He was signed to Pittsburgh-based Rostrum Records and released his debut album Blue Slide Park on November 8, 2011, which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 despite being released completely independently. He released five studio albums in his lifetime, which all peaked in the top 5, along with a posthumous album titled "Circles" with help from producer Jon Brion and Miller's family.
In 2013, Miller released his second studio album, "Watching Movies With the Sound Off". The album featured artists such as Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator, Ab-Soul, and long-time friend Schoolboy Q. The album took a more personal approach compared to his previous works.
In 2014, Miller released the 24-track mixtape "Faces". Considered by many to be one of his best works, he explores themes of drug use, employing and featuring collaborators of Mac from his previous album, including Schoolboy Q and Earl Sweatshirt, but also sees new faces such as Rick Ross.
In 2015, Mac released his third studio album, "GO:OD AM", his first with new label Warner Records. The album featured a more energetic and vibrant theme than "Faces" and "Watching Movies With The Sound Off", reflecting a more optimistic, redemptive angle on his personal life, while maintaining elements of his introspective and thought-provoking style from earlier works.
In 2016, Miller released his fourth studio album, titled "The Divine Feminine". He explores themes of love and femininity, largely influenced by his relationship with Ariana Grande at the time and featuring appearances from the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Anderson Paak.
In August 2018, following major events in Miller's life, including his breakup with Ariana Grande, with Miller's drug addiction alleged to be a contributing factor, as well as a car crash incident in which McCormick was charged with a DUI, Miller released his fifth and final studio album during his lifetime titled "Swimming". Continuing the dive into his personal life, Miller explores his heartfelt struggles and grief in the past, but remains optimistic for the future. Swimming was nominated for Best Rap Album posthumously at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Miller had struggled with substance abuse for a long time before his death. On September 7, 2018, he was found dead in his home in Los Angeles, California from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol, only a little over a month after the release of "Swimming". He was only 26 years old. McCormick was buried in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Miller's passing was largely unexpected and had a large impact on the hip-hop community as a whole, with many paying their respects to Miller. On October 31, 2018, a tribute concert, titled "Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life", featured renowned artists and many longtime collaborators of Miller including Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, SZA, Chance the Rapper, and Earl Sweatshirt. The concert was a celebration of the late rapper's life and musical achievements, and all profits were donated to the Mac Miller Circles Fund, which provides young people from underprivileged backgrounds with opportunities to explore arts and music.
In January 2020, Miller's posthumous album titled "Circles", worked on in companionship with his album "Swimming", was announced on January 8 along with the single "Good News" and released later that month. Every track on the album was accompanied by a video of the same name, often with psychedelic imagery and images of Mac before his passing and throughout his life. With a more melancholic theme compared to his previous works, the album was well-received by fans and critics alike, renowned for the care placed in continuing Mac's artistic vision.
And, he did it all without a Drake feature.
Of the Soul
Mac Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
First time I did that in like three years
My handwriting is- is horrible and I can barely read this
Hey, hey, don't even know what's in my head anymore though
Uh, figured out I ain't gonna go to college, Lee Corso
Fuckin' girls but I never kept the door closed
Want you all to hear the way I put it in her torso
I guess it's the result of drugs that enter in my brain
All of a sudden, every legend keep on mentionin' my name
All that does is show me that my life will never be the same
Police tryna to figure out how to get me locked up
I tell those cops, "Suck dog nuts"
Arriving to the party in a chariot
Lookin' for a scary bitch that I can pop her cherry pit
I'm very sick, yes very ill
Eternal Sunshine, Jim Carey feel
At the amusement park scared of heights, Ferris wheel
Double dare me to kill?
Got some soul like De La do, they say I'm new
It's nothing but some deja vu
Everywhere you go these people hate on you
Deja vu, deja vu
Got some soul like De La do, they say I'm new
It's nothing but some deja vu
Everywhere you go these people hate on you
Deja vu, deja vu
Wind chimes, sick rhymes, been high on this incline
Tryna get my money stackin' tall, six nine
Have some caviar, sip wine
Sacrifice insanity, sacrifice normal
Purpose is for people in the plural
Form never formal, an art form, not a mural
Work four bars that are tighter than your corn rows
See a girl that's lookin' horny in the fourth row
Ha, I just put it in her mouth, ortho
Dontist, manipulating phonics, put em into sonnets
Let me put you on this nastier than Nas is
Bubonic plague, bacteria that's tryna to find a way
Spread, Like yolk from a broken egg
Talkin' shit? You just diggin' your grave
Got some soul like De La do, they say I'm new
It's nothing but some deja vu
Everywhere you go these people hate on you
Deja vu, deja vu
Got some soul like De La do, they say I'm new
It's nothing but some deja vu
Everywhere you go these people hate on you
Deja vu, deja vu
Hypothetically I'm dope, I kick incredibly
Potentially could be the remedy for happiness without the ecstasy
No methamphetamine's, hot, hundred and ten degrees
Visually stunnin', gotta see it on the LED
When I was seventeen I thought I had it figured out
Now I see what it's about, went in down a different route
It's crucial, three new schools, life with a spoonful
Of sugar, yea I need my medicine
Fuckin' Mary Poppins, gotta treat her like the president
Represent all these fuckin' people that I never met
Some expect me to be the greatest ever
Hear me on the radio, shit'll change forever
Now I'm just a pop sensation, fuck your expectations
I'mma be the best, have some patience
Thought that it was great, then poof!
It was nothing but some deja vu
In Mac Miller's "Of The Soul," the rapper talks about his fluctuating emotions and experiences, with the verses covering a range of topics, including his handwriting, college plans, sex, drug abuse, police, perceptions of the public, and music. In the first few lines, he expresses astonishment at seeing his own handwriting on paper, which he hadn't done in three years, and how illegible it looks to him. He then goes on to mention his indecisiveness about attending college, his sex-capades with women, and his love for rap that has put him in the company of music legends. However, he also notes that fame brings unwanted attention and scrutiny from the authorities, which he doesn't shy away from confronting. Miller further claims that his abject condition and behavior stem from excessive drug use, which has made him an outcast from ordinary society. In his closing lines, Miller takes a swipe at those who underestimate his potential, citing the need for patience.
The key takeaway from Miller's "Of The Soul" is that he is a complex person with different moods and attitudes about life. Additionally, his verses reflect the realities of youthful angst, perceived social isolation, and the need to be appreciated for one's artistry in a cut-throat music industry. Miller's style is free-flowing, with vivid wordplay, metaphors, and puns, making for a compelling and thought-provoking lyric. Although Miller has passed away, his words continue to reverberate significantly across the music landscape, as his message tells an enduring tale of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
Looks like I wrote this song on paper
I haven't written a song on paper in a while, and my handwriting is bad
Hey, hey, don't even know what's in my head anymore though
I don't know what I'm thinking anymore
Uh, figured out I ain't gonna go to college, Lee Corso
I realized that I don't want to go to college
Fuckin' girls but I never kept the door closed
I have casual sex, but I don't care about it being private
Want you all to hear the way I put it in her torso
I want everyone to know how I had sex with her
I ain't normal, I'm clinically insane
I'm not normal; I'm crazy
I guess it's the result of drugs that enter in my brain
I think the reason I'm insane is because of drugs
All of a sudden, every legend keep on mentionin' my name
My name keeps coming up in conversations with famous people
All that does is show me that my life will never be the same
I realize that my life has changed forever
Police tryna to figure out how to get me locked up
The police are trying to arrest me
I tell those cops, "Suck dog nuts"
I tell the police to go away and leave me alone
Arriving to the party in a chariot
I arrive at events in style
Lookin' for a scary bitch that I can pop her cherry pit
I'm looking for a girl to have sex with
I'm very sick, yes very ill
I'm not well
Eternal Sunshine, Jim Carey feel
I feel like the movie 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' starring Jim Carey
At the amusement park scared of heights, Ferris wheel
I'm afraid of heights and Ferris wheels at amusement parks
Double dare me to kill?
Do you dare me to commit murder?
Got some soul like De La do, they say I'm new
My music has soul, and people say that I'm new
It's nothing but some deja vu
I feel like everything is repeating itself
Everywhere you go these people hate on you
People criticize me wherever I go
Wind chimes, sick rhymes, been high on this incline
I've been working hard and my music is good
Tryna get my money stackin' tall, six nine
I'm trying to make a lot of money
Have some caviar, sip wine
I can afford expensive things like caviar and wine
Sacrifice insanity, sacrifice normal
I'm willing to give up sanity and normality for my art
Purpose is for people in the plural
The purpose is for everyone, not just myself
Form never formal, an art form, not a mural
My art is unconventional
Work four bars that are tighter than your corn rows
My raps are better than yours
See a girl that's lookin' horny in the fourth row
I see a girl in the audience who seems interested in sex
Ha, I just put it in her mouth, ortho
I just had oral sex with her
Dontist, manipulating phonics, put em into sonnets
I'm a master of manipulating language and writing poetry
Let me put you on this nastier than Nas is
My music is nastier and more provocative than Nas's
Bubonic plague, bacteria that's tryna to find a way
My rhymes are like a disease that spreads fast through rap
Spread, Like yolk from a broken egg
My rhymes spread easily like egg yolk
Talkin' shit? You just diggin' your grave
If you talk bad about me, you're only hurting yourself
Hypothetically I'm dope, I kick incredibly
If I were to imagine myself as a rapper, I'd be very good
Potentially could be the remedy for happiness without the ecstasy
My music could bring happiness without the need for drugs
No methamphetamine's, hot, hundred and ten degrees
I don't need meth or drugs to be hot, I'm already on fire
Visually stunnin', gotta see it on the LED
My music is visually stunning and should be seen on LED screens
When I was seventeen I thought I had it figured out
I thought I knew everything when I was younger
Now I see what it's about, went in down a different route
I've learned a lot and have taken a different path
It's crucial, three new schools, life with a spoonful
My life has changed dramatically, but I try to stay grounded
Of sugar, yea I need my medicine
I need something sweet to keep me going
Fuckin' Mary Poppins, gotta treat her like the president
I treat women like they're important
Represent all these fuckin' people that I never met
I represent my fans, even those I've never met
Some expect me to be the greatest ever
People have high expectations for me
Hear me on the radio, shit'll change forever
If you hear me on the radio, your life will change forever
Now I'm just a pop sensation, fuck your expectations
I'm now popular, and I don't care about meeting people's expectations
I'mma be the best, have some patience
I'm going to be the best, but it'll take time
Thought that it was great, then poof!
I thought everything was great, but then it all disappeared
It was nothing but some deja vu
This feels like something that's happened before
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brent Michael Reynolds, Eric Allan Dan, Jeremy Kulousek, Malcolm James McCormick
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
_SnapsZ
"When I was 17 i thought I had it figured out, now I see what it's about, when in doubt another route is crucial"
Listened to this song repeatedly when I was going through the hardest thing I ever went through so far in life and avoided the song because it reminded me of how I felt going through that.
Today just listened to it again and not making the same mistake I made before or ever going through that again.
Tomorrow starts a completely new school and work schedule and I have made positive changes to have more time for myself and am looking forward to the future for the first time in a long time and am no longer trapped snd can move on.
January 8th 2017 New me stronger than ever and only getting stronger from now on.
Thank You Mac your music helps me through so much can't even begin to describe it...
ZephPlayz
just noticed the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind reference, love that line <3
we miss you mac <3
Dylan Reynolds
@George Yacoub j
Sfr
Bailey Dixon
Great movie
gameboy21
@Tony G ok
Tony G
@Mitchell Frankum Eternal sunshine of a spotless mind
Mitchell Frankum
Is this the title of a movie? I can't find it.
Motiv8 M3dia
Mac understood our generation more than most. Feels like we grew up together. He was there for all of us
keaton barnes
He’s our age lmao it’s not a feeling
Grant Woodford
Still is. He just got alot closer. Like atomicly close.
Captain Redbeard
Spot on dude 👌🏼