Malcom James McCormick, also known for his stage name Mac Miller, was an American rapper, producer, and songwriter who died unexpectedly on September 7^th, 2018 at only 26 years of age. Born on January 19^th, 1992 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Mac Miller had a love for music at an early age. He began rapping at 15 years old and was even part of a short-lived rap group called “The II Spoken” before eventually deciding to go solo. Throughout his solo career, Mac Miller released 6 studio albums, with one of them going #1 and all of them debuting within the top 5 of the Billboard 200 charts. He also scored 21 Billboard Hot 100 entries and became a notable pioneer for hip hop throughout this last decade.

As Mac Miller’s fame was reaching unspeakable heights, his personal life was heading downhill. According to an article dedicated to Mac Miller that was published on The Rolling Stone, “Miller struggled with substance abuse throughout his life and had spoken openly about it in the past. His early career was marked by a dependence on lean, a mixture of promethazine and codeine.” Mac struggled with maintaining his sobriety despite having many attempts.

Despite his struggles with drug addiction, Mac Miller had an incredibly loyal fanbase. Mac Miller’s raps were very relatable for a lot of his frequent listeners, as he rapped about a range of touchable subjects such as partying, school, drugs, depression, love, and many others. He was able to reach a wide-range audience who appreciated Mac’s honesty and vulnerability he showcased in his music. According to Lauren Guillot, a loyal fan of Mac Miller from the early start of his career, she described his music as being “A relatable experience that touched my heart in places that not many other artists have.” She also stated that “Mac Miller was a huge influence in hip hop, despite being white he was able to gain respect from a genre that is undoubtedly black-dominated without having to fear appropriating black culture because he had genuine appreciation for the culture surrounding hip hop, and it showed in his music.”

Mac Miller’s legacy and impact in hip hop is something not many artists can say they have achieved. His ability to shy away from public controversy was another token in his ability to have universal love from so many different demographics. Despite being in a heavily publicized two-year relationship with international superstar Ariana Grande, he was never the topic of any notable public headline and can be described as a person who was “endlessly curious, unflinchingly kind, and universally beloved.”

Mac Miller’s universal love and respect unfortunately could not save him from his struggles with addiction. Mac Miller’s unexpected death was the result of an accidental drug overdose that was laced with Fentanyl. Fentanyl is defined as “a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent.” In spite of the unforeseen loss of Mac Miller, his legacy will forever carry on as a rapper who was loved by many and impacted the music industry, hip hop culture, and many individuals hearts.