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Malcolm McCormick, better recognized by his name Mac Miller, should always be considered to be an incredibly influential musician. His music inspired millions of people and will continue to be appreciated for the foreseeable future. But you may find yourself wanting now more than ever to learn about the kind of person he was. Which is excellent news for you that you have come across this list because we are going to dive deep into the life of Mac Miller. And in the process, come away with some of the best things that I am sure he is going to be remembered by.
Miller gave many insightful interviews in the past with publications such as Rolling Stone that will be used to help frame some of the entries, and in doing so, will also hopefully make you feel closer to who Miller was as a person. Included is also the touching tribute that was recently posted by Miller's family. You'll also hear in Miller's words what his thoughts were on the ending of his relationship with Ariana Grande, as well as what he had to say about the fact that she started dating (and then got engaged) to Pete Davidson shortly after they ended things.
But above all else, you'll learn more about Miller and what drove him in life. What he was doing in the lead up to his fateful end and what lessons he hopes you are able to still take from his music. So load up some of your favorite Miller songs and get ready to understand and appreciate him in a whole new light as you look back at the 20 Things Fans Will Remember About Mac Miller.
He Wrote Music For Him, Not His Fans
Mac Miller would definitely have said that he was appreciative of all the amazing support that he had from his fans. But at the end of the day, he realized that when it came to producing the music that meant the most to him, that it was not his fanbase that he should be listening to for advice, but himself,
"I used to just think about what my fans wanted all the time. But it just started feeling weird to me. I want to just show everyone who I am and stick to my vision. I have to trust myself."
(Source: BrainyQuote)
Music Never Left Him Bored
There is a large variety when it comes to the different styles of music that Mac Miller was able to create. Which means it may also not come as a surprise to you that Mac Miller once revealed how music had never left him bored,
"It never gets boring for me because there's so many different things to explore in the studio. The studio's become the sanctuary that people have come in and found new things out about themselves, as weird as that sounds. But it's true, I'm no different. I've made some crazy hard records, and I've made a jazz album."
(Source: BrainyQuote)
He Had Issues With Being Famous
Mac Miller may have always wanted to be an accomplished musician, but the life of being a celebrity is not one that is necessarily easy. Mac Miller talked about some of the anxiety he used to feel when it came to being famous in a past interview, saying
"Being famous used to just defeat me. I wouldn't leave my house because I was worried about someone being like, 'Oh, are you Mac Miller?' and then the rest of the night I couldn't be myself."
You can understand why people always recognizing him must have made him feel like he was always being watched.
(Source: BrainyQuote)
He Encouraged People To Share Their Thoughts
Mac Miller knew that nothing was more important than people being able to feel encouraged to share their opinion, even if it is something that may come off as being a little bit extreme. In an interview with NPR, Miller stated,
"Everyone I think now feels like their voice means something or they wouldn't be putting it everywhere. People put their voice everywhere. All through Instagram comments. As minuscule and kind of stupid as that is, at the same time, it's dope. People really feel like, "I have to say something," which is sometimes a little much, but like, "Go ahead, man. Speak away."
(Source: NPR)
His Relationship With Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande and Mac Miller first crossed paths when they worked together on the song "The Way" for Grande's album. It wasn't a relationship that started right away, but the sparks were definitely there,
"I met him when I was 19. We have loved and adored and respected each other since the beginning, since before we even met, just because we were fans of each other's talent. We weren't ready at all, though, to be together. It's just timing. We both needed to experience some things, but the love has been there the whole time," said Grande to Billboard.
The two did end up dating from August 2016 until May 2018.
He Started Rapping At The Age of 14 Under The Name EZ Mac
As you sit back and find yourself listening to some of the best work out of Mac Miller, you may find yourself wondering how this whole thing got started for Miller. As while Mac Miller was the name that ended up making him famous, when he was just making a name for himself at the age of 14, he decided instead to go with the name of EZ Mac. Which, to be fair, is a pretty awesome name as well! Though considering the success that he later found in his career, nobody can question his decision to switch up his moniker.
(Source: Wiki)
What His Hopes Are For His Music
When it comes to Mac Miller's music, the level of attachment you have to it may depend on the memories you have from when you listened to him. But if you wonder what Miller's overall hope for his music was, he mentioned it in a past interview,
“My ideology was, if I just make very happy music, very happy music, then people will forget about whatever their problems are. I will forget about my problems.”
I am sure there are millions of people who are listening to Mac Miller in memory of him and hopefully in the process, also helping get a break from their other issues.
(Source: BrainyQuote)
He Was Working Out Every Day
You need to be making sure that if there are things in your life that you know will be beneficial for your mental health, that you are doing what you can to implement those behaviors. Especially because sometimes the positive impact of them will be something that comes once you realize you have built a successful habit. For Mac Miller, one of the best things he was doing for his health was making sure that he was working out on a regular basis, as was revealed to Rolling Stone,
“It’s good for the chemicals in your brain. It puts my mind in the proper place to start the day”
(Source: RollingStone)
He Didn’t Let Tabloids Get Him Down
There is another entry on our list that talks about Christian Clancy, who was Mac Miller's manager, and the role that he had. But one thing that helped Clancy out is that Miller would do his best to not get bothered by what tabloid reporters would write about him,
“When you actually go out into the world and you get a lot of love from people you realize how little that **** actually matters, I’ve been in the tabloids so much randomly recently that I’ve realized that I just don’t care what people think of me. Why stress things that you can’t control?”
(Source: Complex)
His Last Album Was The Best So Far With Critics
I am not going to sit here and name names, but there are definitely some musicians in the industry that are getting the perception that their best days are long behind them. And while kudos to them for trying, their efforts may just be doing more harm than good. But that definitely was not the case with Mac Miller, whose previous albums were already fantastic, but he had turned it up to a whole new level with "Swimming". The album came out in August and ended up getting as high as #3 on the Billboard 200. Critics (and fans) love the album, including Mosi Reeves who writes for the Rolling Stone and described it as the most impactful album of his career.
(Source: Wiki)
He Took Time for Himself After The Breakup With Grande
When Mac Miller and Ariana Grande's relationship came to an end, Miller knew what the most important thing to do was for himself. And for him, it was making sure he could avoid the tabloid attention and focus on something else,
"I was getting my bearings, figuring out how to move. So I didn’t feel like I owed anyone an answer. No one’s entitled to anything. Would I rather that no one said anything and life just moved on normally? Of course. But you know what? I’m OK with that. I really am. I know what actually happened in reality, and that’s enough for me."
(Source: RollingStone)
His Manager Christian Clancy Tried To Shield Him From Criticism
There is no question that there are millions of people out there who love Mac Miller's music, just like there are also millions of people out there who don't like it. When it came to the level of criticism that would sometimes come his way, it was the responsibility of his manager Christian Clancy to try and help Miller out. When talking to RollingStone earlier this year, Clancy admitted,
“Trying to protect him from all of that stuff is part of the gig. That’s part’s not easy.”
I am sure Clancy did the best that he could though and hopefully feels proud of his efforts to help.
(Source: RollingStone)
He Had No Plans To Start Dating Anytime Soon
If you end your relationship and happen to go out and find someone that you connect with on a deep level, there is nothing wrong with going and embracing that feeling; provided that you feel you have healed from your last breakup. But when it came to Mac Miller and his breakup from Ariana Grande, he definitely had no intention of going out and becoming steady with another woman, even if Grande didn't mind finding herself a man,
“Hell no! Bro, I’m not about to be in another relationship. I’m chilling. I can barely take care of my dog," said Miller to Rolling Stone.
(Source: RollingStone)
He Was Amazing While On Tour
It is definitely a fantastic experience when you can sit back and listen to some of Mac Miller's best music. But if you had the experience to go and see him in concert, I am sure that is an experience that you would not soon forget and were probably thinking about once you heard the news. Miller's talents allowed him to travel all over the world and as a result, helped further a legacy that will stand the test of time. It is reported that Miller went out on 7 different tours over the course of his career.
(Source: Wiki)
He Started His Own Record Company
If you wanted to sit here and make an argument about how Mac Miller is not a talented individual, I'm sure you would have many people out there who would love to argue with you. Especially because Mac Miller took his passion for the world of music to something beyond just the record booth, as he started his own recording company by the name of REMember Music in 2013. Through this effort, he was able to put out several projects including a mixtape that he put out using the alias Delusional Thomas, that was perhaps appropriately named, "Delusional Thomas".
(Source: Wiki)
He Used To Be Really Into Sports Before Hip-Hop
If you are going to be able to make it in the music industry, especially to the level of success that Mac Miller attained, you definitely are going to need to make it a top priority in your life. In a past interview, Miller admitted that prior to hip-hop coming into his life that there were other things that he was passionate about,
"Once I hit 15, I got real serious about it and it changed my life completely ... I used to be into sports, play all the sports, go to all the high school parties. But once I found out hip-hop is almost like a job, that's all I did."
(Source: Wiki)
He Loved To Sing
It is true that you are often going to be your worst critic, and that may be especially paramount when you are in an entertainment field like music. Mac Miller felt that when it comes to his many talents, that his singing voice was not one that people may immediately go to highlight.
"I’ve always wanted to sing. I don’t think I have a great voice, but I just think that I get the emotion. It’s very authentic. Whatever emotion I’m feeling, I can sing it and you can feel it."
Though I'm sure Miller is just being too hard on himself!
(Source: BrainyQuote)
He Was a Self-Taught Musician Of Several Instruments
When you sit back and listen to some of your favorite Mac Miller songs you may start thinking that this man was clearly just a natural when it comes to the world of music. But make no mistake about it, Miller definitely worked hard to get to the place that he made it in life. This includes the fact that when it came to him learning how to play several instruments, such as the drums, guitar, bass, and piano, the only teacher that he had was himself! I'm sure the fact that he was self-taught made his success feel all the more earned.
(Source: Wiki)
He Wasn’t Upset About Grande’s Engagement
Many people out there are going to be looking towards the engagement of Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande as one of the reasons as to why Mac Miller may have been struggling as of late. But according to Miller, who is as good a source as you will ever get, he did not have issues with Pete and Ariana's relationship (and quick engagement)
“I’ve cared about her for a long time as a person. I am genuinely happy that that’s how she moved. That’s good for her. Go, go, keep going! As she should. I’m just being real. That’s good. Now I have space for me. And that’s great too.”
(Source: RollingStone)
His Family’s Message
Mac Miller's fanbase has definitely been shocked at the recent news, but that shock is perhaps nothing in comparison to how Miller's close friends and family must be feeling. His family released an official statement saying,
"He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends, and fans. Thank you for your prayers. Please respect our privacy.'"
You need to hope that those who require it will be able to receive what they need to help assist them during this tough time.
(Source: DailyMail)