Mac Miller, 5 Dollar Pony Rides | Song Review

Mac Miller sounds phenomenal on his posthumous single, “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” from his second posthumous album, Balloonerism. 

“Your daddy shoulda got you that pony / Let me give you what you want.” 2025 sees a posthumous release from Mac Miller (Malcolm McCormick). “5 Dollar Pony Rides” is the promo single from his second posthumously released album, Balloonerism. Although Balloonerism is new to listeners, Miller recorded the album years before he died in 2018. Kintaro (Jameel Bruner), Larry Fisherman (Miller), Ronald Bruner, and Thundercat produced it.  “5 Dollar Pony” clocks in under four minutes.  It features a jazzy, sophisticated backdrop. The keys, groove, and bass line shine.

Miller impresses with his easygoing rapping and singing.  The lyrics encompass a universal subject: love. “She don’t know she slept through the future / Missed it, it was yesterday,” Miller raps during the first verse, continuing, “So, we (We) right (Right) back where we started / She still tryna get away (Get away).”  In the second, he asserts, “Every time I reminisce, I keep thinkin’ it was better then / I remember when we made (Made) out (Out) underneath the rain clouds.” Mac delivers a compelling cadence and flow. He rides the jazz-rap backdrop like a champ. The chorus marks the crème de la crème: “Let me give you what you want (Need) / And maybe later, what you need (Need) /… Your daddy shoulda got you that pony / Let me give you what you want.” By the outro, Mac is his most dynamic and enthusiastic. The final minute of the track is instrumental.  That is perfect, given the surefire vibe that Miller and his production team constructed.  Miller may be gone, but his legacy endures.  “5 Dollar Pony Rides” is sensational.

Mac Miller // Balloonerism  // Mac Miller’s Estate / Warner // 1.9.25

[: Mac Miller’s Estate / Warner]