Episode #119 | 2.28.23
Mac Miller: Hallucinations, Counterfeit Pills, and a Standoff with the Most Powerful Man in the World
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In this episode
Mac Miller was threatened by the most powerful man in the world. Rejected by some of the most powerful tastemakers in the music industry. Dumped by one of the most popular singers in the universe. He worked tirelessly to overcome these challenges, transforming his art and thus transforming himself. But it wasn’t an easy road. An unexpected backlash to his debut LP led him down some previously unexplored and increasingly dark rabbit holes, where he found not only creative rebirth–but the point of no return.
Sources
Most Dope: The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller, by Paul Cantor
Mac Miller death: Man who dealt rapper fentanyl sentenced to more than 10 years in prison (Fox 11 LA)
A dealer is sentenced to 17.5 years for his role in Mac Miller's fatal overdose (NPR)
Mac Miller’s Alleged Drug Dealer: Breaking Down the Case Against Him (Complex)
Mac Miller's Album "Swimming" Jumps to Top Ten on Billboard (OkayPlayer)
The Perfectionist (Vulture)
Mac Miller Turned to Drugs After 'Blue Slide Park' Criticism (Billboard)
Mac Miller's Last Days and Life After Death (Rolling Stone)
The Tragic Death of Mac Miller, a Musician Who Never Stopped Evolving (The New Yorker)
Mac Miller's Birthday Falls on What Is President Trump's Last Full Day in Office (XXL)
"Memento Mori": The Reminder We All Desperately Need (Daily Stoic)
Mac Miller: Stopped Making Excuses (Fader)
The Sad Story Behind Mac Miller’s Overdose (Vault)
United States of America v. Cameron James Pettit (Justice.gov)
Mac Miller Found Freedom on Faces (Vulture)
The Making of 'Faces,' Mac Miller's Most Crucial Project (GQ)
Disgraceland is a podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. It melds music history, true crime and transgressive fiction. Disgraceland is not journalism. Disgraceland is entertainment. Entertainment inspired by true events. However, certain scenes, characters and names are sometimes fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Credits
Hosted by Jake Brennan.
Written by Zeth Lundy.
Copy editing by James Sullivan.
This episode was mixed by Sean Cahalin.
Score by Jake Brennan.
Mixed and Engineered by Sean Cahalin.
Additional music and score elements by Ryan Spraker.
Additional music services by Bryce Kanzer.
Ad music composed by the late, great Ian Kennedy.
Disgraceland theme song, "Crenshaw Space Boogie" written and produced by Jake Brennan. Performed by Jake Brennan, Bryce Kanzer, Jay Cannava and Evan Kenney. Mixed and engineered by Adam Taylor. Score by Jake Brennan.
*illustrations by Avi Spivak @avispivak