Watching the career arcs of musicians is an always interesting activity because either their monumental expectations that are placed upon them are met, or they crash and burn. In the case of Mac Miller, you have seen a frat-rap niche star turn into one of the premier musical minds in rap right now. His latest release, "The Divine Feminine," is easily Miller's most musical and emotionally compelling piece of work to date.
Not only is the growth seen in the structure of his songs, but it also shows in his choice of collaborators; it reveals Miller's ear for talent. From R&B crooners like Anderson Paak, Bilal, and Ty Dolla $ign to the appearance of Kendrick Lamar on the albums finale, Mac Miller knows how to make other artists shine on his songs. The appearance of girlfriend/soulmate Ariana Grande on this album also adds to the underlying theme of love and relationships heard in this album. Also, as a personal note, the re-appearance of the R&B singer/ rapper relationship combo warms my heart as someone who still blasts "I'm Real" on a regular basis. The beauty of these features on "The Divine Feminine" is that they never overpower or outshine Mac Miller when he is truly showing his true self as an artist, and man, with these lyrics.
The reason that this album has grown on me, and Mac Miller in general, is because of the vulnerability that Miller shows. He never tries to be anything he is not which is refreshing in a musical genre that seems to be built on false images. Miller has a willingness to show how he feels which makes him much more relatable to me than the simple fact that both of us are white.
If i had a phrase to describe this album it would be "hopeful love" because it was made by someone who is beginning a new part of his life where he probably feels an overwhelming sense of hope. There have been other love albums that have come out this year like Frank Ocean's "Blonde" that show the complete opposite end of the love spectrum. Ocean sounds lost, confused, and unsure as he sings about lovers of both genders and the whirlwind of emotions that go with that; while Mac Miller sounds so overjoyed to be making music that it seems almost manufactured.
This album has also shown the growth of Mac Miller as a more mature and focused person than he appeared to be in the past. It seems that every talented artist has a period of time in which they are ensnared by the trappings of fame and lose focus on the art that got them there. This has happened to the best artists, both old and new, but the true strength is seen in how that artist can grow from that experience. From what I have heard so far, Mac Miller has seemingly done that with "The Divine Feminine" and has reached that next level as an artist that so many expected so many years ago.
