Daily Times

Mac Miller, a rapper and producer who began his rise in the music industry in his late teens, has died, his family told CNN. He was 26. “He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends, and fans,” his family wrote in a statement obtained by CNN through Miller’s publicist. There were no details on the cause of his death. The Los Angeles Police Department told CNN that officers responded to a call for a death investigation at the 11600 block of Valleycrest Road just before noon local time. The coroner’s office will handle the investigation, according to police. Miller, whose real name is Malcolm McCormick, started his journey in music as a teenager by putting out mixtapes in his native Pittsburgh. In 2012, his first album, ‘Blue Slide Park’, became the first independent debut album to hit the top of the Billboard chart in more than 16 years. Miller was 19.He released his fifth studio album, ‘Swimming’, last month. He was set to perform a series of concerts in support of the record starting in late October, with the opener scheduled to take place at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Miller has been open in the past about his battles with substance addiction

“Mac was a hugely gifted and inspiring artist, with a pioneering spirit and a sense of humor that touched everyone he met,” Tom Corson, co-chairman and COO of Warner Bros. Records, Miller’s label, said in a statement. “Mac’s death is a devastating loss and cuts short a life and a talent of huge potential, where the possibilities felt limitless. We join all of his fans across the globe in extending our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.” At times, Miller’s personal life attracted as much — if not more — attention than his professional accomplishments, particularly in the case of his relationship with singer Ariana Grande. The pair dated for almost two years and recorded multiple songs together, including ‘My Favorite Part’ and ‘The Way’. Grande and Miller ended their relationship in May. Shortly after their split, Grande started dating ‘Saturday Night Live’ star Pete Davidson. The couple got engaged weeks later. In a statement about her breakup with Miller, Grande said there were times when the “toxic relationship” took its toll. “Of course, I didn’t share about how hard or scary it was while it was happening but it was,” she wrote in May. “I will continue to pray from the bottom of my heart that he figures it all out.” Miller has been open in the past about his battles with substance addiction. He talked about his quest for sobriety in a 2016 Vogue profile, saying, “I’m just changing how I live life, my state of mind…When you first get sober you feel like a superhero. You feel real emotion because you’ve been suppressing it forever. It’s so much easier to navigate what’s important.” Miller was arrested on DUI and hit-and-run charges in Los Angeles in May. He was known for channeling his struggles into his music. In a profile article published the day before his death by Vulture, Miller said, “I used to rap super openly about really dark sh– because that’s what I was experiencing at the time. That’s fine, that’s good, that’s life. It should be all the emotions.”

Published in Daily Times, September 10^th 2018.