Most Dope
The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
The first biography of rapper Mac Miller, the Pittsburgh cult-favorite-turned-rap-superstar who touched the lives of millions before tragically passing away at the age of 26.
“Most Dope works as a reminder of Mac’s passion for hip-hop and his gifts as a MC. But the new book from music journalist Paul Cantor absolutely soars as a cautionary tale about drug addiction.” —Esquire
Malcolm James McCormick was born on January 19, 1992. He began making music at a young age, and by 15 was already releasing mixtapes. One of the first true viral superstars, his early records earned him a rabid legion of die-hard fans—as well as a few noteworthy detractors. But despite his undeniable success, Miller was plagued by struggles with substance abuse and depression, which fueled his raw and genre-defying music yet ultimately led to his demise.
Through detailed reporting and interviews with dozens of Miller’s confidants, Paul Cantor brings you to leafy Pittsburgh, seductive Los Angeles, and frenzied New York, where you will meet Miller’s collaborators, producers, business partners, best friends, and even his roommates. Traveling deep into Miller’s inner circle, behind the curtain, the velvet ropes, and studio doors, this is the story of a passionate, gifted young man who achieved his life’s ambition, only to be undone by his personal demons.
Most Dope is part love letter, part cautionary tale, never shying away from the raw, visceral way Mac Miller lived his life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this engrossing debut, journalist Cantor unpacks the complex legacy of Mac Miller (1992–2018), "a rapper who spent his life... explor the space between his own madness and genius." Born Malcolm McCormick in Pittsburgh, Pa., Miller grew up in a house "full of art and music." By his teens, he was rapping at his Jewish summer camp's Shabbat Concerts and, in 2008, he released his first album with his hip-hop group, Ill Spoken. After going solo under the moniker "Mac Miller" (Miller was a family name), his freestyling prowess got him signed to the indie label Rostrum Records. Cantor briskly recounts how this catapulted Miller from Pittsburgh's underground rap scene to becoming an international sensation, before inking a $10-million deal with Warner Bros. in 2015, and releasing "the best album of his career" with 2018's Swimming. While he extols Miller's outsize talents, Cantor also candidly reckons with the rapper's inner demons: his fame, for one, plagued him, and while "his openness about his battle with substance abuse endeared him to many," it was Miller's addiction that led to his fatal accidental overdose. In doing so, Cantor offers a raw look at the struggles that fueled Miller's most enduring creations. Fans won't want to miss this.
Customer Reviews
It gets better
I found this very difficult to get into at first. The book spends a lot of time talking about other artists before finally running through the timeline of Malcom’s life and his work on his albums. Overall, I am glad I stuck with it and read it.