Mac Miller’s Long-Shelved ‘Balloonerism’ Album Is Here

Mac Miller’s death in 2018 left a community of fans in mourning and a world yearning to hear more of the rapper’s music. His estate released the posthumous album Circles in 2020, intended as a companion album to his 2018 album Swimming that was released one month before his passing. Now, more than a decade after it was first recorded and five years to the date after Swimming’s release, Miller’s posthumous album Balloonerism is finally here.

Balloonerism dates back to a pivotal time in Miller’s life. It was recorded between the releases of his 2013 album Watching Movies With the Sound Off and 2014 mixtape Faces, both of which were noteworthy at the time as the rapper went a more mature direction with honest explorations of issues like drug addiction and mental illness. Balloonerism is a similarly personal piece of art, with Miller ruminating on relationships on songs like “Stoned” and lead single “5 Dollar Pony Rides” and the draining effects of the industry on tracks like “Do You Have a Destination?” “I gave my life to this s**t, already killed myself / We ain't the same, homie / The world afraid to change, but it changed on me,” he raps candidly. The cover features a painting of Miller by artist Alim Smith—a choice the rapper himself made.

“It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm—to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately [his 2015 album] GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence,” a statement from his estate explained. “We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist. Given that unofficial versions of the album have circulated online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”

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An accompanying short film, Balloonerism: A Film Based On The Album By Mac Miller, is also out now on Prime Video.