Mac Miller - Balloonerism [REVIEW]

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It has been 7 years since the sudden and tragic death of Pittsburgh rapper/singer Mac Miller and since then the Mac Miller estate has been releasing his older mixtapes and releases on streaming services while also released what work Mac had actually finished such as Circles, which I anticipated to be his last album and it did close off on a sad, but absolutely beautiful note and I would go as far as to say it’s one of my favorite albums of 2020.

Fast forward 5 years later and we now have what seems to officially be his last album, "Balloonerism" that seemed to have been finished, but ultimately not released until now, however it was fully leaked on YouTube before. I never personally listened to the leaks so I dove into this expecting just his usual raps from the "Watching Movies With The Sound Off" era which was around the same year…simple to say, I was blown away by this.

This album was absolutely heartbreaking. A lot of heart and soul was put into the production, especially with the first half of the album with tracks like "5 Dollar Pony Rides" and "Do You Have A Destination?" sounding more happy and positive, but the album then drifts into a more depressing and sad with "Funny Papers" even starting off with lyrics like…

"Yeah, somebody died today, I

I saw his picture in the funny papers

Didn't think anybody died on a Friday"

Mind you, Mac Miller actually died on a Friday, so this lyric from years before his death hits where it hurts even more…and then "Rick’s Piano" hits and I think that’s when the album really crushes the soul with Mac’s depressing lyrics about his sobriety and how Rick Rubin was helping him all under this dark piano beat. The second half of the album is full of emotional lyrics such as asking what does death feel like and much more.

The album ends with "Tomorrow Will Never Know" which I think deserves a review of its own for how haunting and eerie it is as a closer. The production is deeply worrying with Mac rapping about his thoughts and depression and on top of that, the track ends with a repeated phone dial tone and yelling, as if his friends are trying to reach out to Mac, but it’s already too late, making this album end on such a sad, dark note.

That’s all I can describe this album as…it’s a deep, dark, and depressing album that starts off happy and it hurts a lot knowing this album was vaulted for years before his death and hearing it now so many years later is crushing.

A huge thanks to the Mac Miller estate for showing how to respect a late rapper’s legacy in the best way possible. And Rest In Peace to Mac Miller…

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Favorite Tracks

DJ’s Chord Organ

Do You Have A Destination?

5 Dollar Pony Rides

Friendly Hallucinations

Mrs. Deborah Downer

Stoned

Funny Papers

Excelsior

Manakins

Rick’s Piano

Tomorrow Will Never Know

Least Favorite Track

Transformations

Rating: 8/10