In 2010, Mac released K.I.D.S., his fourth mixtape and his breakthrough
project. Short for “kickin’ incredibly dope shit,” K.I.D.S. put his growing
skills as a teenaged MC front and center. His ear for beats reveals a reverence
for golden age boom-bap and an advanced knack for pacing and sequencing.
Laced with samples of dialogue from Larry Clark and Harmony Korine’s
1995 film Kids, K.I.D.S. also represents an early nod towards Mac’s love of
cinema—he made seven music videos to accompany the mixtape. Mac
embarked on his first tour in support of K.I.D.S. and sold out every date.
project. Short for “kickin’ incredibly dope shit,” K.I.D.S. put his growing
skills as a teenaged MC front and center. His ear for beats reveals a reverence
for golden age boom-bap and an advanced knack for pacing and sequencing.
Laced with samples of dialogue from Larry Clark and Harmony Korine’s
1995 film Kids, K.I.D.S. also represents an early nod towards Mac’s love of
cinema—he made seven music videos to accompany the mixtape. Mac
embarked on his first tour in support of K.I.D.S. and sold out every date.
L to R: Best Day Ever release night. Uniontown, PA. Governors Ball, 2011. Photos: Bill Niels. Collage:
Sam
Balaban.
Arriving in early 2011, Best Day Ever extends the energy that propelled
K.I.D.S. These tracks are bouncy and uplifting, unified by Mac’s twisting
flows—it’s evident how much fun he’s having on these tracks. The
production leans a bit spacier, even incorporating a bit of G-funk, hinting
towards his more eclectic impulses that would bloom fully in his later work.
Still just 18, Mac is balancing his burgeoning fame with typical teenage
whims, handling his ascent mostly gracefully, always earnestly—an ode to
his mother with a hook from Phonte is a stand-out. Mac’s then-labelmate
Wiz Khalifa also guests.
K.I.D.S. These tracks are bouncy and uplifting, unified by Mac’s twisting
flows—it’s evident how much fun he’s having on these tracks. The
production leans a bit spacier, even incorporating a bit of G-funk, hinting
towards his more eclectic impulses that would bloom fully in his later work.
Still just 18, Mac is balancing his burgeoning fame with typical teenage
whims, handling his ascent mostly gracefully, always earnestly—an ode to
his mother with a hook from Phonte is a stand-out. Mac’s then-labelmate
Wiz Khalifa also guests.
“Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza” Music Video, 2010, Directed By Rex Arrow
Mac’s second mixtape of 2011 dropped just a few months after Best Day
Ever and was cut from the same cloth: intricate rhymes that temper swagger
with self-awareness, instantly catchy beats that sit just a little left of center. I
Love Life, Thank You’s release celebrated Mac’s one millionth Twitter
follower—seven of its tracks had trickled out over the months prior, marking
similar social media milestones. This was Mac’s first truly global success,
charting throughout Europe and peaking at #22 on the Billboard 200 in the
United States. Through a steady stream of releases and an innate
understanding of how to speak directly to fans in a media landscape
suddenly dominated by social media and YouTube, Mac was building
momentum.
Ever and was cut from the same cloth: intricate rhymes that temper swagger
with self-awareness, instantly catchy beats that sit just a little left of center. I
Love Life, Thank You’s release celebrated Mac’s one millionth Twitter
follower—seven of its tracks had trickled out over the months prior, marking
similar social media milestones. This was Mac’s first truly global success,
charting throughout Europe and peaking at #22 on the Billboard 200 in the
United States. Through a steady stream of releases and an innate
understanding of how to speak directly to fans in a media landscape
suddenly dominated by social media and YouTube, Mac was building
momentum.
