Mac Miller Dies at 27
The hip-hop and rap community has lost multiple artists, old and new to street and prescription drugs in 2018. It has been happening so frequently that the community has become desensitized to these tragedies. As if these artists are well aware and ok with the fact that the drugs they are taking and talking about in their music will eventually become a severe addiction, and inevitably lead them to their untimely death.
The opioid crisis of 2018 has claimed yet another young, brilliant artist. Malcolm McCormick, known to the public as Mac Miller, has passed from an accidental drug overdose at age 27. His family said in a statement, “He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans. Thank you for your prayers. Please respect our privacy. There are no further details as to the cause of his death at this time.” His fans and fellow artists continue to offer condolences to Mac and his family via social media.
On the morning of September 7th, Mac Miller was found unresponsive around 11:30 a.m. in his Los Angeles home in Studio City by his assistant, just hours after having a conversation with him at 10:30 p.m. the previous night. Mac was pronounced dead before even being transported to a hospital. After an autopsy, medical staff found the cause of death was “mixed drug toxicity.” According to CNN, the drugs in Miller’s system contained fentanyl, cocaine and ethanol.
The majority of mainstream rap and hip/hop has made clear references to abusing opioids and other lethal drugs. It is a common practice in the rap industry to glorify the use of drugs. For example, in one of Miller’s songs he says, “I’m partyin’ where there’s drugs free, this life to live it don’t come cheap.” Mac and many other artists his age have learned that it most certainly does not come cheap, and unfortunately a large, young congregation of hip/hop and rap followers will learn the same. Time and time again we see people dying prematurely from prescription and street drugs. How many need to die for people to stop experimenting with them?
