“It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm – to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence,” the statement said.
“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist.
“Given that unofficial versions of the album have circulated online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”
“The album was born from the same creative period in which Mac was working on Watching Movies with the Sound Off, Delusional Thomas, Faces and more, and represents the creative ambition that he had agnostic of musical genre,” the family added, reported People.
Miller recorded Balloonerism over a decade ago, creating the album alongside his 2014 mixtape Faces, which was met with critical acclaim after being released that year as a free download.
A producer and former friend of Miller’s, E. Dan of ID Labs, previously shared in now-deleted comments online that the rapper allegedly decided to move on from Balloonerism, instead releasing some of the album’s songs on his separate project.
“[Miller] did make an actual track list (a few actually) and pretty much all of the songs you all know as Balloonerism were made inside of a week stemming from what was basically jam sessions,” Dan wrote. “He did indeed move on from it, took a few of the songs for Faces and never got back to it.”
“The project itself was a real thing in so far as Mac made a few iTunes playlists about it but it never got finished.”
Unofficial versions of the album were subsequently leaked and made available online, although the artist never gave it a formal release.
The new album will feature 14 songs and be available for digital download and streaming, and fans can order copies in vinyl, CD, and cassette formats.
Miller, born Malcolm James McCormick, was an American rapper and singer celebrated for his groundbreaking music, blending genres and pushing the boundaries of hip-hop with an experimental discography.
Miller released 13 mixtapes, six full-length albums, two EPs, and two live albums over the course of his career.
After working with an independent label for four years, Miller signed with Warner Bros Records in 2014 while rising steadily on the Billboard charts.
In September 2018 – less than a month after the release of his fifth studio album, Swimming, and a month before he was due to go on tour – Miller was found dead in his Los Angeles home. A coroner’s report later found the artist to have died from an accidental drug overdose.
Miller’s Swimming was posthumously nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards, which his parents attended in his honour.
Miller’s estate revealed in 2020 that the late rapper had recorded a “companion” album to Swimming and announced they would be releasing it posthumously. Circles was released on January 17 that year and received universal praise for the star’s exploration of and admissions to his struggles with mental health and relationships.
Balloonerism will be released on January 17, 2025.
Tom Rose is an Auckland-based digital producer and editorial assistant for the Herald who covers lifestyle, entertainment, and travel.
