In case you’ve been sleeping on the Pittsburgh phenom, Mac Miller has recently dropped his third studio album, “GO:OD AM.”  Serving as a wake-up call for himself and anyone else struggling with the same problems, “GO:OD AM” takes us deep into the mind of a rapper who is on his climb up from the brink of death.  Miller  has come out in interviews and even on his preceding mixtape, “Faces,” about his substance abuse problems and resulting depression.  A product of the rap industry, Miller has revealed throughout his more recent projects that he was slowly losing his battle against drugs.  On the final track of “Faces,” he even goes as far as to wonder aloud how he is still alive, with lyrics such as:  “I’m a bit surprised that I’m even still alive/ Mixin uppers and downers, practically suicide.”  Fast forward to “GO:OD AM” and we see Miller waking up from a bad trip. “Doors,” a laid-back yet powerful track, kicks off the album. In the song, Miller declares  that even though he hasn’t completely overcome his problems, he’s definitely in a better place, chasing after the light at the end of the tunnel.   He  lays the  groundwork for the rest of his album, an eloquent account of his slow ascent to his own heaven.  

     “GO:OD AM” starts out with Miller groggily waking up, which is masterfully depicted through Odd Future’s Tyler, the Creator’s production, and quickly picks up with “Brand Name.”  Throughout the album, beats and melodies vary in certain degrees, but overall present the idea that Miller is no longer the stereotypical party rapper. Save for one track, “When In Rome,” each song is solely held up by his lyrical abilities and smooth flow, rather than straight-up banging beats and catchy hooks.  Accompanied by his signature vibe melodies, Miller shows his evolution as a rapper and flaunts his lyrical prowess with smart rhymes and impressive rhyme schemes.  

     On the track “Two Matches,” Miller one-ups Ab-Soul’s strong feature with a silky smooth flow and internal rhymes:  “Even the brightest mind will hang around at dark sometimes/ I had to fight for mine, Tyson in his prime, used to idolize/ Had to write my wrongs, the day’s short, the night’s is long/ I’m makin’ corpses when it’s on/ And eatin’ swordfish from gigantic portions/ Lord is important, but I am stronger/ I’m a monster with a heart of a lion divide and conquer/ Walk on water, it won’t be long till I’m flyin’, that’s my departure.”  Along with Ab-Soul are the likes of Lil B, Miguel, Chief Keef and Little Dragon, all providing strong features in their own rights:  Lil B preaches on “Time Flies,” Miguel flawlessly ends “Weekend” with his solid singing, Chief Keef offers a surprisingly tame verse on “Cut the Check” and Little Dragon soothingly rounds out the album on the final track, “The Festival.”  

     What makes “GO:OD AM” such as solid album is that it gives everybody something to talk about.  Whether it’s about addiction (“Rush Hour”), finding love (“ROS”), the evils of success/excess (“Weekend”), or celebrating the triumph over conflict (“When In Rome”), Miller successfully and clearly provides his own insight on the world.  Although he admits to not fully overcoming his demons, he boldly declares that with time, he can transcend his vices to become one of the greats.  If you haven’t given Miller a chance yet, he has clearly proven that now’s the best time to do so.

When to listen to what:

Cruising down the street?  Try “Rush Hour”

Contemplating the meaning of life?  Try “Perfect Circle/God Speed”

Aced a math test you didn’t study for?  Try “Clubhouse”

Taking a bubble bath?  Try “ROS”

Six-feet deep in your feels?  Try “Weekend”