devastated by the news of his passing.

The best way to honor this talented man is by celebrating his work and the influence that he had on the rap game. I’m not one to trawl through YouTube videos but I’ve found myself spending the best part of the last day or two watching various clips of Mac Miller doing his thing.

His music and success in the hip hop industry are an absolute inspiration to anyone and it’s only right to focus on that and not his tragic passing. Here are some tracks that we love and will continue playing to celebrate the life of Mac Miller.

Mac Miller was making music from a young age and producing mixtapes while he was still in high school. However, his music really came to the fore with the release of his mixtape K.I.D.S., which featured eighteen tracks and mature sound for someone so young.

There are several strong tracks on that record but the one that really stands out for me is “Poppy,” which was an ode to his grandfather. Miller used a Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth sample to create a heartfelt sound, on top of which he expressed his message perfectly.

Sometimes a singer or rapper’s voice just resonates with you for no apparent reason and that’s how I felt upon hearing this track. Miller’s calm demeanor and his graceful delivery allow listeners to understand how he’s feeling and he doesn’t let the instrumental pull focus from his lyrics.

The way that Miller was able to switch it up on his records was one of his greatest strengths. We could go from heartfelt tribute one moment to upbeat party track next, all without a dip in quality.

Other highlights on this record include “The Spins” (which features an awesome sample from Empire Of The Sun) and “All I Want Is You,” which demonstrate Miller’s talent with a different sound behind him.

K.I.D.S. was just the beginning for Mac Miller and it paved the way for arguably his best mixtape, Best Day Ever. The Pittsburgh native was making waves with a sound so mature and advanced for only being 18 years of age.