Mac Miller‘s sophomore album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, launched the Pittsburgh rapper into a new phase of his career — from dismissed gimmick to a bona fide artist, a label he continued to wear and develop until his untimely death from an accidental drug overdose in 2018.
The 10th-anniversary edition of this key entry in Miller’s catalog is out today, and the tracklist sports a previously unreleased version of the album opener “The Star Room.” Branded the “OG Version,” the new rendition of “Star Room” features a more contemplative beat that foregrounds the song’s gummy synth lines and chops up a sample of a children’s choir.
The album version was far more forceful — which makes sense, considering the undeniable first impression Miller wanted to leave with the project’s opening song — but the rich poignancy and craft behind the “OG Version” makes it far more than just a throwaway.
Watch the previously unreleased alternate take’s animated visuals below, followed by a statement from video’s the director, Danae Gosset.
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