Since rapper Mac Miller’s sad passing in 2018, his estate have been slowly releasing his music on to streaming services. On Friday, his sixth mixtape, I Love Life, Thank You, was re-released to Spotify, Apple Music and other digital music platforms for fans to enjoy.
I Love Life, Thank You
The official mixtape was originally released in 2011 as a free mixtape. It served as a holding project in between his breakout Best Day Ever and the debut album which brought him much of his fame, Blue Slide Park. His estate have also recently brought Faces and K.I.D.S. to streaming services. This ensures that fans can listen to them legally without streaming them without his family’s permission.
The mixtape features 13 tracks, with collaborations from artists such as Sir Michael Rocks and Bun B. One song from the mixtape, ‘Love Lost’, samples 2000s band The Temper Trap, and has become popular on TikTok in recent months. Mac had 13 mixtapes in his discography, with this release marking the fifth to reach digital streaming platforms.
Career
Mac Miller began his career aged 15 in Pittsburgh, releasing hip-hop music. Starting his musical journey in 2007, he was self-taught in a number of instruments including drums and, by 2010, he was named 21 & Under of the Year at the Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards. In November 2011, Blue Slide Park was released to critical acclaim, reaching number one on the Billboard 200. With songs such as ‘Missed Calls’ and ‘Party on Fifth Ave’, the album amassed a large fan base. The title of the album references a park in Pittsburgh which has become a site of memorial and remembrance for the late rapper.
Legacy
In September 2018, the artist sadly passed away aged 26 following an accidental overdose. On May 17 2022, drug dealer Stephen Walter was sentenced to 17 and a half years in jail for his role in Mac’s untimely passing. In October 2018, a tribute concert was held in Los Angeles, with proceeds going to the Mac Miller Circles Fund which supports youth arts projects in his memory. Between 2016 and May of 2018, he had been in a relationship with singer Ariana Grande and had collaborated with her on her song ‘The Way’.
In June of 2019, his estate began approving posthumous releases of his music, including a single with Australian artist Sia and the album Circles, which he had been working on before his death and was about to begin touring. Its single, ‘Good News’, became his highest-charting song as a lead artist, peaking at number 17 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Many of his albums were recorded at I.D. Labs in Pittsburgh, where artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr has recently unveiled a new mural of the rapper, chiefly honouring the brief but incredibly prolific career of the artist, and providing a space for fans to remember him. A much-loved musician, the release of this mixtape has come as good news for many of his fans hoping to connect with his music. The album was quietly released on Friday 22 July and is available to listen to on all music streaming services.