Mac Miller’s untimely death sent shockwaves through the game. The tributes have yet to stop pouring in. From Donna-Marie Chesman’s amazing “Year of Mac” series on DJBooth to artists thanking the late rhymesayer, we’ve gotten a lot. Mac may be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten by this generation of rap and rap fans. That said, producer Sean J decided to dedicate an entire beat tape to Mac and what Mac means to him. Drowning is kind of dark, as it reflects Sean’s own feelings of anxiety, depression, and more. However, there’s a spring of hope deep in the darkness of the boombap.

Released on the fifth anniversary of Mac’s Faces mixtape, the beat tape is equal parts homage to Mac and a love letter to his music. As people, we often go through our ups and downs and sometimes feel like no one’s there to hear our pleas. Music offers an escape from that, but also a shoulder to lean on when things get tough. Mac’s death has brought us a bunch of light through the despair we, as a community, felt over the situation. Please take some time out of your day to check this project out and remember to support dope music in all its forms.