Raised in Pittsburgh, Mac latched onto the local rap scene at a young age and was well-known by 15. “I came up in this place called the Shadow Lounge,” Mac says, referring to the Pittsburgh venue that was one of the city’s most important spaces for music and art until its 2013 closure. At the Shadow Lounge, Mac participated in the Rhyme Calisthenics MC Competition, becoming a regular well before he should have been allowed to enter the club. Mac Miller was born Malcolm James McCormick on January 19, 1992. Justin Bridges for Grantland Mac in his New York City apartment. And I hate to say ‘normal,’ but it’s dope to just pack your shit up in a U-Haul with your girl and drive to fucking New York.” I actually feel like this is going to be really good for me.
“I’m geeked to have finally made the full jump. “We just pulled the U-Haul up last night from Pittsburgh,” Mac notes proudly. 1 I continue to scan the apartment, eyes landing at my final destination: Minions slippers, one of which is filled with cash. And just like that, Mac and Nomi adopted a second cat. “Someone gave the cat to us in the Chick-fil-A drive-through. After a few sips, Nomi presents a second pet, this one sassily lying like royalty in a circular cat bed. Mac offers a beer, which I accept even though it’s only 12:35 in the afternoon. On a windowsill a sizable hard drive labeled “Larry,” an allusion to Mac’s producing pseudonym Larry Fisherman, sits next to a Pittsburgh Pirates lighter.
His new apartment, for example, is in complete disarray - two boxes sit in one corner, a flat-screen TV lays flat and unplugged on the floor, duffel bags are unzipped. Mac may be tying up loose ends on GO:OD AM, but not everything in his life is in order. Before departing, Miguel told Mac they should hang out soon, and Mac nervously responded, “ I mean, I’m here but I’m totally down, just hit me, I’m down to go out, I can move shit around it’s not a big deal …” The story ends with Miguel walking out and Mac extending a longing arm in the singer’s direction, quietly - dramatically - whispering, “Miguel, wait.” After the cleanup, Miguel entered the studio, and Mac was instantly entranced by his Prince-like spell before the two worked on a song that eventually would make the album. He covers the entire surface area of the room as he glides through the story, figuratively transporting the audience - which also includes his publicist, as well as Mac’s girlfriend (and high school prom date) Nomi Leasure - into the studio with Miguel. The 23-year-old rapper is a natural storyteller, armed with the charisma of a seasoned stand-up comedian. Mac tells this story in the atrium-like living room of his brand-new apartment in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood.
Hence the yelling about the cleaning up and the incense.
Days passed before Mac received a message from Miguel, and when he did, it said Miguel was on his way to the studio. The next day, the real-life Miguel apologized for the breach, which led to Mac asking the real-life Miguel if he wanted to collaborate on a song for Mac’s upcoming album. It starts with a back-and-forth Twitter DM conversation with the singer, a conversation that almost convinced him to send part of his yet-to-be-finished new album, GO:OD AM, to someone who had hacked Miguel’s Twitter account. Mac Miller is in the throes of his Miguel story.
“Clean this place up! And go find some incense!”