Self Care

On the 7th September 2018, Mac Miller (real name Malcom James McCormick) was found dead in his home from a suspected drug overdose. At only 26 years old, Mac Miller had made a significant impact in the lives of hip-hop fans with his lyrics and unique sound. His death has been met with great sadness, celebrities and fans agreeing that an incredible talent has been lost.

“Self Care”, one of the songs off Miller’s last album “Swimming” released in August, and consists of Miller singing about his emotions, particularly in regards to emotions about himself and others. The song consists of lyrics such as “I switched the time zone, but what do I know?”, as well as “Can’t trust no one, can’t even trust yourself, yeah”, which illustrates Miller’s rollercoaster of feelings of not only towards himself but others too. There’s also been talk around the lyrics “And I love you, I don’t love nobody else, yeah”, and to them alluding to his ex Ariana Grande. There’s also been speculation that the song is about his ex and about Miller coming to terms with loving himself without anyone else. Three minutes and twenty seconds into the song, the beat changes from hip hop to a smooth R’n’B vibe, echoing Miller’s more melancholic lyrics such as “we spend our nights all liquored up, our mornings high”, and “we play it cool, we know we f**ked though”, being sincerely honest about his addiction in a very simple way.

The music video is extremely minimalistic but manages to create a generate a large amount of symbolism very easily through simple and few props. The video starts off with Mac Miller boxed in a wooden coffin, seemingly acting very nonchalant as he lights up a cigarette in the oxygen restricted vessel, depicting a feeling of confidence, that he can relax and smoke because he knows he can get out of this coffin. Miller also carves “Memento Mori” into the lid of the coffin with a pocket knife, which translates from Latin to “remember that you have to die”. This could potentially signify that in order for an individual to want to make themselves feel better again they must sink to their lowest to end up at their greatest. Miller emerges from the coffin in a cloud of black smoke and floats around in a white space when the song’s R’n’B beat hits in. He sings about oblivion while drifting around near a pile of black smoke and sand.

Mac Miller’s music has provided so much to those not only suffering with addiction but those who simply love hip hop with his simple yet honest lyrics with upbeat beats. His presence will forever be missed in not only just the hip hop world, but the music world.

Release Date: 12th July 2018

Song Length: 5:45

Songwriter/s: J.I.D, Devonté Hynes, Peter Mudge, ID Labs, Mac Miller & DJ Dahi

Additional Vocals: J.I.D, Devonté Hynes

Album: Swimming (2018)

Record Label: REMember Music

Music Video Release Date: 12th July 2018

Music Video Director: Christian Weber

Chart Rankings: #33 on the Billboard Top 100 in September 2018