Mac Miller made hip-hop, but he was more than a rapper – he was the architect and the construction worker.

In hip-hop there are rappers and producers, and rarely does one-person excel at both. Often, we look at rap as a game of collaboration in a way other genres aren’t-we look at Jay-Z’s discography and don’t immediately think of him as the architect of the entire soundscape, we see producers like Kanye, No I.D., or DJ Premier. The label of being a rapper has meant certain things over time, but one of the things it never immediately meant was a strong grasp of musicianship and creative control the way we attach those concepts to instrumental artists like Bon Iver. Paak, Chance the Rapper, John Mayer and more come back to the stage to watch a final video tribute to Malcolm McCormick along with his parents.Īnd yet, by some standards Mac Miller was just a “rapper”. Many of the night’s performers inlcuding SZA, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, Anderson. But there is a much more vital piece to the puzzle that is Mac Miller-underlying all the connections he made and all the lives he touched is Mac’s music.

In a way the narrative is simple, Mac Miller was an everyman’s man: compassionate, kind, and approachable. On Halloween night at the “Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life” benefit concert, Mac Miller was described by so many as a stalwart friend who supported the dreams of everyone he knew. In the wake of Malcolm McCormick’s death, a massive wave from fans, fellow musicians, friends and family impacted by Mac’s authenticity and generosity washed over the world.

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