“I’ma do my own thing until the day the reaper comes for me. You can keep on grillin’, Ima smile back.” These lyrics are used in the song Smile Back by Mac Miller. These specific words are an accurate representation of how he displayed his life until his last moments. Malcolm James McCormick is an American rapper who was born in Point Breeze, Pittsburgh. Born on January 19, 1992, Malcolm was introduced to the music industry at a young age. He was still in school when he decided to pursue his dreams but still managed to finish high school. 

      Son to Karen Meyer and Mark McCormick and brother to Miller McCormick, Mac Miller lived a great life full of accomplishments. Sadly, on September 7, 2018, he was found dead in his studio city apartment. His body was found by his assistant at around 11:30 am and was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death was declared a drug overdose. Miller had struggled with addiction in the past but seemed to have been clean for many years. Not including minor “slips”, one that happened 3 days before his death. He sadly left this world at the age of 26. Although his life came to an end, his legacy is still displayed through his music.

     Throughout his life, Malcolm reached many achievements that make his whole life one big accomplishment, everything from acting in movies to funding a record label. Miller started creating mixtapes in 2009. His first album with his stage name, Mac Miller, was released in 2010. This album titled, K.I.D.S.(2010), has a total of 18 songs with a very upbeat tone. His last album, Circles (2020), was released after his death. However, this album has a completely different atmosphere than his first one. Circles has a mellow and calm tone while still including the rap and hip hop culture into it. Miller’s most recognized and successful album was Swimming (2018), which was released one month before his death. Between those few years, he had released other albums such as Best Day Ever (2011), Blue Slide Park (2011), Macadelic (2012), Watching Movies with the Sound Off (2013), GO:OD AM (2015), and The Divine Feminine. Although Miller didn’t receive any big awards, such as a Grammy or any MTV awards, he was recognized and nominated for this great work. 

   Besides being a rapper, Miller also appeared in several movies. One of his biggest roles was as D’Andre in Scary Movie 5. He also appeared in The Girl from Nagasaki and How to Have a Perfect Marriage. Having an acting experience must have been an enjoyment to him but music was his preferred career. Since he founded the record label, REMember, which was then bought by Warners Records.

   Malcolm did more than just create music, he helped people deal with depression, addiction, and stood up for equality. On the Nightly show, Miller wasn’t afraid to point out Donald Trump’s flaws as president. He stated, “Make America great again? You want to make America white again”. This displayed Mac Miller’s attitude in believing in equality and not agreeing to the view of the president.

     Mac Miller was loved and adored by so many, it was devastating news to hear about his passing. His struggle with addiction is something many people struggle with today. If you or anyone you know deals with addiction, please call 1-800-662-4357 or visit helpguide.org. His legacy will live on in the music he left behind and the accomplishments people around the world recognized.