The world lost a talented and prolific rapper today with Mac Miller dying in Studio City, California, at age 26. Miller, whose full name is Malcolm James McCormick, started rapping for the first time in high school when he was 14. He went on to become an accomplished platinum hip-hop artist. However, his lifelong dream was to become a singer/songwriter, according to Complex .
Mac Miller may not have started rapping until he was 14, “but he was always interested in music,” said one of his friends, Jimmy Murton. He added that the young Miller also wanted to a singer/songwriter, but people just didn’t think he possessed good enough vocals for it. Facing the reality of the situation, Miller let his dream fade.
However, they quickly realized that all wasn’t lost after a rap session between Mac Miller and his boys. The session produced a freestyle result that was way better than anyone had anticipated. Miller was convinced that rapping was his calling, and he decided to focus on his career in hip-hop. He later reflected on his obsession with the genre.
“Once I hit 15, I got real serious about it and it changed my life completely. I used to be into sports, play all the sports, go to all the high school parties. But once I found out hip-hop is almost like a job, that’s all I did.”
Mac Miller’s musical talent presented itself at a young age, and he taught himself how to play the piano, bass, guitar, and drums.
The hip hop performer released his first mixtape in 2007, and he additionally penned and arranged all the tunes on his EP, You . His rhymes ran the gamut from serious social issues, such as drug use and depression, to lighter themes, such as partying.
You can see a fresh-faced teenage Miller performing his first single, “Knock Knock,” in the video below.
The Inquisitr reports that one of the rapper’s biggest songs was from the controversial mixtape track “Donald Trump.” The 2011 song hit the Billboard charts, and additionally ignited a feud between Miller and the future president.
Last month, Mac Miller released his fifth album, Swimming . Per Fox 10 , he received positive reviews from Rolling Stone, with the magazine writing the album is “silky, deep vibe redolent of the L.A. alternative soul scene.” New Musical Express said that Swimming was “his best work in years.”
Miller’s cause of death isn’t known at this time, but according to Variety , the hip-hop artist is suspected to have died of an overdose. He reportedly struggled with substance abuse in the past.
Although Mac Miller didn’t get to realize his dream of being a singer/songwriter before tragically passing away at 26, he had, among many achievements, a successful hip hop career, the adoration of his fans, and had even earned kudos from big names in the business, such as Chance the Rapper and Jay-Z.
If you or somebody you know has a drug problem, do not be afraid to reach out and find help. You can call the drug help hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-866-236-1651.
