Dissect - S9E2 - Hurt Feelings by Mac Miller

Episode Date: October 12, 2021

We continue our season-long analysis of Mac Miller’s Swimming with its second track, “Hurt Feelings.” Produced by J Cole, the song finds Mac establishing one of the central themes of the album: the multiplicity of emotions -- how we can feel one way one minute, and another way the next. This season includes discussion of substance misuse and addiction. For resources on these topics, visit spotify.com/resources. Shop Season 9 merchandise here. Follow Dissect on Tiktok, Instagram, and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This season includes discussion of substance misuse. Please keep this in mind when deciding if, how, and when you'll listen. For resources on these topics, visit Spotify.com slash resources. I have a really amazing loyal fan base who follows me. Like, you know what? Everything you do. I take you through a lot of different emotions. You mean?

Like, I've had fun in my music. I've been very depressed in my music. I'm in love in my music. And it's like, um, because I'm a human being so I go through all those emotions and my least favorite thing that anyone does is when they're going through something

personally but making music that doesn't match that like I hate that like if you're sad bro like be sad it's cool if you're not sad don't be sad you know I mean because I think there's a big like many of us love Mac Miller because of his honesty

because of his transparent expression of emotions as he says if you're sad, be sad. Whatever you are, feel it. And this is what Mack wanted to build with his art, an open, fluid model of himself and the wide-ranging emotions that he feels so that others could explore those emotions with him. Indeed, if there's one thing we can count on in the music of Mac Miller, is that he's going to tell us exactly how he feels. From Spotify, I'm Kul Kushna, and this is Dissect, long-form musical analysis broken into short, digestible episodes. Today we continue our serialized examination of Mac Miller Swimming with its second track,

Hurt Feelings. On Swimming's opening track, Mac brought us back to Earth and ushered us into the open waters in which the album is set, favoring fluid ambient textures and water-inspired guitars. Come back to Earth notably contains no drums, and as such, there's a noticeable absence of forward momentum. Rather, the stillness and calm allows us to drift about in the waters adapting to our new surroundings. And this stillness makes the opening moments of Swimming's next track Hurt Feelings such an effective contrast as we were immediately met with a driving drumbeat that

propels us forward, marking the beginning of the album's journey. Hurt Feelings was produced by J. Cole, one of a couple beats he sent while Mack was in Hawaii working on the album. The main harmony of the song comes from a simple three-core progression. The keyboard is passed through a filter that kind of swells and waes, keeping in line with the album's attempts to immerse us in water. Beneath this keyboard part is a driving 808 drumbeat featuring rapid fire kick drums. This minimal song texture allows room for one of the key features of the track, Mack's processed vocals. As we'll hear, Mac will layer his natural voice with pitched down vocals and pitched up vocals, often at the same time. There also seem to be very close attention paid to how these extra textures

created a three-dimensional environment, as they are carefully panned left or right, creating a space we find ourselves in the center of. As far as from a producer, the one thing I learned a lot about was the space of the speakers, right? The fact that you have a speaker right here, you have a speaker right here, and you have all of this space to play with. Yeah, yeah. The whole thing of making something stereo and what that means and how that feels, what it means to be inside of a record. I'm always saying I won't change, but I ain't. Same. Everything's different.

Shame on you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Shame on you. Everything is strange. That's just a game. Every... Mac opens the chorus singing, I'm always saying I won't change, but I ain't the same.

It's a little bit of a paradox, but Mac begins focused on himself and the liquid, ever-dynamic nature of identity. We'd like to think that the core of who we are can't change, won't change. But as Mac points out, he's not the same as he once was, despite his efforts to promote the opposite. opposite. Mack is also being both honest and dishonest in these opening lines. He tells us that what he's always saying isn't true, but by admitting this, he's being honest. This opening couplet flips two seemingly paradoxical ideas around the word but, so that Mack offers them both concurrently. As we'll come to see, this serves as a model for Mack's thinking throughout the track. He'll think of something in a certain light, then an image or word will have the perspective change, until we can't

make sense of the directions anymore. Mack then looks outside himself, singing, Everything is different, I can't complain. You don't know what you're missing, shame on you. The line's target seems intentionally vague. Matt could be speaking to others, to naysayers from his past, boasting that his lifestyle now is much different than it once was, and it's a shame that they're missing out on it. At the same time, Matt could be talking to himself.

In a new situation, he finds himself unable to complain or raise concern, upset at himself for not being aware. Either way, the shame is directed at those who are not present, that is not aware of the current moment. Regardless of whether the difference felt as good or bad, the real shame would be not feeling at all. With extra layers of high and low vocals, Mack then sings,

Everything is strange, that's just the game, everybody tripping, throwing it away. Mac responds to the strange, changing dynamics of those around him by saying, that's just the game. This feels very level-headed. He understands it's just the way it goes and recognizes it for what it is. By contrast, everyone else is tripping, meaning that others are falling down in this game, as well as alluding to tripping on drugs.

In either case, it means that they're throwing their lives away by failing to keep composure or balance. The phrase throwing it away is also a bit of wordplay, as throwing a game means to lose on purpose. Mack then wraps, We was getting lifted, now we getting paid, shame on you. First, We Was Getting Lifted seems to recognize that at one point, Mac was indulging in those drug-induced trips, but he's changed. The freedom and opportunity he was given is now used to get paid, to pursue validation or compensation for the work and music he creates. In the ever-osolating journey, Mac navigates between high, low, and balance. It seems he's aiming to stay level.

And if you're not, shame on you. Mack turns the paid the cost to see apostrophes. That means it's mine. Keep to myself, taking my time. Always into some bullshit and out of blind. Drive it with my eyes closed, missing all the signs. Mac turns the paid from the chorus into the beginning of the first verse, rapping, I paid the cost to see apostrophies. That means it's mine, keep to myself, taking my time. Instead of the positive connotations of getting paid from the chorus, Mack's perception of the word is double-sided,

and he dives into remembering the obstacles and struggles he's overcome. Passing these trials makes Mack feel as if he's earned something, hence the play on apostrophes as the grammatical notation for the possessive form of nouns, you know, like the money earned is Max with an apostrophe S. This also leads to the ensuing threat of possession in keep to myself and taking my time, as if Mac is focused on holding on to what he can, namely his self and his time. By paying the costs of going through these struggles, Mac feels a sense of ownership, an accountability and readiness to move forward.

Interestingly, after the double paid, a common interpretation to see apostrophes is that Mac is referencing the large number in his bank account, and instinct Mac was likely aware of. But technically those would be commas, not apostrophes. It's the same mark, but one is above the letters while one is below. If this was a purposeful play, given the monetary connotations of paid the cost, Mac has seemingly cast his apostrophe's remark as a trick, showing that we, the listeners, perhaps allow money to supersede our thinking, and that we don't always know what's up or down.

Mac then begins a layered driving metaphor, wrapping, always into some bullshit and out of line, driving with my eyes closed, missing all the signs. This establishes the motif of cars and driving through, swimming. Here Mack is dangerously weaving across lanes, lines, and missing traffic signs because his eyes are closed. The signs are both traffic signs and the symbols that come across our lives that might help us figure out what to do or where to go. With his eyes closed, Mack fails to see what he needs to do, putting him in danger.

It's a metaphoric situation Mac has used before, most notably on the song Perfect Circle, Godspeed from his 2015 album, Good A.M. they're watching me crash and they don't want to see that they don't want me to OD and have to talk to my mother tell her they could have done more to help me if she'd be crying saying

that she'd do anything to have me back here, here Mac is stressing and hiding his feelings while those around him say he needs rehab and he raps, I'm speeding with a blindfold on it won't be long until they watch me crash and they don't want to see that.

They don't want me to OD and have to talk to my mother. It's a chilling few bars in retrospect but in relation to what's said on hurt feelings We want to focus on the direct metaphoric bond between blind driving and rampant drug use. Seeing as cars are a constant motif in Mac's work and serve as a critical function

in the various symbolic forms of transportation on swimming, we ought to think about how Mac portrayed his car. Most notably, his Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon. I'm a very, I'm not a crazy dude. The only stupid purchase I've ever made is the one whip I have. I bought like a G-wagon, like all the way custom. everything had it shipped from Germany.

Okay, okay. Mack would characterize this purchase as foolish for years, directly connecting his car to a misuse or abundance of wealth. Here on hurt feelings, Mac begins developing a votive-juxtaposition. There's a difference between natural motion, such as swimming, walking, or running, and vehicular transportation, such as cars, boats, or planes. The natural methods may take more time and require more effort,

but they are physically healthier, while the technology and vehicles are easier and faster. but riskier. We see this happening on perfect circle, godspeed, and hurt feelings. Mac uses driving blind as a symbolic representation of abusing his wealth and freedom to the point of placing himself in danger on his travels, of taking the ride too fast. We should also examine the symbolism of the road, typically indicative of a journey. However, given Mack's career, we can also find a strong connection between wildly taking the road and drug use. Most notably, it's possible Mac is alluding to Jack Kerouac's iconic 1957 novel On the Road, wherein Kerouac details drug-riddled

jazz adventure exploits of Sal Paradise, based on Kerouac himself. Mac actually referred to Kerouac by name on the song Eggs Isle from 2013's Live from Space. Invisioning his future, no crystal ball that I'm staring at. Ancient Needs a Fair Rap starring Jack Carawack. Envisioning his future in a crystal ball, Mack sees himself as Jack Kerouac. Years later on swimming, Mac continued to on the road. Much like Kerouac's characters, drug use and reckless abandoned have him swerving outside the lines, driving dangerously. This also plays into the aforementioned omission that Mac is always into some bullshit and out-of-line. Beyond the road symbolism, if we take the drugs

into consideration, the lyric is an omission of using drugs, both the troubles it causes being bullshit and being out of the lines due to substance abuse. And while we see this erratic, out-of-line behavior as dangerous, there is a certain appeal to the freedom of living outside the line. It's one that Mack noted throughout his career, especially in terms of grappling with any rules related to making art. That's what inspires me now. It's just like lack of any type of line or any type of like, you know, it's music. We don't have rules. You know what I mean?

This is why we're here. Acting outside the lines is both freeing and dangerous. There's an elation, a feeling of greatness from breaking the rules and succeeding. But this is a feeling Mac connected with. with his own real-life car crash, a subject of much public attention in 2018, something he had to address in interviews. What did happen?

You ever feel like Invincible? I lived a certain life for 10 years and faced almost no real consequence at all. I had no version of the story that didn't end up with me being fine. Yeah, I made a stupid mistake. I'm a human being. like drove home drunk

but it was the best thing that could have happened. Best thing that could have happened. I needed that. I needed to run into that light pole and literally like have the whole thing stop. Asmak describes here,

the life he was living made him feel invincible as if he couldn't crash. The freedom was intoxicating. When he says he has no version of the story of living recklessly that didn't end with him being all right, he's talking personally.

He was end. territory thinking he can do no wrong. But as we know, and as Mac shows here on hurt feelings, the capacity for tragedy is right there, even if we don't always realize it. Always into some bullshit and out of blind, driving with my eyes closed, missing all the signs. Turn the ignition, I'm driven, it's sitting pretty, listening to Whitney and whipping it through the city, yeah, yeah, man on a mission, figure it out, put a way too much on my shoulders, please hold me down. In addition to opening his eyes, Mack has to open his ears as he raps,

Turn the Ignition, I'm Driven and Sitting Pretty, listening to Whitney and whipping it through the city. While the line comes across with excitement, and Mac pumps himself up with the music, the specific reference to Whitney Houston taints the joy of the moment. We have a portrait of Mac Miller feeling invincible, enjoying beautiful music and exploring the road. But we can look back at Mack's previous references to Whitney

and find the underlying tragedy of the situation, From Faces on the track, Rain, Matt compared himself to the singer. grappling with substance abuse in relation to depression, Mac rapped, sober I can't deal. I'm in the corner with my head low. I'm in the corner with my head low. Running from my shadow, never-ending chase. ease the pain and the battle that's within me. Sniffed the same shit that got Whitney, the high-heeled depression. In this dark passage, Mack discloses thinking that he needs drugs to handle his problems, following in the footsteps of Houston, who died of an accidental drowning, caused at least in part by cocaine use.

It's this notion that brings Whitney to the fray again as Mack finds himself out of line, moving dangerously, but trying. Mack then wraps, man on a mission, figure it out, putting way too much on my shoulders, please hold me down. The vagueness of figure it out suggests grand possibility, and the mission Mack is on to figure it out is thus an existential one. While driving, trying to enjoy himself, he's thinking about why, but his worries and concerns seem to be putting way too much on his shoulders. He can't even enjoy music or freedom without being reminded of the danger he faces. The plea of Please Hold Me Down suggests

that Mac either hopes his existential dilemma will at least keep him grounded, or that he's looking for help from those around him to hold him back from acting recklessly and putting his life in danger. tries to get through his struggles rapping, I keep my head above the water, my eyes getting bigger so the world is getting smaller. Continuing the motific act of swimming, we have more of Mack at balance, at sea level. It's interesting to note that this line directly follows him asking please hold me down, since that's exactly what someone who is swimming should not be asking. It's indicative of the constant push and pull, the simultaneous rising and falling that characterizes Mac's motion throughout swimming. Mack's eyes getting bigger is a nod to his growth, indicating that

Mac is able to see more of the world, but it's also a reference to the physical impact of many drugs, such as cocaine or LSD, which causes pupils to dilate. At the same time, the world getting smaller, beyond foreshadowing the upcoming track's small worlds, indicates Mack's subjective growth and ability to reach more and more people, an image of his growing vision and the enclosed negative possibilities of drugs on his mindset. In this one line, Mac offers these images that zoom in and out, a disorienting experience reflected of Mac's moment of change and transition, the constant liquid forms of his existence and perspective. Mac then wraps, I be getting richer, but that only made me crazy, which seems pretty dismissive of the

wealth he's gained. This seems odd given the hook's seemingly approval of getting paid. It's as if his mind is constantly changing opinions, and regardless of direction, he's still in trouble. Perhaps in trying to understand this, Mack remarks, Mama told me I was different even when I was a baby. While we might jump to thinking of different as special, making this a prediction of Mac's success, A balanced perspective reveals that different also refers to Mack discovering that even though he says he'll never change, he ain't the same, he's different. Mac then returns to his driving metaphor as he wraps, that Mercedes through the PA when I pull up, sounding like a concert or a monster truck. A symbol of wealth, his car has a large PA

or public address system or a set of speakers, which Mack turns up in pursuit of a grand experience, which he likens to a concert or monster truck rally. However, in light of his previous mention of both worlds getting smaller and his mother, PA also stands for Pennsylvania, his home state. In this way, it seems he's boasting about the noise he makes or love he's shown whenever he returns home. Mack then notes, I'm tripping, but I'm falling up, always said I want it all, but it's not enough. Tripping continues the dual meanings of journeying and drug use, but instead of falling down, Mac notes that he's falling up, a phrase commonly referred to someone who fails but continues to rise in stature. In turn, Mac reflects on all that he's gained,

noting that even though he said he wanted it all, once he has it, it's not enough. It's a phrase very similar to I'm always saying I won't change, but I ain't the same, continuing the disorienting paradoxes shaping the track. Nothing is enough, nothing is the same, nothing can be defined or held on to. Falling Up is also a reference to one of Mack's favorite books, Falling Up by Poet Shell Silverstein. Mack even got the cover of this book tattooed on his arm, and in 2011 explained the tattoo for an interview. Shell Silverstein is a children's poet.

That's the first thing I got it to creatively is a kid with Shel Silverstein books. This is falling up. Full of childish innocence, this reference stands in stark contrast to Max's continued tripping, showing a blip of his younger self as he goes through the trials of adulthood. It also continues the threat of reminiscing that began with the mention of his mother. Reflecting on where he is now and his path on the road, Max sees himself tripping, making mistakes, but moving. After a repetition of the song's chorus, we get a bridge before the next verse.

Curiously, it quotes a folk song from a 1968 commercial for a bank. Why? That's right after the break. Welcome back to dissect. Before the break, we reached the end of the first verse of hurt feelings. After a repetition of the chorus, we hear a bridge. This bridge is actually an interpolation of we've only just been. begun, a song by The Carpenters made for a 1968 Crocker Bank commercial, which depicted a young couple getting married and starting their lives together. According to co-producer John Brian, Mack first heard of the Carpenters when he came to one of Brian's shows at Largo in L.A.

and witnessed a crowd singing along to Brian's cover of their song Close to You, which appeared on the same album as We've Only Just Begun. Mack's homage to the Carpenter's track adds a pang of romance to hurt feelings. Mac is simultaneously expressing the joy of a new start, while the bridge's conclusive downbeat hurt feelings shows that Mac knows this is going to end with pain. And similar to hurt feelings, the carpenter's we've only just begun also employs a similar metaphor of road travel for life's journey. With so many roads to choose, Mac looks back at a past of blind, exuberant, dangerous driving and attempts to wrangle together something more sustainable, even if he knows all journeys will produce hurt feelings anyways.

the system, Long Live the King. Here we get some clever wordplay with the end of the last verse, which found Mack driving blindly blasting a stereo system. Now he's turning it down, which clues us in on the theme of verse 2, which will find Mack attempting to come down to earth a bit and live more sustainably. Down go to the system is also used to bridge into Long Live the King, a phrase traditionally used to proclaim a wish of bounty for a new reign, adding to the motif of revolution or rebirth. It also seems Max dawning himself the king in this situation, perhaps renouncing the danger of blind driving in hopes of being able to live a long life. To do so, he must quote, turn the power off and get your water from the spring.

Turning the power off continues the threat of the system going down, both in terms of the electricity required to keep a speaker system blasting and the power of a monarchy. Having just dubbed himself a king, turning the power off is also a desire to remove the power and all that it comes with from himself. Instead of being served, Mac wants to get the sustaining source of life, water, directly from the pure source. The technological implication of this line also provides advice about handling energy, in particular, Mac's own handling of social media, which in the lead-up to swimming's release, he had largely been removed from.

I used to wake up in the morning, you wake up, and you reach for your phone. And me, like, I can find any story I want about myself. You know what I mean? So I used to look at my phone, scroll through Twitter and Instagram, and get my ego stroked and destroyed in the five minutes every morning. Do you know what I mean? Like someone being like, you are the greatest thing ever. You suck.

Like, that's how I started my day. As Mac discusses here, social media and its erratic energy became a turbulent source of mental sustenance, a chaotic well to draw from, especially in the light of his public struggles. But with everything that happened, and it was just too much, you know? Like, I'm looking on the internet and I'm like,

like I already have my own feelings and emotions and thoughts about what I've went through. So why the fuck am I going to have room for all of these? Like what? Like how am I going to even have room for that? Makes sense. Max emotions and thoughts on their own were enough to keep him going, enough to keep him occupied, so much so that adding on anything else would be overwhelming and hinder his movement forward. Shutting out these outside sources of energy then becomes a path toward a clearer mind,

towards the clean energy and health of life sustained by a natural spring. Mac then continues rapping, I'm bringing everyone with me when shit get iffy. I give 150%. While the idea of bringing his team with him is initially a boast, it seems the weight of providing for others is also a burden for Mac, as he then admits this is the shit I'm dealing with, but I wish I'd forget. These lines contain added vocal layers with disorienting effects,

as if Mac is dealing with overwhelming voices or information. While this is quite a somber discolvent, Mac immediately swings to claiming, used to be feeling depressed, now that I'm living, I'm a little obsessed. It's a back and forth of mood swings, and while he laments depression and past sadness, his present clarity still carries qualities of addiction.

Mac is still obsessed with what he's going through. This is captured in the next image, as Mac wraps, High in jacuzis, I'd be hitting the jet. There's a few possible readings of this line. He could be high off drugs while in a jacuzzi, or he's simply enjoying the natural high of being massaged by a jacuzzi's water jets.

There's also the double meaning of being high in the sky in a private jet, a boast that reminds us of the Mercedes lines from verse 1. This begins the development of the album's airplane symbolism, which is present on the album cover as a plain window. It also connects flight with a larger water metaphor, a simultaneous parallel that will show up a few times on the album. Matt continues, I'm showing her some love, she'd been given me sex, blessed.

Love and sex are different things, hinting at a relationship at slight odds. From the looks of it, Mac is set up for his feelings to get hurt. Either way, Mac is able to accept what he has and reminds himself that he's blessed. Respect the out of night. I don't got the time to let it slide. Yep. I'm too grounded.

Push whips that move mountains. New crisp blue fountains. These are my surroundings. I'll be going through it. You just go around it. But it's really not that different when you think about it. Thinking of it. Blessings, Mac raps, respect to Adonai, a Hebrew term for God.

It seems like a specific reference to his Jewish upbringing. Mack's mother is Jewish and he had a bar mitzvah. Interestingly, Mack's delivery of Adonai sounds a lot like his delivery of out-of-line from the first verse. As we covered, being out-of-line carried multiple readings, such as using drugs or driving wildly, but it was also a freedom from limits. In line with the contrast between the two verses and Mack's evolving mindset, out-of-line morphs to Adani, an acknowledgement of a higher power, which ties into Max relinquishing his own power in the previous lines.

This humility carries into the next bar, don't fuck around and be a victim of your pride, why are you lying? Using the hominine of lying as lion, Mac makes a double entendre with pride, as in a pride of lions, continuing the threat of nobility in the verse. This is a call to be honest in our human imperfection. Pride is a feeling of self-importance and power, but recognition of a higher power means relinquishing this ego.

Mack then demands, tell the truth, just step aside. The beat then drops out and Mack stands alone, saying, I don't got the time to let it slide. Here Mac double downs on his call for truth, knowing our time on earth is limited, so we best not bullshit each other. This kind of truth can sometimes impact our emotions. We might lie to try and not hurt someone's feelings or our own.

But pure truth demands acceptance of hurt feelings, of pain. We need to relinquish our pride, allow ourselves to tell the vulnerable truths of what we feel and move forward. Mack talked about the virtue of truth often, and when praised for his own vulnerability and honesty, he described it as both a blessing and a curse. For me, that's been a gift and a curse, I guess, because, you know, you end up saying things and reading headlines that you could have avoided her. But you know what you do now? You turn it off.

You know, exactly. As long as I'm being honest, I don't actually have anything to trip about because I know the type of human being my parents raised. I know I trust in who I am as a person. So if I just keep it honest and keeping me, I don't have anything to really trip about.

Matt continues the verse summarizing his position, rapping, I'm two grounded, push-whips that move mountains, new cribs, blue fountains, these are my surroundings. The pride expressed here is one of presents. Mack is pleased with his ability to stay grounded and appreciate his surroundings. Wip refers back to his monster truck from the first verse,

while new cribs means new homes, but also evokes the mama told me I was different even when I was a baby line. The blue fountains called in mind getting water from the spring. This is contentment with success, calling back to the blessed statement a few lines ago. Because he's grounded, he's able to appreciate all that he has, providing a peace of mind in his ideal setting. Mac then closes the verse, I've been going through it, you just go around it,

but it's really not that different when you think about it. Mack claims to deal with conflict and anxiety head-on, as opposed to skirting topics or avoiding hardships, tying into his call to truth and honesty. He then dismissively claims that others avoid their problems, but as if taking his own advice on humility and relinquishing pride, immediately counters himself and shows compassion, noting that it's really not all that different.

We're all driving towards the same ultimate destination anyway. Sooner or later, we all go. I... Penice. Conclusions. Hurt Feelings puts the album swimming into motion, as Mac moves with vulnerability, reflection, and openness. Every moment reveals duplicity as Mac's perspective shifts back and forth,

detailing both his past and present and believing that his future will hold much of the same. We see evidence of change constantly, from Mac reckoning with his past of excess through his metaphoric blind driving, to his appreciation of the present. through his ability to be in tune with his surroundings. This unpredictable nature of emotion and behavior from moment to moment dominates the track and is reflected in the unpredictable manipulations on Mack's voice throughout. It's a portrait of the chaos of the mind as thoughts and perspectives swirl around constantly,

and we do our best to be present, count our blessings, and progress toward a happier, healthier life. Yeah, I'm really good. Nothing too, too serious. No super dark, wild clouds of depression. over me every day, that's cool. The darkness was a great time too. You got to go through everything emotionally, man. I don't think there's a, as far as from a creative space, I just hope to like be able to tackle every kind of emotion throughout my career, you know? As Max says here, he's trying to capture it all. And part of this is understanding that there will always be change and that there

will always be some pain, some hurt feelings. We're going to have to accept that. This acceptance is one of the most lasting lessons we've taken from the experience of Mac Miller, a universal understanding that manifests itself in the countless individuals who connect with the ideas and emotions he expressed in his time on earth. Imposed after Mack's passing, this is fair chance by Mack's friend's Thundercat, tie dollar sign, Little B, and a Flying Lotus. After Mac asked, please hold me down on hurt feelings, Thundercat promises to do so, singing,

I keep holding you down, even though you're not around. He then details the process of struggling with loss. singing, So hard to get over it, I've tried to get under it, stuck in between, it is what it is. Besides continuing the multidirectional themes of hurt feelings,

Thundercat voices the title of its album, It is what it is, an encapsulation of wisdom he and Mac felt together. Thundercat told Complex, quote, I always bring this up, but me and Mac Miller used to have this saying, we had it on a piece of paper on the studio wall.

It said, Sit down and let it happen. We always knew it was terrible advice. But the joke was that there was not a lot you can do about it. I had a very hard time coping with Mack's passing. And my conclusion with it was just that some things are bigger than your comprehension and not meant to be understood. It's just meant to be what it is.

That's part of life, death and all those things that we're going to experience at some point. The way you get introduced to them can be really abrupt and horrible. Mac Miller is an easy pinpoint my life. And getting to the conclusion of that really was, it is what it is. There's not a lot you can do about it. unquote. And this is what we're learning, the understanding of no understanding, peace with the turbulence. We're all here in the water, and while we can try to swim around and find enjoyment or growth in our actions, we're also ultimately at the will of the tides, and sooner or later,

the current will take us. It is what it is. Swimming alongside Thundercat is Tide Dollar Sign, who interpolates and alters the hook of hurt feelings, using Mack's own wisdom to help process his passing. Keep my head up of water, might as smaller, I've been getting richer, only made me crazy. Mama said I'm different

since I was a baby. Platform built by this song gave each artist a chance to grow closer to each other in the aftermath of Mack's passing as they attempted to figure out how to move on. As Thundercat explained, quote, Mac's death brought together

a lot of people that were already pretty close. It brought us a bit close. and made us really aware of each other." What Thundercat seems to beginning at here is the idea of vulnerability and openness being a conduit for human connection. And because Mack was so vulnerable and open in his music, it allowed these artists to use a song like Hurt Feelings as the basis for an honest exchange of emotion and shared grief. And this to me is a really beautiful example of what Mack's music does for us more generally.

It's a shared space in which we can find each other, where emotions can be exchanged and accepted. An enduring communal spring we can draw from when our own feelings are hurt. This is the gift MacMiller left us, one that lasts far longer than a lifetime. This episode of Dysect was written by Camden Ostrander and me. If you enjoyed today's episode, please tell a friend about the new season or share on social media and tag at Dysect Podcast. It really helps. Theme music by Bureaucratic. Instrumental Recreations by Andrew Atwood.

Audio editing by Eric Bass and me. Limited merch for this season is available at Diceckpodcast.com. which is linked in the show notes. All right. Thanks, everyone. Talk to you next week.