But Miller used this fame to help several black artists who would not get similar looks (or similar checks) until years later. Miller was very aware of how his whiteness and carefree rhymes made him an easy fit for booking agents and college shows, as he discussed with The Fader in 2015. This live version of “BDE” comes from 2013’s Space Migration Tour, which featured then little known funk band The Internet as Miller’s backing band.
Many artists have already commemorated Miller for his positive vibes on and off the mic, but an often overlooked part of Miller’s legacy is the way he used his fame to promote artists on the come up who didn’t have the same advantages he had.
“BDE,” an end album reprise of the tape’s title track became a crowd favorite at live shows and a sleeper hit behind the tape’s official single, “Donald Trump.” After the success of his breakout tape K.I.D.S., “BDE” served as a testament to Miller’s assured state of optimism, revelling in his first major success, not jaded in the slightest and still itching for more: “And I ain’t gonna wait for nothing, ‘cause that just ain’t my style / Life couldn’t get better.” Miller was just 19 in 2011 when he released his second mixtape, Best Day Ever.
There’s a part of Mac Miller’s legacy that will always rest in the bright-eyed positivity of his youth. “BDE (Best Day Ever) – Live” – Live From Space (2013) The breadth of emotion captured in Miller’s discography is seemingly boundless, but the following four songs in particular captured vital parts of his legacy. He was an imperfect model of perseverance and growth and a case study for how an artist can turn problematic fame into responsible stewardship of music.
Miller wasn’t merely a rapper of our generation, he was a lesson for it. Through the past decade, his music contained wry humor, drugged-out fantasy and painful reflection, sometimes all at once. From his first mixtapes in 2009 until just last week, late teens and 20-somethings have watched Mac grow from a middle school frat rap sensation into a dedicated connoisseur of hip-hop with a passion for experimentation, jazz and introspection. To read more about Mac Miller’s personal journey, click here.
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