Music fans continue to mourn the loss of Mac Miller, but they are more concerned with celebrating his legacy and the great work that he left us with. While he’s no longer around to share that love and passion with fans, it seems like they will get more chances to spread them in his name. Moreover, this is because of a new teaser that played during the first day of Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium (Saturday, November 16). In between Sampha and The Alchemist’s sets at the “Gnaw” stage, a teaser with various colorful visuals of anthropomorphic animals played on the screens, playing the previously leaked “5 Dollar Pony Rides” track from “The Quest” creative.
At the end, a title card simply read “Soon” as a balloon depicting Mac Miller’s face in an abstract, George Condo-esque way rose up. As such, fans are very excited about the possibility that Mac’s long-lost and unreleased album Balloonerism could be officially coming out as a posthumous release. The album was recorded in between Watching Movies With The Sound Off and Faces between 2013 and 2014, with some leaked tracks and associated songs landing on the latter project.
In addition, E. Dan of ID Labs posted and then deleted some comments about Mac Miller’s Balloonerism. Basically, he said that the whole thing comes from a week of studio jam sessions and that Mac eventually moved onto Faces, taking a few tracks with him. Over the years, many songs from this era leaked online, and fans are very eager to hear what could arrive. Of course, maybe we’re all just misinterpreting this clip with no release date or official statement to work with, but it seems pretty reasonable. There could also be more unreleased music on the way from the Pittsburgh legend…
However, it’s important to note that some fans will understandably always be skeptical when it comes to posthumous releases. Fortunately, it seems like Mac Miller’s estate, loved ones, and fans assumed that responsibility with the utmost care and respect, so hopefully Balloonerism follows suit. He continues to resonate with massive audiences, and we can’t wait to celebrate his life again.
Furthermore, fans got a few special surprises on Watching Movies‘ tenth anniversary repackaging. The most obvious of these is an original version of the opening track “The Star Room,” featuring a different instrumental using the same sample as the version that Mac Miller released first. In addition, Ear Sweatshirt graces the track with a brief but fitting vocal appearance. What’s more is that the vinyl edition contains an exclusive bonus track called “The Quest.”
Also, in relation to Mac Miller’s enduring catalog, the I Love Life, Thank You artist has some more releases on the way. For example, there’s his highly anticipated and mythical collaborative project with the legendary producer Madlib. Maclib was thought to be just the stuff of legend, with the beatmaker himself initially suggesting that it wouldn’t happen. Most recently, though, he said that he was “finishing up” the tape, so hopefully it’s an amazing testament to Mac.
Meanwhile, during our interview with him, Lil Xan spoke on the late great’s impact. “The cr*zy thing about Mac is he unknowingly- millions of kids he’s affected,” Xan stated. “I mean millions of people he’s affected, obviously, in a positive way with his music. But, from 2009, man, his music has just helped me in every situation that I’ve been in in life.” On that note, stay up to date on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Mac Miller.
On June 18, 2013, Mac Miller released his second studio album, and the one that arguably marked his first major mainstream evolution as an artist. Of course, true fans will credit earlier projects like Macadelic with that achievement, but for many, Watching Movies With The Sound Off was the Pittsburgh MC’s true next step. Moreover, those who love his music or just respect him as a one-of-a-kind artist celebrated the album’s tenth anniversary online. Now, they have another way to fully celebrate this landmark LP, with his estate and Rostrum Records releasing a special edition of Watching Movies for its tenth birthday. Still, there’s few edits and tweaks to make to an album that was already beloved on impact.
First, let’s start with what’s new on Watching Moves With The Sound Off‘s tenth anniversary edition. The original version of the tone-setting album opener, “The Star Room,” appears at the end of the album’s tracklist (including bonus songs). On it, the most notable difference is the different vocal takes and the different interpretation of the beat. In comparison to the version released in 2013, the instrumental and sample flip is much moodier and more meditative for Mac Miller’s flow to ride.
Mac Miller’s Watching Movies 10th Anniversary Edition’s OG Version Of “The Star Room”
In addition, Mac’s alternate persona Delusional Thomas doesn’t appear on the OG version of “The Star Room,” a character represented by the more high-pitched vocals. Also, the original recording features some brief words from Earl Sweatshirt, which are a subtle but welcome addition, especially considering that their collab “I’m Not Real” appears shortly after in the tracklist. Finally, the special edition’s vinyl (which you can find here) contains an exclusive track from Mac Miller titled “The Quest.” Other than that, it’s the same Watching Movies you know and love from the late legend.
Meanwhile, the artist’s posthumous catalog remains respectfully limited outside of album reissues, although Madlib recently said that Maclib is coming soon. As such, there will be much more Mac to celebrate, whether for his unearthed gems or his forever enduring catalog. On that note, you can find Watching Movies With The Sound Off‘s 10th anniversary edition on your preferred streaming service. For more great music and the latest Mac Miller news, stay posted on HNHH.
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of Mac Miller’s second studio album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off. His sophomore album arrived on June 18, 2013 — the same day as Kanye West’s Yeezus and J. Cole’s Born Sinner — via Rostrum Records. Watching Movies with the Sound Off followed Mac Miller’s 2012 mixtape, Macadelic, an effort that saw him branching out from the sounds of his debut album, Blue Slide Park. Watching Movies With The Sound Off continued to move further away from his debutbothstylistically and artistically.
His debut album was an introduction to Mac Miller without a guest feature attached to the tracklist. However, Watching Movies with the Sound Off had a stacked guest list of talented artists, including Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, Niki Randa, Action Bronson, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Electronica, and Tyler, The Creator. Meanwhile, he tapped a star-roster of producers to flesh out the sound of the project, such as Earl Sweatshirt, Flying Lotus, Clams Casino, ID Labs, Pharrell, The Alchemist, Sap, Diplo, and Mac Miller himself. Watching Movies with the Sound Off was its very own world with an array of renowned artists tapping into a sound that Mac Miller had not previously explored. Today, we’re looking back at Mac Miller’s Watching Movies with the Sound Off for its 10th anniversary.
Watching Movies With The Sound Off marked a clear departure from both Blue Slide Park and Macadelic. Both projectsincluded party-ready songs with slick punchlines that showcased Mac Miller’s charisma. Still, Macadelic specifically saw Mac branching out and trying out different styles, making both festival-approved bangers and vulnerable songs that emphasized melody. But, compared to his previous work, Mac Miller’s artistic risks in Watching Movies With The Sound Off paid off tenfold. The low and high-pitched vocals on songs like “The Star Room,” “I’m Not Real,” and “Gees” provided psychedelic textures to the album’s production. These artistic decisions throughout the effort made for Mac Miller’s best work at the time. Sadly, the album revealed more about Mac Miller’s complicated relationship with drugs that led to his passing in 2018.
In Watching Movies With The Sound Off, Mac Miller leaned further into experimenting with his rap style, songwriting, and song choices. Many of the records dived into personal matters, some of which learned into the grim territory. However, Mac still provided his signature wit and humor in his rapping, with energetic songs like “Watching Movies” and “Goosebumpz.” The melody-driven tracks like “Objects in the Mirror” and “REMember” made for some of his most emotionally transparent tracks at the time.
Watching Movies With The Sound Off was eclectic in lyrical content, style, and production and the collaborations reflected that. The features from Mac Miller’s rap peers may have seemed unexpected on paper, but the execution paired perfectly with the overall direction of the project. He goofs around with Ab-Soul, Tyler, The Creator, and ScHoolboy Q, flexes his bars with Action Bronson, and gets esoteric with Jay Electronica. Furthermore, the production choices felt like a breath of fresh air for Mac Miller, whether it was choppy grooves from Flying Lotus and Clams Casino or the ethereal production from ID Labs and AdoTheGod. While many producers and featured artists helped Mac Miller execute his vision, he was still the star of the show.
Watching Movies with the Sound Off was a significant turning point in Mac Miller’s career, especially after he started producing under the name Larry Fisherman. He solely produced multiple album highlights such as “Avian” and “Aquarium.” The talent of Mac Miller as a new producer was quite remarkable. He would produce an instrumental EP and an entire Vince Staples mixtape that same year, as well as being more involved in the production of future releases like Faces and Swimming.
Watching Movies with the Sound Off proved to be a pivotal moment in Mac Miller’s career. However, it also paved the way for Mac Miller’s future releases. He would dive deeper into the quirkiness and depressed lyrics of Watching Movies on the Faces mixtape, which he produced the majority of. His third studio album, GO:OD AM contained the energy of songs like “Matches,” and even included a sequel to the song. Both GO:OD AM and The Divine Feminine also consisted of a multitude of love songs that expanded on records like “Youforia.“ The Divine Feminine went even further, making love and passion its main themes. Mac’s affinity for melody shined on Watching Movies With The Sound Off but it also made for standout moments on Swimming, which was also very emotionally vulnerable.
Watching Movies with the Sound Off was a major step for Mac Miller’s career and development as an artist. Compared to his previous works, the album showed growth for Mac Miller both as a rapper and as a producer. His willingness to experiment and take risks with the album allowed him to showcase his versatility on future albums.
Mac Miller’s Watching Movies With The Sound Off just turned 10 years old on Sunday (June 18), and fans everywhere are celebrating the album’s highlights, impact, and its overall place in the Pittsburgh MC’s career. For many, this is the album that truly launched him into the mainstream of rap, with more versatile hits and clear growth from the early phases of his career. What’s more is that Mac shared its release date with Kanye West’s Yeezus and J. Cole’s Born Sinner. Moreover, it was quite the stacked release day, and Watching Movies still holds up against those bodies of work.
Furthermore, the album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 (interestingly enough, the aforementioned rap projects were 1 and 2). It sold 102K copies in its first week and, as of writing this article, is certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). On social media platforms like Twitter, fans have been reposting live performances, their favorite tracks (any “Matches fans out there?), and much more about Mac Miller and his 2013 album. With more posthumous releases to come, there will surely be much more Mac to celebrate in the future.
For example, Madlib recently revealed that he’s almost done with their mythical and highly anticipated project, Maclib. “Right now, I’m finishing up the Mac Miller album, Planet Asia album, Erykah Badu album, different stuff,” he told Sway. While he remarked that there were no plans to release the team-up in the months after his passing, he recently remarked that his family green-lit its arrival. Given just how much fans have been expressing excitement for it since news first broke of its potential existence in 2019, this is incredibly exciting news.
Meanwhile, other albums from the “Hand Me Downs” artist’s discography have seen quite a lot of spins since he tragically left us in 2018. His last album before that, Swimming, recently received double-platinum certification by the RIAA. But back to Watching Movies, what are your favorite tracks and moments from the album, or from that era of his career. Let us know in the comments down below and join us in celebrating a legend. For more news and the latest updates on Mac Miller, stick around on HNHH. Rest In Peace Mac Miller.
While some rappers unfortunately did not live to see the full fruits of their labor, they live on through their music, fandoms, and family. An old video of a very young Mac Miller spitting a freestyle on a bus recently resurfaced on the Internet. Moreover, it’s incredibly heartwarming to see the late artist having fun with his colleagues. In fact, there’s not even a beat, just one of Mac’s friends beatboxing. Also, you can tell this is incredibly early into his artistic journey, as he’s still got a full head of hair and an even more youthful demeanor than what he broke onto the scene with.
“I ain’t God, but you can call me Hova,” the Pittsburgh legend raps in the new clip. “In the Ranger Rover, never sober, I don’t even know ’cause you know I am a flower.” It’s a short but sweet reminder of Miller’s early style and the fun-loving attitude he brought into even his most pained music. Since his tragic passing in 2018, many fans noticed the deeper themes behind his spunkiest material. While projects like Swimming and Circles certainly wore them on its sleeve, this video shows Mac still finding his voice before looking inward.
Regardless, it’s a treat for fans to see. Fans and fellow musicians alike continue to celebrate his legacy, positive impact, and definitive artistic voice. For example, Earl Sweatshirt took to Twitter to express that he misses Mac a couple of months ago. Even with some posthumous releases giving fans new ways to appreciate the artist, his energy and presence feels irreplaceable. Earl’s tweet prompted many to remember some of the collaborators’ best work, as other tribute moments call us back to our favorite Mac moments.
Meanwhile, other artists have spoken on how his vocal struggles with addiction and strides to turn his life around inspired them. Whether it’s French Montana or Demi Lovato, the late 26-year-old touched many hearts in the industry with his experiences. After they resulted in tragedy, his memory and journey became just as crucial to discuss as the issues he was tackling head-on. Check out the freestyle above and let us know your favorite Mac Miller, song, album, or moment in the comments.
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