Mac Miller’s death on September 7th, 2018 was a tragedy which shocked fans, friends, and family of the rapper. A common debate seen surrounding many other rappers’ deaths sparked the management of his unreleased music. Miller’s team said that unfinished projects will not be released in the foreseeable future, contrary to many other rappers’ management team’s decisions. His older mixtapes, like Faces, previously unavailable for wider consumption, have been getting re-released by his team. Familiar collaborators of Miller, such as Schoolboy Q, Rick Ross, Vince Staples, and Earl Sweatshirt, help make Faces feel like a fun and informative listen about Miller’s life, while perfecting Miller’s older styles.
Paired with an experimental sound, nostalgic of his previous release, Watching Movies With the Sound Off, Miller used the mixtape as a chance to explore his ongoing substance abuse problems. Lyrics like, “[It] was s’posed to get me high, Why the [-] I wanna die now?” from New Faces V2 and lines about illegal drug usage and overdoses on Angel Dust exemplifies the abundance of concerning lyrics littered throughout the album.
Although these lyrics may seem to glorify drug use, much of the album appears to be a warning to his fans. Examples of these warnings include the lines such as,“The good times can be a trap” on Malibu and Miller’s pleading to fans on Angel Dust, when he raps, “Please don’t [mess] with the angel dust”.
His substance abuse is often concealed behind fun wordplay and relaxed beats. Following the circumstances of Miller’s accidental overdose of cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol in 2018, these lyrics become especially troubling. His death served as a wake up call for the rap community, especially after the deaths of other prominent figures like Lil Peep and A$AP Yams.
Some critics described Faces as a “rainy day album”, as the album takes a darker look on life than his previous projects. His adaptations as an artist are apparent from his days of rapping about a more idyllic life on, Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza and Nike’s On My Feet.
Lyrics like, “Lava makin’, so hot I’m turnin’ hog to bacon” on Diablo and “Doing drugs is just a war with boredom but they sure to get me… know I’m worth a fortune, she just want a brand new Porsche or Bentley” on Funeral help to keep the album lighthearted and humorous and help suppress the downtrodden tendencies of instrumentals and lyrics from overpowering the enjoyability of the album.
The mixtape begins with a strong opening and a sentimental celebration of his newfound success on the song Here We Go quickly moving into a cautionary tale about experimenting with recreational drugs on angel dust. With the non-traditional beat heard on Friends, Miller trades 808’s for drums and jazz infused piano, which serves as a perfect introduction for the rest of the album. Faces leaves the mainstream 2014 rap sound behind, opting for a calmer and more instrumental sound.
Standout songs like Insomniak, with Rick Ross and Diablo, include a more traditional and mainstream sound. Even on the less original songs on faces, which are scattered through the mid section of the album, Miller’s individuality as an artist is not sacrificed still including piano on Diablo, with a sample of Duke Ellington’s in A Sentimental Mood.
The album finishes with the familiar sound it started with. More introspective songs include New Faces V2, with his frequent collaborator Earl Sweatshirt, and Rain, with Vince Staples, help keep the end of the album entertaining. Including the bonus track Yeah, the last couple songs are a smooth outro to the end of the album.
Standout tracks on this mixtape make it worth the listen and show you jazz infused rap, unique to Miller. Listening through Faces gives insight into Miller’s life, especially his rough edges. Fun rhymes and well produced beats make this Lp fun to listen to and show Mac’s growth as an artist from his earlier music. Although this project is a view into his life’s troubles, Mac uses it as a victory lap for his newfound fame and success, still boasting that he “did it all without a Drake feature.” Rating: 7.5/10