On Mac Miller's Yahrzeit, Remembering His Jewish References
Mac photographed by Wallz Hut
Mac Miller passed away five years ago today.
As a fellow Jewish kid born in the 90s, listening to the Jewish references and wordplay in his music influenced me tremendously. Throughout high school, I’d listen to Mac’s music on the bus, and even started to wear cardigans to school because of the “Knock Knock” music video. I clinged to his music, which helped me break out of my shell and find myself as a teenager. Listening to songs like “Best Day Ever” and “Oy Vey” after a long day of yeshiva education, I connected to Mac’s expressions of Jewish identity. Regardless of how Mac practiced his Judaism, he was proud of his heritage—and so was I.
Mac’s religion and spirituality deserve an entire essay of their own. But today I am specifically focusing on Mac’s Judaism. I’ve combed through the internet, searching the r/MacMiller subreddit and diving deep into Google, and here I have compiled Mac Miller’s Jewish references that are most meaningful to me. Let’s start with the lyrics:
Jewish Lyrics
Throughout his musical career, Mac periodically mentioned his Jewish roots in his music. There are mentions of the Torah, Moses, hamantaschen, and the Passover Seder, to name a few. Here are my eight favorite Jewish references in Mac’s lyrics:
“Man, I been a bad little Jew.”
Don't Mind If I Do, 2010
“We just tryna work so we can blow up like a Molotov
And it kinda wake me up like a coffee shop
Thinkin' 'bout my people who was murdered in the Holocaust”
PA Nights, 2011
“Wanna go to Israel and see if there's a God there
For now I'm 'bout to smoke some blunts and post in this lawn chair”
Doodling in the Key of C Sharp, 2012
“Jewish Buddhist consumin' the views of Christianity”
S.D.S., 2013
“Mm, still be fastin' on the holidays” and “Star of David and a cross”
Libido, 2013
“My old Jewish mind, REMember music, you'll be fine”
Grand Finale, 2014
“Respect to Adonai
Don't fuck around and be a victim of your pride, why you lyin'?
(Why you lyin'?) Tell the truth, just step aside
I don't got the time to let it slide (Yep)”
Hurt Feelings, 2018
“Full of so much regret, I should've been a Catholic
Jewish, Buda, Baptist, cooler than a cactus”
Oracle, Unreleased
A final favorite Mac Miller Jewish reference of mine is from a cell phone video of an adolescent Mac Miller rapping to his friends on a bus. He raps, “I ain’t God but you could call me Hova,” a reference to Jehovah, one of God’s names in Judaism. One Youtube commenter (@neurolou4703) provided more context, sharing that this video was filmed during a day trip at Emma Kaufmann Camp, a Jewish sleepaway camp organized by the Pittsburgh JCC. The commenter told another story from camp: “We had this talent show called ‘Shabbat Concert’ and he went up at like age 12 and did a freestyle rap in front of an audience.”
Jewish Tattoos
Out of Mac’s many tattoos, three resonated with me as paying homage to his Jewish roots.
Chai
In 2010, Mac told the Jewish Chronicle that he has the Chai tattoo “because life is really important. Enjoying every possible second of life.”
Star of David
Hamishpacha, a Hebrew word meaning “the family”
Jewish Alter Egos
Mac Miller had many alter egos. Some were stage identities he embodied in his music career, while others were fun internet monikers. These three reference Mac’s Jewish heritage:
Larry Lovestein
One of Mac’s better known alter egos is Larry Lovestein. In Season 3, Episode 2 of Ridiculousness, Mac is asked about his alter ego Larry Lovestein. Mac answers, “Larry Lovestein he’s a Jewish fellow that…” he is cut off by laughter, and then jokingly and sarcastically says, “Yeah that’s real funny. He’s Jewish. Ha Ha Ha.”
Larry Fisherman
This is the pseudonym that Mac used as a music producer. While Fisherman may sound less Jewish than Lovestein, and the name’s origins may not be Jewish, Fisherman as a last name sounds Jewish to me. Many Jewish names end with the suffix “man” and Fisher is a common Jewish surname on its own.
Old Jewish
While this is a lesser known Mac Miller alter ego, its Jewish reference is obvious. Old Jewish is a play on words from Old English Malt Liquor, a drink Mac notably enjoyed. Mac went by Old Jewish as an internet personality, and made a series of vines using that alter ego.
Old Jewish
For Mac, “Old Jewish” was not just an alter ego. Mac created a brand around the Old Jewish name, most notably used in a collaboration with Diamond Supply Co., a streetwear brand. One shirt features a visibly Jewish man holding a gun and the Hebrew word for diamond, yahalom.
The full Old Jewish X Diamond Supply Co. collaboration.
Old Jewish had a logo, too.
To promote his mixtape “Faces” in 2014, Mac made Old Jewish-branded promotional napkins for an event with fans.
Notable Interviews
Thankfully, some journalists spoke with Mac about his Jewish identity while he was still alive. Here are a few videos and interviews to watch or read:
Shalom Life, Mac Miller Nice Jewish Boy Interview
In this interview, Mac is given a shirt that reads “Nice Jewish Boy,”and proclaims his love for noodle kugel and latkes. About Judaism, he says “That’s like my culture, that’s like my family, that’s like how I was raised… Jew” and ends the interview saying, “I can read the Torah.”
Next Pittsburgh, Mac Miller remembered by four Pittsburghers who knew him well
Mac Miller’s middle school teacher, Becky, tells of a time when he was in seventh grade and the only Jewish kid in a Catholic school in Point Breeze. While he got well-schooled in Catholicism, he realized his classmates knew little about his Jewish religion. So with his teacher’s approval, he got the class together over lunchtime during Hanukkah, brought in a menorah and had them say a Jewish prayer with him. Together, they lit candles every day during the holiday. Then he handcrafted for every one of the 38 kids an iron-on t-shirt design as his Hanukkah gift to them.”
Forbes, Passover with Mac Miller
Sitting down with Forbes, Mac shares his thoughts about his Jewish heritage and religion. He says, “I think it’s dope to have any different culture that people don’t know all about to be brought to the spotlight because this is a world filled with so much variety of culture that every time something different is out it’s good, you know, because it’s like ‘oh, a Jewish rapper, that’s why I think I could be a Jewish rapper… So you know, now people in hip hop or other people that didn’t think Jewish people could be so cool, you know, they can!”
Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, Mac Miller raps his way into the spotlight
In this 2010 interview, Mac shares his best and worst Chanukah gifts: “Best present ever was a keyboard. I told my parents I really wanted to make music. I was only 5 or 6. I hooked that thing up and never stopped playing it. But the worst, and every Jew can relate to this, was being all excited to open up the present, thinking it’s going to be something big, and it’s socks.”
Mac Miller, Malcolm McCormick, passed away on September 7, 2018.
May his memory be a blessing.
