American rapper and producer Mac Miller died on Friday, Sept. 7, at the age of 26.
The official cause of death has yet to be released due to additional testing, but his body has been released.
Miller released his first album, Blue Slide Park, in November 2012. It was the first independently-distributed debut album to top the Billboard charts since 1995. He released five albums during his career, all of which reached the top five in the Billboard 200. He released his last album, Swimming, on Aug. 3, 2018.
During his career, Miller struggled with drug addiction. Miller told Complex in 2013 that he started using lean as a way to deal with the stress of being on the road. He even told Complex that he sold marijuana for a short time. In his mix-tape Faces, his struggle with drug abuse is apparent with songs referencing the use of cocaine, angel dust and lean. In November of 2012, Miller quit using the drug lean.
Miller got honest about his addiction in his documentary Stopped Making Excuses. Saying marijuana use led him to use more drugs.
“At one point, weed didn’t relax me from everything…Â so yeah, I think that’s what sparked me doing other drugs, because I hate being sober.”
Miller also struggled with anxiety and depression. He often referenced his struggles with mental health in his songs. His last album, Swimming, highlighted his problems with his mental health. In his song, “Come Back to Earth” he talked about needing to get out of his head and having feelings of living in an alternate reality.
In 2015 Miller got sober with the help of producer Rick Rubin. He told Rolling Stone in 2016 that he learned “how important it is to be able to quiet your mind and be honest with yourself.”
Many fans appreciated the honesty that Miller displayed in his music.
“Mac’s music was the soundtrack to my adolescence,” Chad Augustine, 23, of Knoxville said, “His album Macadelic was his outlet during the beginnings of his addiction and the raw emotion that was displayed on songs such as ‘Thoughts from a Balcony’ and ‘Clarity’ helped me through some hard times.”
Miller’s music has made an impact on many and he will be remembered by the music community for years to come.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, substance abuse or suicidal thoughts, you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
