A Performance of Remembrance
How a NPR performance accentuates the talent of a dead Pittsburgh rapper
On August 6, 2018, Mac Miller, his close friend Thundercat, and crew filed in to a small office space to record a concert for NPR’s Tiny Desk series. Unbeknown to most, this would be one of the last Mac performances on this earth. Exactly one month and 2 days after the performance, Mac died from an “accidental overdose” and was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home. Following this, people flocked to the internet to explore his music and watch his recent performances and interviews.
The newfound attention caused this particular Tiny Desk Concert to be the second most popular out of the series, which now has 59 million views on YouTube as of March 2021. The appeal stems partially from the intimacy of the Tiny Desk stage. Fans get an upclose glimpse of Mac Miller just a month before his untimely passing.
According to Nielsen Music, Millers streams increased 970% the day after his death. It isn’t abnormal for an artist’s streams after death, but when compared to XXXTentacion’s streams going up 549% the day after death, it seems even more remarkable. These streams are from a combination of his lifelong fans listening to pay tribute to his life and the newcomers discovering his music through tragedy. The same effect happened with concerts and interviews similar to NPR’s concert following the events of August 6.
What truly made this performance stand out to most viewers was the format the concert was conducted in. NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts give a look into an artist’s music in a stripped down version of their traditional music. These acoustic versions are what stands out about Tiny Desk concerts and the appeal that brings people back to the series. While Mac’s concert didn’t differ from his typical musical style as much as most other artists that come on the series, it offered an insight to his personality and emotions both visibly and audibly. You can see the emotions and feelings he’s going through in his face and hear them in his voice and personal anecdotes between songs.
The set of the Tiny Desk Concerts adds an aspect that is unmatched by any other. The background with the cluttered, disorganized bookshelves that’ve been curated through time give an aspect of playfulness. It adds to the feeling that it’s an impromptu performance put together last minute. All of the scenery put together creates an energy around the performance that you can’t find elsewhere.
The concert itself is intimate and has an energy that you can see through the screen. The energy can be seen through these acoustic versions of the tracks he used off of Swimming, as well as through his banter throughout the performance between tracks. Just by watching this Tiny Desk Concert you will instantly be put in a good mood by the power of the lyrics and sound. The concert puts up a beautiful mask of divine talent and emotion despite the pain and emotional distress he’s struggling with beneath it all.
The songs chosen for this Tiny Desk are from his 2018 album, Swimming. It was released a mere 3 days before the filming of this concert. The concert was most likely scheduled for this date to bring more attention and press to his new album. He brought Thundercat along with him to help represent the studio verison of the second song, “What’s the Use.” Thundercat was not only a feature on several of his albums, but a close longtime friend who planned on tagging along on tour with him. His part in the performance shifts the attention away from Mac and onto how the duo interact together while performing.
The lyrics in the songs selected have deep meanings and don’t resemble most popular rap today. Mac has always been very open in his music and in interviews about his mental health issues and drug use. In his song “2009,” he says, “I was digging me a hole big enough to bury my soul.” The lyric can be interpreted in different ways, but shows how open he is about his emotions and mental health struggles in his life. This is just one of the examples of his bleak issues that he struggles with, and is a mild one compared to other lyrics of his.
In “2009,” the chorus starts off with the lyrics, “I don’t need to lie no more, nowadays all I do is shine, take a breath and ease my mind”. Most people interpret this with his drug use. He also says, “and sometimes, sometimes I wish I took a simpler route instead of havin’ demons that’s as big as my house.” His demons are his drug use and how he’s so far down the rabbit hole he can’t come back. To him, drugs are a form of happiness that have led him down a path to addiction. This openness in his lyrics lets us hear his struggles and challenges.
Despite the dark meanings behind his lyrics, the performance showcases Mac’s creativity, style, and talent in a unique environment. If you haven’t watched it and want to get insight on Mac Miller and who he was before his untimely death this is a great video to watch. NPR did a great job at capturing and preserving his authenticity a month before his death. These aspects combined with recording date are reasons this interview is so popular, and will only continue to grow in popularity.
