Getty Image
It’s been over six years since we tragically lost rapper Mac Miller at the age of just 26 years old. Miller was a revolutionary in the rap game and left behind millions of devoted fans. In 2020, his estate announced they would posthumously release the album Circles, which included several songs recorded shortly before his passing.
On Friday, a second posthumous album, Balloonerism, released across the the world. The album contains songs recorded in March of 2014 and features a unique neo-soul sound that reminds fans of just how versatile an artist Miller was at his peak.
Friend, collaborator and Grammy Award winner SZA features on the second track, “DJ’s Chord Organ.”
“I love my friend I miss my friend. Grateful he saw something in me before most and treated me w love from day 1. Wish he could see how right ab everything he truly was,” she tweeted shortly after the album’s release.
Meanwhile, tracks like “Do You Have A Destination”” and “Friendly Hallucinations” give a glimpse into the life of Miller as he adjusted to superstardom and how it often sent him tumbling into fits of anxiety. But more than anything, the standout aspect of the album is how, even years after the songs were made, Miller’s music relates to his fans and how it makes them feel.
Hearing Mac Miller’s voice on a new album actually made me tear up. Literal chills
— pete (@peteyburn) January 17, 2025
“This Mac Miller album is sounding like he came back from the dead and recorded this last year. He was really that ahead of his time, wasn’t he,” one fan tweeted.
“Balloonerism takes the meaning of a ‘posthumous release’ to another level for me Mac so vulnerably questions his purpose in life & what happens after death whilst evidently being at his lowest on the project… it’s so eerie but so beautiful at the same time,” said another.
Miller’s artistry and willingness to be publicly introspective were what made him a superstar in the first place. Even in death, those elements shine through in his music. And it’s clear to see the impact he has still has on fans.