In an era where an artist’s legacy often outlives their time on earth, posthumous albums occupy a bittersweet space. On one hand, they provide fans a chance to reconnect with an artist who left too soon, offering listeners a final gift from someone whose voice still echoes through their earphones on a regular basis. On the other hand, these same releases often raise questions about consent, artistic integrity, and whether or not the music dropped truly aligns with what the artist envisioned and had in mind, often leaving listeners wondering if the work reflects the artist’s genuine intentions or if it was shaped by commercial interests.
That said, the news of a posthumous Mac Miller album in the pipelines quickly sparked a wave of emotions; notably excitement, nostalgia, and perhaps, for some, a touch of apprehension. Over the weekend, a two-and-a-half-minute-long trailer was aired at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles, hinting at the imminent release of a project many thought would never see the light of day, Ballonerism.
Balloonerism 🎈 pic.twitter.com/AOmEXOPUlR
— The Mac Miller Memoir (@MacMillerMemoir) November 17, 2024
Packed with animations, songs, and an array of visuals reminiscent of the late rapper’s life, the short clip concluded with an enigmatic message teasing a release date simply marked as “soon.” What’s more, Camp Flog Gnaw attendees caught a glimpse of the album’s artwork, courtesy of Alim Smith, which featured an abstract painting of Miller himself— initially shared on social media the day following the chart-topping singer’s premature death in 2018. About a month prior, the artist from Delaware posted a similar image, catching Miller’s attention, who responded “need this.”
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Balloonerism was initially recorded a decade ago in between the respective releases of his 2013 album Watching Movies with the Sound Off and his 2014 mixtape Faces. Though the project never saw an official release, it has become a subject of fascination among fans, who have continuously speculated over the reasons why the album never materialized as well as its exact content. Over the years, many songs from this tape have been leaked, including a feature with American singer and songwriter SZA.
As of right now, an official track-list and release date are yet to have been shared. However, knowing how much Miller’s fans love to dive into his unreleased work, it’s only a matter of time before we hear more about it. If released, this would mark Miller’s second posthumous album, following the critically acclaimed Circles, which dropped in January 2020, almost two years after his untimely passing due to an accidental drug overuse. And while post-death albums typically raise eyebrows or get messy, it seems as if this time around, Miller’s team and family have been so thoughtful with his legacy that if this project comes out, I think that we can trust that it’s what he would’ve wanted.
