The music world is mourning rapper Mac Miller, who died on September 7 of an apparent drug overdose. He was 26 years old.
Malcolm McCormick was beloved among his fans and contemporaries. Condolence tweets came pouring out as news of his death spread. These reactions ran the gamut from the heartwarming to the bizarre to the just plain rude.
Everyone was waiting for ex-girlfriend Ariana Grande to react, which she did the following day, with a photo of Mac on Instagram. Wwhen the news was first announced, many articles and tweets were criticized for referring to Mac Miller specifically as Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriend.
Rapper Craig Xen wrote: “Mac Miller is so much more than ‘Ariana Grande’s ex-boyfriend.’ This is disgusting and disrespectful on so many levels.” Perez Hilton defended himself and explained why he referred to Mac Miller specifically as Ariana’s ex, saying essentially that readers only know about Mac Miller because of Ariana Grande and that’s why he framed his death that way — a pretty gaudy an disgusting mode of thinking.
As if that wasn’t enough, social media was filled with people blaming Ariana Grande for Mac Miller’s death. With any luck, she’s stayed away from Twitter and Instagram over the weekend, but her cadre of fans didn’t disappoint by coming to her defense.
Ado-Kano tweeted: “Ariana Grande just went through the Manchester bombing and blaming herself for people dying, and now people are going to blame Mac Miller’s overdose on her? That’s just fucked up.” Allie Baba wrote: “You know, I didn’t see ANYBODY blaming Wilmer Valderrama when Demi Lovato overdosed, but when Mac Miller overdosed, everybody is attacking Ariana Grande? What kind of backwards sexist bullshit is this?”
Fortunately, the majority of people seem to be respecting Ariana Grande in what must be a very trying time.
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The photo of Mac Miller she shared on Instagram is already one of the most liked posts on the platform of all time. Rapper Lil Xan posted a memorial to Instagram as well, and spoke to Adam 22 about what Mac meant to him. Xan also reflected on his own struggles with addiction and what it would mean to get sober.
He said: “I want to be clean and sober, but that shit is hard…. I want to get sober now, completely sober, but its so hard. I just want to be off everything. I want to be like a normal person…. if I didn’t have a tour coming up I would be in rehab right now.”
YouTuber Tana Mongeau also posted a recent conversation with Mac Miller to Instagram. But she received criticism as well for referencing his kisses and saying “I love you” multiple times, which came off to some as if she was claiming to have been in a relationship with him.
Many online also accused Mongeau accused of making Mac’s death about herself. But she apologized in a lengthy Twitter thread, saying: “i just want anyone who sees this to know how much i loved him & how heartbroken i am. i’m sorry to anyone i’ve upset because that was truly my last intention. i wasn’t doing that for attention.”
Childish Gambino dedicated the song “Riot” at his Chicago show to Mac, and told the assembled crowd that everyone there deserves to feel special and loved.
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Chance the Rapper also posted a touching tribute, writing “I dont know what to say Mac Miller took me on my second tour ever. But beyond helping me launch my career he was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew. Great man. I loved him for real. Im completely broken. God bless him.”
Do you guys have a favorite Mac Miller song or memory? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.
