And Mac knows this better than anyone else since he released five separate projects from 2011 to 2014.

He understands that the race for success as an artist is a marathon, not a sprint. In the second and final verse of Diablo, Mac raps about the music industry and his mentality for success. His verses are a stream of consciousness ranging from topics such as him reaching for a calm state of mind to contemplating his status as a celebrity and star. Mac’s delivery is fast but efficient, flowing smoothly between bars and ideas.

But unlike Eminem who was the self proclaimed “Rap god” Mac claims to the the “Rap devil” right from the start.ĭiablo is three minutes of intricate, witty lyrics strung between countless cultural references. People speculate this introduction as a direct contrast to Eminem, both of them being prominent white rappers. Mac introduces himself at the beginning of the track, referring to himself as the “Rap Diablo” which means rap devil. Sampling “In a Sentimental Mood” by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, Miller utilizes classic jazz samples that are the foundation of Faces. The beat on Diablo was created by Mac himself, under his producer pseudonym Larry Fisherman. With the posthumous reissue of Faces this year, the project has jumped into the charts and has regained popularity. The decision to originally release Faces as a mixtape gave Mac options, allowing him to do whatever he wanted and experiment with instrumentals without fear of copyright issues.

One of the greatest mixtapes of all time, Faces was never put on streaming services as an album, only available in parts on Soundcloud and on physical copies via vinyl and CD. Since its release on Soundcloud in 2014, Diablo by Mac Miller has been a key piece on Millers 2014 mixtape “Faces”.

Diablo mac miller