''Delusional Thomas'' is a

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

by American rapper

Mac Miller Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...

under the alias Delusional Thomas. The mixtape was released as a free digital download on November 1, 2013 via a newly created website delusionalthomas.com. ''Delusional Thomas'' was entirely produced by Miller under his production alias Larry Fisherman. The mixtape featured

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...

s from

Earl Sweatshirt Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), also known by his stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, ...

, Da$h, Bill Waves, and Mac Miller himself.

Background and themes

After the release of Mac Miller's second studio album ''

Watching Movies with the Sound Off ''Watching Movies with the Sound Off'' is the second studio album by American rapper Mac Miller. It was released June 18, 2013, by Rostrum Records. The album continued his changes in musical sound that began with the mixtape '' Macadelic''. Miller ...

'', Miller began recording material under a new character named Delusional Thomas. On November 1, 2013, Miller released a previous unannounced mixtape named ''Delusional Thomas'', introducing the new character. The mixtape was produced by Miller under his production alias'

Larry Fisherman Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...

and features him rapping in a distorted pitched up voice. He explained the voice choice saying, "to me it was a character and I wanted to give his whole own complete, like, everything. There was part of me that wanted to do my own voice, but I just wanted it to be its own complete character. And I feel like that evil voice inside your head is always kind of in that pitch." His rhymes were described frequently as having

horrorcore Horrorcore, also called horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, or death rap, is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from certain hardcore hip h ...

influences. His lyrics contain "references to extreme violence, constant challenges to Christianity and jokes about offering up younger nephews to

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

for sex." The mixtape featured guest appearances from

, Mac Miller in his normal voice,

ASAP Mob ASAP Mob (stylized as A$AP Mob, ASAP being an acronym for "Always Strive And Prosper") is an American hip hop collective formed in 2006 in Harlem, New York City, that consists of rappers (most of whom carry the "ASAP" moniker), record producers, ...

's Da$H and Bill Waves. Miller's album sound and lyrics were also likely influenced by his heavy drug use. In his song "The Jesuits" Miller talks about "black tar demons". This album came at a time during his career when Miller was heavily involved with drugs.

Composition and production

The first track "Larry" "starts out with slow-pounding keys and the eerie sound of a loon call," setting the backdrop for the psychedelic killing spree the track becomes. Songs like "Halo" feature a piano tinged beat that gives a suspenseful twist, "giving the mixtape a feel that's halfway between

Tyler, The Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future. Okonma self-released his debut mixtape Bast ...

's ''

Goblin A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances depending on t ...

'' and

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...

's ''

The Slim Shady LP ''The Slim Shady LP'' is the second studio album and major label debut by American rapper Eminem. It was released on February 23, 1999, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Recorded in Ferndale, Michigan following Eminem's recruitm ...

''. "Vertigo" features an instrumental made of gunfire, murky slow-mo sound and horror-score synth.

appears on "Bill", where Bruce Smith of

HipHopDX ''HipHopDX'' is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. The website's current president and publisher is Sharath Cherian and the Head Of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. ''HipHopDX'' is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group. ...

said he stole the show. The instrumental of "72" features a xylophone along subtle drums under Miller's sociopathic rhymes. "The Jesuits" "revels in clever wordplay and outrageous rapper imagery." "Melvin" is a "graphic tale of a conflicted rising star trying to figure out if the material goods and women really afford happiness." On "Grandpa Used to Carry a Flask" Miller raps in his normal voice alongside his alter ego over a somber piano backdrop."

Critical reception

''Delusional Thomas'' was met with acclaim from

music critic ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of mus ...

s. Jake Rohn of

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...

stated, "Regardless of who he is in any given moment, Mac Miller is one of the most lyrically gifted MCs in hip hop. He continues to add something new and different. ''Delusional Thomas only drawback is that every song has a similar sound, but for the tatted up rhymer's true fans, it won't matter. This mixtape is not for the squeamish and definitely is not for those that only like Top 40 rap. For everyone else, it's hip hop noir at its finest. With only ten short songs, it's just the right amount of time to keep the listener fully engaged." Bruce Smith of

deemed the mixtape "EP-worthy" saying, "Getting past Mac Miller's bouts of immaturity and voice as "Delusional Thomas" is a chore and can be trying. But hidden behind those flaws is a good mixtape." Drew Millard of ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...

'' referred to the mixtape as the best project of Miller's career. Rob Markman of

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

stated, "the real strength in the ''Delusional Thomas'' project is showing all the versatility and diversity that Mac has to offer."

Track listing

* All songs were solely produced by Mac Miller under the alias Larry Fisherman except "Bill", also produced by randomblackdude.

References

{{Authority control 2013 mixtape albums Mac Miller albums Albums produced by Mac Miller Albums produced by Earl Sweatshirt Horrorcore albums Self-released mixtape albums