Mac Miller making history with 'Blue Slide Park'

Notoriously known for his social networking and deep appreciation for his fans, 19-year-old emcee Mac Miller is undoubtedly becoming one of the year’s more impressive artists. Though he has been in the game for several years now, his fame started to climb once he dropped his mixtape, K.I.D.S. in 2010. Now he has reached a pivotal point in his career, releasing his debut album, Blue Slide Park, on Nov. 8, which took the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s 200.

What’s most impressive, however, is Miller making history. With the selling of 144,000 copies of his album, he became the first Indie artist to have his debut album hold the No. 1 spot in 16 years.

The album is a mixture of Mac’s different tastes and influences. It features some of Mac’s typical hard-hitting beats in his tracks, “Smile Back,” which has made a debut on the radio recently, and “My Team,” where he talks about all the members of the Mac Miller bandwagon. Some of his other tracks, “Missed Calls” and “Diamonds and Gold,” are easier to listen to with their soft beats and meaningful lyrics.

He also includes some party beats in songs like “Party on Fifth Ave” and “Up All Night” that have no lyrical significance other than sheer enjoyment and to serve as a break from his harder-pressing tracks.

Some are arguing the success of the album, saying that it’s not bad enough to ruin his career but it’s not good enough to jump-start it either. However, what these reviewers fail to see is the Mac successfully delivering to a wide variety of listeners. All of his tracks are directed towards a specific audience, but at the same time, can appease those with another musical preference.

He also demonstrates his ability to connect to his fans, which he has always been able to do, but now he shows his maturity as an artist. He doesn’t put so much emphasis on his laid-back view on life but rather he discusses the issues he faces. This creates a new connection between him and his fans which has the potential to shoot him to the top faster than anyone expected.