He was our hometown hero, the one who started from the bottom and made his way to the top, deserving of all the fame he had and more.Īt some point, all that fame and money did more harm than good for him. I was so happy for him that he was finally getting the recognition he deserved, but when stories surfaced mentioning him as “Ariana Grande’s boyfriend,” I couldn’t help but feel as though it was disrespectful to the man that was much more than a popular singer’s boyfriend - he was Mac Miller first. When he began dating singer Ariana Grande and collaborated with her on songs “The Way” and “My Favorite Part,” Mac experienced more fame than he ever had before. He made music for his city first before he made it for the world. There’s no better song that perfectly encapsulates the character of the City and what it was like to grow up here. I still listen to “Frick Park Market” every time I’m on a plane home to Pittsburgh. It was amazing to watch his rise to fame, but he never forgot where he came from and always respected the city that raised him and made him what he was. He was nominated for awards and his songs were played more frequently on the radio – his talent was undeniable as a musician. The more music he put out there for the world, the more the world loved and respected him as an artist. He had been through it before and understood exactly how it felt to lose a loved one.
I felt like I had lost my best friend like he had lost one of his, and the beautifully honest lyrics showed that he truly understood such a heartbreak. His song “REMember” particularly stuck with me when my aunt passed away. When I faced my own struggles and life became difficult at times, I turned to him for guidance and comfort. These songs were personal and insightful, and explored topics of love, loss, depression and the meaning of life itself. We went through the struggles of maturity together, as the albums he produced included songs with lyrics that weren’t as carefree and fun-loving as before.
We rode our bikes while listening to “Knock Knock,” played basketball at the local playground with “Smile Back” and hung out on the front porch cracking jokes and making weekend plans to “Senior Skip Day.” His songs about being a kid in Pittsburgh were fun and relatable, and they made me feel free from the responsibilities and woes of growing up.Īs I grew up, Mac grew up too. My friends and I spent our free time bonding over our love of his music. The audio wasn’t top quality, but his raps were.Īfter he released his debut studio album “Blue Slide Park,” he became a household name in Pittsburgh.
Back in 2010, before the age of Spotify, I found a way to download all of the mixtape “K.I.D.S.” onto my flip phone through LimeWire.