Rapper Mac Miller at age 26
Mac Miller, the platinum hiphop star whose rhymes vacillated from party raps to lyrics about depression and drug use, and earned kudos from the likes of Jay-Z and Chance the Rapper, has died at the age of 26.
His family said in a statement that Mr. Miller died yesterday but gave no further details. “He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans,” the statement said.
Mr. Miller, who also drew headlines for his two-year relationship with singer Ariana Grande that ended earlier this year, apparently died in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles police said they responded to a report of a deceased person at a home on the same block where Mr. Miller is listed as a resident, and had turned the case over to the coroner’s office. The coroner’s office said it did not have any details it could release.
While Mr. Miller didn’t have a hit on Top 40 radio, he had a strong following on streaming networks and even had an album debut at No. 1 on the top 200 albums chart. He often alluded to his battles with addiction over the years and had collaborations with numerous performers, including Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne and Ty Dolla $ign.
He released his fifth, fulllength album “Swimming” last month, with Variety calling it “a simple, stately, poetic autobiography.” Rolling Stone called it “silky, deep vibe redolent of the L.A. alternative soul scene.” New Musical Express said it was “his best work in years.”
The album included the song “Come Back to Earth,” with Mr. Miller trying to chart his way through tough times: “In my own way, I feel like living some alternate reality/And I was drowning, but now I’m swimming through stressful waters to relief.”
He was due to start a tour, with a Nov. 21 concert scheduled at Boston’s Agganis Arena, at the end of next month that he promised would be special every night. On Thursday he tweeted: “I just wanna go on tour.”