By Mac Miller fans all over the world rejoiced as they heard the news that Mac’s cult classic mixtape ‘Faces’ was finally coming to streaming services after seven plus long years since its original release.
‘Faces’ is a very significant moment in Mac’s discography. It may just be his most vulnerable project ever. He reflects on his drug addiction and anxiety all over the project. In the intro, he even states that he’s surprised he’s still alive after all of his drug use.
Relistening to this mixtape since Mac’s unfortunate passing gives you a different feeling. For years he was an open book about his struggles but sadly couldn’t defeat his demons. Nevertheless, while he was on this earth, he didn’t let his troubles stop him from achieving his dreams and making his family proud. On ‘Here We Go’ he demands his flowers having attained all his success without the famous Drake feature stimulus package.
On a project with such dark content, Mac finds a way to brighten it up a little with excellent rhyme schemes and perfect features to boost the mood when needed. From a pure rapping standpoint, ‘Faces’ is easily one of Mac’s greatest ever projects. The way he puts words together on it is just different.
The psychedelic production enables Mac to create an aura that has you in a chokehold and doesn’t let go until the final curtain call. In some songs, Mac gets a little deeper and illustrates his awareness at knowing he shouldn’t be living how he is, but that he doesn’t know a way out of it. It’s like he was living life in a trapped mental maze.
Mac makes it clear all over the mixtape that he didn’t expect to live long. On ‘Malibu’ he raps, “I’m recording like I’ll die tomorrow. At the rate I’m getting high, it’ll be hard for me to find tomorrow.” These words hit you hard. However, Mac was hell-bent on living life to the fullest while he was still here. He never wanted anyone to see the pain he was going through, and instead would even put a smile on his face and be the shining light for others while he was in a dark place.
‘Faces’ has some of Mac’s best work on it, like ‘Diablo’, ‘Insomniak’ featuring Rick Ross, and ‘Rain’ featuring Vince Staples. The rapping in these songs is quite simply flawless. Nonetheless, ‘Faces’ is much more than just rap music. It’s an uncut, real look into the life of the extraordinarily talented man that is Malcolm James McCormick.
Mac may be gone now, but he will never be forgotten, and he will forever remain in our hearts. He will live on through his incredible discography, which has a song for every single mood you’re in. Thanks for everything Mac, we love and appreciate you.
Pass The Aux 