It has been quite sometime, but Mac Miller has finally released a song that we can understand. I know, it is a shock. He released 100 Grandkids recently from his upcoming album, “GO:OD AM,” that is due to be released Sept. 18. I almost ignored the song, thinking it would be in the same category with his most recent album, “Watching Movies with the Sound Off.” But, going along with my urge, I clicked play.
In high school, Mac Miller was my go-to tunes. Being a white, Jewish boy, I decided to hear what this Jewish rapper from Pittsburgh was all about, and I am glad I did. I know I am not the only one who missed Mac Miller’s old school mixtape, like K.I.D.S, Best Day Ever, or his first album, Blue Slide Park. Songs from these playlists are ones I hear now and am blown away that this kid was eighteen when he recorded K.I.D.S and was the same age when he signed with Rostrum Records. Even before that, he was getting noticed and fame at fifteen with his first mixtape, But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy. I listen to Best Day Ever now and just remember staying up, waiting until the mixtape was released online and for a week that is all I listened to. No, he was not the most popular artist among my friends, but when it is someone you having something in common with and each song does not disappoint, you cannot stay away.
After Blue Slide Park, Miller released Watching Movies with Sound Off. Personally, what the hell was that? After I heard and watched the music video for the song, Watching Movies, my level of confusion was out the window. The music and tune I loved to hear from Miller seemed to be gone and no one heard another song from him after that -- until now.
For two years, Miller disappeared after he moved out to Los Angeles. He broke his big silence recently when he went on the air with, The Breakfast Club Power 105.1. He talked about his past and his present. When asked blankly, “What happened to you?” He responded saying, “I had a little battle, I did some time,” not relating to prison. It was rumored Miller moved out to L.A. and did nothing, but do drugs. He knew he had messed up and took the wrong path for his life. “I was being dumb... I thought it was my right, which it is, as a human to say I didn't want to do anything.” Miller continued saying he could disappear in L.A and become comfortable with making music, but did not need the money and did not need to publish anything. Having a big fan hear this, it is disappointing. We all waited for Mac to come out with a new sound, a new album, a new playlist to listen to for a month continuously.
And, then, he released 100 Grandkids. I could not believe Mac produced something and released it out to the public. “My main thing is that I wanted to come back with something that was like confident and some fun… I didn’t want to come back depressed.” The entirety of the song is bringing him back to his roots and wanting to settle down and reminiscing on his past. The song is broken into two halves. The first half talks about his mom and wanting to make her happy with grandkids. The second half is looking back when he made it big and made his first $100,000. As a comeback song for Mac Miller, I think it is great. It embodies what he was about. He always talked about his mom in his songs and showed his love of her and always rapped about money, not for himself, but for people who were closest to him. Besides the underlying message in the song, which Miller said on air that it is not hard figure it out, his verses and hooks are back up to, and above, par. A comeback for this young rapper from Pittsburgh is in the midst, and I am more than ready.
I pressed play and I felt that the old Mac Miler/Cam Rellim/Larry Fisherman/Larry Lovestein is back, and in a new form. With a new contract from Warner Bros. in hand, he is ready to please his audience and make the people who doubted him sorry they ever did.
The video to Mac MIller’s interview with The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 is here.
It is definitely worth the time to watch it.
