The late rapper co-produced the previously leaked record alongside Thundercat, Ronald Bruner Jr., and Kintaro for the album recorded in 2014, but not set for official release until January 17
After five years of low-quality leaks floating around the internet, the official studio recording of Mac Miller‘s deep cut “5 Dollar Pony Rides” is available on streaming. The late rapper’s estate has shared the record in anticipation of Balloonerism, the unreleased album he recorded in 2014, which is scheduled to arrive on Jan. 17.
Miller co-produced “5 Dollar Pony Rides” under his Larry Fisherman pseudonym alongside Thundercat, Ronald Bruner Jr., and Kintaro. “Goin’ crazy, keepin’ all of these secrets/How is that livin’?” he raps on an early verse. “Every time I reminisce, I keep thinkin’ it was better then/I remember when we made out underneath the rain clouds.”
Earlier this week, the Miller estate released the complete Balloonerism track list. It featured “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” along with 11 other songs that have surfaced online via leaks over the past few years. The album also includes two records, “Shangri-La” and “Rick’s Piano,” that have not been previously shared in any capacity. “DJ’s Chord Organ” will mark the first officially credited collaboration between SZA and Miller, who helmed production on two songs from her 2014 EP, Z.
“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist,” the Miller estate wrote in a statement when announcing Balloonerism last year. “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’s Jan. 17 release date coincides with the fifth anniversary of Miller’s first posthumous album, Circles, another record he began prior to his death in 2018. “5 Dollar Pony Rides” itself shares a release date with “Good News,” the first glimpse into Circles that arrived five years ago today. “This is a complicated process that has no right answer. No clear path,” his estate said at the time. “We simply know that it was important to Malcolm for the world to hear it.”
