Pittsburgh rapper Malcolm “Mac Miller” McCormick has amassed quite the following in his short but skyrocketing career. With YouTube hits approaching a total of nearly 100 Million views, a million-plus followers on Twitter and a fast growing Facebook fan page, the 19-year-old is proof positive that social media plays an important part in gathering a supportive fan base. Mac Miller had racked up a faithful fanbase and followers in the millions before most industry execs even caught on. Before releasing his debut album “Blue Slide Park”, Mac Miller laid the groundwork with sold-out shows and a heavy mixtape grind. Following the release on November 8, Mac Miller's Blue Slide Park had debuted at the top of the charts with Soundscan reporting 76% of his total 144,487 sales last week were through online retailers. The album, which serves as his Rostrum Records debut, was initially expected to sell only 100,000 units, putting him in a higher bracket than anticipated. Blue Slide Park is the first independent debut album to take the top spot on the chart in 15 years. The last independent debut album to reach #1 in the first week of release was the album Dogg Food in 1995, by Tha Dogg Pound. Mac Miller is signed to Pittsburgh indie label Rostrum Records, home to fellow native Wiz Khalifa.
Things have changed for Mac Miller in recent years, but on his debut album, the 19-year-old spitter holds on to his humble beginnings for dear life. Blue Slide Park, which is named after Miller's favorite childhood hangout, is a homegrown compilation of dope from a youngster whose rap appeal stretches way beyond his native Pittsburgh borders. The question is, how much further will independently released Blue Slide Park,take the MC? The title track echoes a similar sentiment, though it's more upbeat. Over the ID Labs-produced song, Mac turns up his b-boy swag, reminding listeners of his flawless flow, growing bank account and vast array of groupies. Even with all of his boasts, however, there are moments of regret. "Louis shoes, Polo socks, some name-brand dumb sh--/ Logos never make the man, but I'm still blowin' thousands on it," he spits. Fame has also taken a toll on Mac's love life, and on "Missed Calls," things get more drastic. "Didn't think I would lose you once I got famous," the rapper breathes heavily with a voice drenched in disappointment.
Blue Slide Park isn't a downer though, just a personalized examination of Mac's ascent, which began with his 2010 breakout mixtape, K.I.D.S. There is much to celebrate as well. The fun-filled "Party on Fifth Ave." samples DJ Mark the 45 King's 1987 hip-hop classic "The 900 Number" and perfectly channels rap's golden era. "My Team" finds Mac paying homage to his Most Dope crew, "Smile Back" is an anti-hater anthem and "Up All Night" is a reckless drinking ode. The rapper's old haunting grounds represent a sense of normalcy, something he so desperately craves these days. "No matter what happens in life, no matter where you go, where you're off to, what happens with the park, that slide will always be blue. That will always be Blue Slide Park no matter what," Miller told MTV News in July. "You can go to New York and live for 10 years and become a huge business mogul and then come back to the 'Burgh and no matter how much money you got, that slide is still blue." The reality is, for Mac Miller there is no turning back, and on Blue Slide Park, he slowly comes to grips with that. On the album's finale, "One Last Thing," he raps repeatedly, "I wanna go back home." Maybe they'll throw him a parade when he gets there.
Mac Miller toured Europe in early September 2011 to promote the album. The United Kingdom leg of The Incredibly Dope Tour ran from September 1 to September 4, making up four dates in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow. The tour also extended to mainland Europe, beginning in Amsterdam on September 6. Two dates in Paris were also announced, as well as Opwijk before Mac's return to the United States to perform at the 2011 edition of Rock the Bells in Boston. Later dates also saw Mac Miller performing in Germany and Scandinavia. Mac Miller's tour of the United States is set to run from September to December 2011. The Blue Slide Park Tour began on September 22, 2011 at the Irving Plaza in Manhattan, New York City. The final date on December 9 will see Miller performing back in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
Visit artists website at www.myspace.com/macmiller.
Pittsburgh rapper Malcolm “Mac Miller” McCormick has amassed quite the following in his short but skyrocketing career. With YouTube hits approaching a total of nearly 100 Million views, a million-plus followers on Twitter and a fast growing Facebook fan page, the 19-year-old is proof positive that social media plays an important part in gathering a supportive fan base. Mac Miller had racked up a faithful fanbase and followers in the millions before most industry execs even caught on. Before releasing his debut album “Blue Slide Park”, Mac Miller laid the groundwork with sold-out shows and a heavy mixtape grind. Following the release on November 8, Mac Miller's Blue Slide Park had debuted at the top of the charts with Soundscan reporting 76% of his total 144,487 sales last week were through online retailers. The album, which serves as his Rostrum Records debut, was initially expected to sell only 100,000 units, putting him in a higher bracket than anticipated. Blue Slide Park is the first independent debut album to take the top spot on the chart in 15 years. The last independent debut album to reach #1 in the first week of release was the album Dogg Food in 1995, by Tha Dogg Pound. Mac Miller is signed to Pittsburgh indie label Rostrum Records, home to fellow native Wiz Khalifa.
Blue Slide Park isn't a downer though, just a personalized examination of Mac's ascent, which began with his 2010 breakout mixtape, K.I.D.S. There is much to celebrate as well. The fun-filled "Party on Fifth Ave." samples DJ Mark the 45 King's 1987 hip-hop classic "The 900 Number" and perfectly channels rap's golden era. "My Team" finds Mac paying homage to his Most Dope crew, "Smile Back" is an anti-hater anthem and "Up All Night" is a reckless drinking ode. The rapper's old haunting grounds represent a sense of normalcy, something he so desperately craves these days. "No matter what happens in life, no matter where you go, where you're off to, what happens with the park, that slide will always be blue. That will always be Blue Slide Park no matter what," Miller told MTV News in July. "You can go to New York and live for 10 years and become a huge business mogul and then come back to the 'Burgh and no matter how much money you got, that slide is still blue." The reality is, for Mac Miller there is no turning back, and on Blue Slide Park, he slowly comes to grips with that. On the album's finale, "One Last Thing," he raps repeatedly, "I wanna go back home." Maybe they'll throw him a parade when he gets there.