In a blossoming hip-hop hotbed of talent, Malcolm “ Mac Miller” McCormick is next up out of Pittsburgh, PA. A recent graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School, Mac caught the eyes and ears of Rostrum Records, inking a deal in July 2010. A multitalented musician who can play numerous instruments and a young novice of the freestyle/cipher/battle circuit of his hometown, Mac has been paving his way to superstardom in his blue-collar hometown for years.
Born in 1992, Mac taught himself to play piano, drums, guitar, and bass by the age of 6. Then, after learning to compose songs in a variety of musical genres, he began studying the art of rhyme. Influenced by the styles of artists such as Big L, Lauryn Hill, Outkast, and A Tribe Called Quest, Mac soon developed a reputation for delivering jaw-dropping freestyles in Pittsburgh.
Recording his first songs in the Fall of 2007, Mac went on to form a duo called The Ill Spoken. By 2009, Mac began recording solo records. During this time he released “ The Jukebox” and “ The High Life” and began to generate a legitimate buzz in the streets and online.
By of July 2010, Mac’s buzz became undeniable. With a handful of offers on the table, the young phenom decided to sign with independent powerhouse Rostrum Records. In August 2010, Mac released his Rostrum Records debut “ K. I. D. S.” and took the internet and music industry by storm.
The Source Magazine says “ The sky is the limit for this 19 year old Pittsburgh native,” while HipHopDx labeled Mac as “ The Steel City’s next superstar.” Mac was featured on the cover of XXL Magazine’s coveted Top Freshman in January 2011. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says “ Miller’s skillful rhymes, humorous themes and upbeat demeanor are catching the nation by storm.” Complex Magazine calls Miller “ The Steel City’s newest rap posterboy.” while URB Magazine calls Mac “ a young emcee who is the real thing.” Mac’s music is also a mainstay on popular hip-hop sites such as Nahright, 2dopeboyz, Rapradar, TheSmokingSection, Allhiphop, and Illroots.
Mac’s greatest strength though could be his ability to shine in front of the camera. Soon after signing to Rostrum, Miller was thrust onto several national radio shows for interviews and impromptu freestyles, which have now become Youtube viral video classics. To coincide with his debut Rostrum free albums “ K. I. D. S.” and “ Best Day Ever” Mac continued to team up with hometown filmmaker/videographer Rex Arrow Films. Mac’s videos have now surpassed 165 million hits on www. youtube. com/treejtv, including 6 with 15 million plus views a piece. The success of his early street buzz and social media dominance have now transitioned Mac to sold out shows across the world with The Incredibly Dope Tour upstreaming to the internationally sold out Blue Slide Park Tour with almost 200, 000 tickets sold in the past year.
The year 2011 also showcased Mac’s selling potential as his debut Rostrum EP, “ On and On and Beyond,” sold over 60, 000 copies digitally alone. Mac has also sold over a million singles total with little to no radio airplay. His debut LP “ Blue Slide Park” already reached #3 overall on the iTunes Albums Chart just from pre-orders. Look for Mac Miller to be the new face of music in 2011 and beyond.
