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| Mac Miller, Rapper Who Wrestled With Fame and Addiction, Dies at 26 | Mac Miller, Rapper Who Wrestled With Fame and Addiction, Dies at 26 |
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| Mac Miller, the Pittsburgh rapper who built a loyal cult fan base with an easy, low-key charisma and intimate yet hazy verses, died on Friday at his home in California’s San Fernando Valley. He was 26. | Mac Miller, the Pittsburgh rapper who built a loyal cult fan base with an easy, low-key charisma and intimate yet hazy verses, died on Friday at his home in California’s San Fernando Valley. He was 26. |
| David Byrnes, a lawyer for Mr. Miller, confirmed the death, but did not provide a cause. The death was first reported by TMZ. | David Byrnes, a lawyer for Mr. Miller, confirmed the death, but did not provide a cause. The death was first reported by TMZ. |
| Mr. Miller had recently released his fifth full-length album, “Swimming,” which opened at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart. An early internet success story as hip-hop bloomed increasingly in virtual spaces, the rapper topped the chart with his independent debut, “Blue Slide Park,” in 2011, the first indie album to do so in 16 years. | Mr. Miller had recently released his fifth full-length album, “Swimming,” which opened at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart. An early internet success story as hip-hop bloomed increasingly in virtual spaces, the rapper topped the chart with his independent debut, “Blue Slide Park,” in 2011, the first indie album to do so in 16 years. |
| Though he began as a mischievous party-starter, Mr. Miller, who often made his own beats, turned toward darker sounds and motifs as his career developed. He rapped often about substance abuse, having spoken in interviews about developing an addiction to prescription opiate cough syrup. And he cultivated a dedicated and passionate following as a wounded messenger with bracing lyrics about struggling with depression. | Though he began as a mischievous party-starter, Mr. Miller, who often made his own beats, turned toward darker sounds and motifs as his career developed. He rapped often about substance abuse, having spoken in interviews about developing an addiction to prescription opiate cough syrup. And he cultivated a dedicated and passionate following as a wounded messenger with bracing lyrics about struggling with depression. |
| “I really wouldn’t want just happiness,” Mr. Miller said in an interview published this week in Vulture, addressing his mental health. “And I don’t want just sadness either. I don’t want to be depressed. I want to be able to have good days and bad days.” | “I really wouldn’t want just happiness,” Mr. Miller said in an interview published this week in Vulture, addressing his mental health. “And I don’t want just sadness either. I don’t want to be depressed. I want to be able to have good days and bad days.” |
| In 2016, Mr. Miller encountered a more extreme form of fame as a result of his romantic relationship with the pop star Ariana Grande. He appeared on “The Way,” a 2013 collaboration with Ms. Grande, that went on to reach No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and become his highest-charting single. Earlier this year, Ms. Grande announced that the couple had broken up. | In 2016, Mr. Miller encountered a more extreme form of fame as a result of his romantic relationship with the pop star Ariana Grande. He appeared on “The Way,” a 2013 collaboration with Ms. Grande, that went on to reach No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and become his highest-charting single. Earlier this year, Ms. Grande announced that the couple had broken up. |
| In May, Mr. Miller was arrested in Los Angeles under suspicion of driving under the influence and committing a hit-and-run by leaving the scene of an accident after he struck a pole in his Mercedes G-Wagon. Mr. Miller was officially charged in August with two counts of driving under the influence. | In May, Mr. Miller was arrested in Los Angeles under suspicion of driving under the influence and committing a hit-and-run by leaving the scene of an accident after he struck a pole in his Mercedes G-Wagon. Mr. Miller was officially charged in August with two counts of driving under the influence. |
| “I needed that,” Mr. Miller said in a radio interview with Zane Lowe this summer. “I needed to run into that light pole and literally, like, have the whole thing stop.” | “I needed that,” Mr. Miller said in a radio interview with Zane Lowe this summer. “I needed to run into that light pole and literally, like, have the whole thing stop.” |
| Days later, Ms. Grande released a statement referring to her relationship with Mr. Miller as “toxic,” and criticizing those who blamed the breakup for Mr. Miller’s accident. “I have cared for him and tried to support his sobriety & prayed for his balance for years (and always will of course),” she wrote. “I will continue to pray from the bottom of my heart that he figures it all out.” | Days later, Ms. Grande released a statement referring to her relationship with Mr. Miller as “toxic,” and criticizing those who blamed the breakup for Mr. Miller’s accident. “I have cared for him and tried to support his sobriety & prayed for his balance for years (and always will of course),” she wrote. “I will continue to pray from the bottom of my heart that he figures it all out.” |
| Malcolm McCormick was born on Jan. 19, 1992, the son of a photographer mother and an architect father. “We were always supportive of our kids, unless we think it’s something that’s harmful or dangerous,” his mother, Karen Meyers, told Complex in 2014. “This was creative, and we are creative people ourselves.” | Malcolm McCormick was born on Jan. 19, 1992, the son of a photographer mother and an architect father. “We were always supportive of our kids, unless we think it’s something that’s harmful or dangerous,” his mother, Karen Meyers, told Complex in 2014. “This was creative, and we are creative people ourselves.” |
| He began rapping as a teenager, and released several mixtapes before signing with Rostrum, a local independent label. He was an astute, intricate rapper; as a lyricist he was a classicist in an era that had largely turned away from that style. | |
| But he was also lighthearted in spirit. “Blue Slide Park,” bounced from one jubilant song to the next, an inheritor of the party-rap tradition of the late 1980s and early ’90s. With his 2013 record, “Watching Movies With the Sound Off,” his music was becoming more serious, and more technically accomplished. He was a producer as well as a rapper — sometimes working under the alias Larry Fisherman — and his beats were lush and jazz-and-soul-inflected, with flashes of sparkle. As a rapper, he landed hard in the pocket; as a producer, he gave himself deep pockets to land in. | But he was also lighthearted in spirit. “Blue Slide Park,” bounced from one jubilant song to the next, an inheritor of the party-rap tradition of the late 1980s and early ’90s. With his 2013 record, “Watching Movies With the Sound Off,” his music was becoming more serious, and more technically accomplished. He was a producer as well as a rapper — sometimes working under the alias Larry Fisherman — and his beats were lush and jazz-and-soul-inflected, with flashes of sparkle. As a rapper, he landed hard in the pocket; as a producer, he gave himself deep pockets to land in. |
| Early in his career, Mr. Miller had a platinum-selling single with “Donald Trump” — “take over the world when I’m on my Donald Trump” — invoking the real-estate developer before his turn to politics. (Mr. Trump, at the time, said he was proud of Mr. Miller, but added that maybe the rapper “should pay me a lot of money.”) Mr. Miller later expressed regret over the song, calling Mr. Trump “egomaniacal” and “attention-thirsty.” | Early in his career, Mr. Miller had a platinum-selling single with “Donald Trump” — “take over the world when I’m on my Donald Trump” — invoking the real-estate developer before his turn to politics. (Mr. Trump, at the time, said he was proud of Mr. Miller, but added that maybe the rapper “should pay me a lot of money.”) Mr. Miller later expressed regret over the song, calling Mr. Trump “egomaniacal” and “attention-thirsty.” |
| Starting in 2012, his home studio in Los Angeles became a creative hub for a young generation of West Coast rappers, including members of the Odd Future collective. It was also the location for a comedic quasi-reality show, “Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family,” that appeared on MTV2. | Starting in 2012, his home studio in Los Angeles became a creative hub for a young generation of West Coast rappers, including members of the Odd Future collective. It was also the location for a comedic quasi-reality show, “Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family,” that appeared on MTV2. |
| But the wages of fame were already beginning to take their toll. By 2013, he was speaking publicly about his battles with addiction, and his 2015 album “GO:OD AM” — his first on a major label, Warner Bros. — dealt with them explicitly. All five of his studio albums debuted in the Top 5 of the Billboard album chart. “Swimming,” released last month, was his wooziest and most insular to date. | But the wages of fame were already beginning to take their toll. By 2013, he was speaking publicly about his battles with addiction, and his 2015 album “GO:OD AM” — his first on a major label, Warner Bros. — dealt with them explicitly. All five of his studio albums debuted in the Top 5 of the Billboard album chart. “Swimming,” released last month, was his wooziest and most insular to date. |
| On Friday evening, the rapper’s family released a statement calling Mr. Miller a “bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans.” The family asked for privacy and said it had “no further details as to the cause of his death at this time.” | On Friday evening, the rapper’s family released a statement calling Mr. Miller a “bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans.” The family asked for privacy and said it had “no further details as to the cause of his death at this time.” |
| His survivors include his mother, father and a brother. | His survivors include his mother, father and a brother. |
| Mr. Miller was also mourned across social media on Friday by friends and collaborators in the music industry, including Wiz Khalifa, Questlove, J. Cole and Chance the Rapper. | Mr. Miller was also mourned across social media on Friday by friends and collaborators in the music industry, including Wiz Khalifa, Questlove, J. Cole and Chance the Rapper. |
| “Beyond helping me launch my career he was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew,” Chance wrote on Twitter. “Great man. I loved him for real. Im completely broken. God bless him.” | “Beyond helping me launch my career he was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew,” Chance wrote on Twitter. “Great man. I loved him for real. Im completely broken. God bless him.” |