Mac Miller Dead at 26
Mac Miller died of an apparent overdose Friday, according to TMZ. The rapper was 26.
Miller’s lawyer David Byrnes later confirmed the news to the New York Times. Authorities say Miller’s body was discovered at around noon at his San Fernando Valley residence. Sources say a male friend alerted authorities by phone from Miller’s home. According to dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, first responders were called for a patient in cardiac arrest. The Pittsburgh native—birth name Malcolm James McCormick—was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.
“Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, has tragically passed away at the age of 26,” his family said in a statement to Complex. “He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans. Thank you for your prayers. Please respect our privacy. There are no further details as to the cause of his death at this time.”
The tragic news arrives about a month after Miller released his fifth studio album, Swimming, in which he addressed his battle with substance abuse and self-love. He was expected to kick off the album’s supporting tour next month.
Miller was charged with a DUI back in May after he crashed his vehicle into a power pole in Southern California. He spoke about the incident in a sit-down interview with Zane Lowe earlier this summer.
Mac Miller – Self Care
“I made a stupid mistake. I’m a human being,” he said on Beats 1. “But it was the best thing that could have happened. Best thing that could have happened. I needed that. I needed to run into that light pole and literally have the whole thing stop.”
Miller began rapping at the age of 14, and went on to release his first mixtape, But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy, a year later. In 2010, Miller inked a deal with Rostrum Records and dropped his breakout project K.I.D.S. He released his debut album, Blue Slide Park, in the following year. Miller would go on to release four more albums, including the aforementioned Swimming, and also produced music under his Larry Fisherman alias.
Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa expressed his condolences on social media. Artists like Chance the Rapper, Missy Elliott, and J. Cole also mourned Miller’s death.
