The late rapper often got candid about his struggles with substance abuse and depression, which seemed to play a part in his breakup with Ariana Grande.
- Sep 8, 2018
AceShowbiz - Mac Miller's untimely death has sent a huge wave of shock to music lovers and his close ones. The rapper was found unresponsive in his Studio City home on Friday, September 7 before he was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics arrived. He died at 26 years old of suspected drug overdose.
While it's saddening that another talented star's gone due to drug-related lifestyle, the "Donald Trump" spitter himself had several times opened up about his inner demons. Several months leading to his passing alone, he was arrested for DUI and hit-and-run following his breakup from Ariana Grande.
So without any intention to judge someone's life, let's take a look at Miller's personal issues that hinted at his downward spiral.
1. Struggle With Drug Abuse
Miller had been struggling with substance abuse for years. In an interview with Complex in 2013, he revealed that he used a combination of promethazine and codeine to deal with criticism and stress from his "Macadelic" mixed tape tour in 2012.
"I was not happy and I was on lean (a combination of drink with codeine that makes one drowsy) very heavy [during the 'Macadelic' tour.] I was so f****d up all the time it was bad. My friends couldn't even look at me the same. I was lost," he shared. The Pennsylvania-born star admitted he attempted to quit lean multiple times, but wasn't successful until November 2012.
2. Dealing With Depression
Often times, Miller used drugs to cope with his depression. He once said that dealing with fame at a young age was difficult. "...I think it started [with success]. It's funny because you talk to people and they say, 'You know, what do you have to be depressed about? You have money and [stuff],' " he told Larry King on "Larry King Now".
His 2014 album "Faces" reflected his past mental state as he said that the record was "super depressing." Though so, the record producer, who worked under the pseudonym Larry Fisherman, claimed in August 2015 that he's "not as depressed anymore." He explained, "Making music when you're depressed is great therapy, but I wanted this album to be in a different headspace."
3. Ariana Grande Breakup
Things seemed to go well with Miller's life when he was dating Ariana Grande. They grew close when collaborating on "The Way" for Grande's 2013 album "Yours Truly", but only made their relationship official in 2016. Miller, who never went to rehab, said he was completely sober when he worked on his fourth album "The Divine Feminine", which was partly inspired by his then-girlfriend.
Two years after being together, the then-couple called it quits in May 2018, citing busy schedules as the reason behind their breakup. At the time, Grande hinted that Miller's problem with substance abuse was an issue as she called their relationship "toxic."
4. DUI Arrest
Just over a week after their split, Miller had a run-in with the law after he crashed his car into a power pole in the San Fernando Valley, California. He was arrested for driving while intoxicated and for fleeing the scene. He was released after posting a $15,000 bail.
It was later revealed that his blood alcohol level was 0.15, almost double the limit of 0.08 in California, at the time of his arrest. He was officially charged with two counts of DUI in August, but he wasn't indicted for the original charge of hit and run.
5. Premonition of Death
Miller's vision of an ideal life was simple as he once said, "I really wouldn't want just happiness. And I don't want just sadness either. I don't want to be depressed." But things seemed to take an even darker turn hours before his passing. On September 6, a day before he was found unresponsive in his home, he posted on Instagram several videos that hinted at how hopeless he was.
The videos showed him playing "So It Goes", one of his songs off his recent album "Swimming". He rapped in the song, "Nine lives, never die, f**k a heaven, I'm still gettin' high/ Never mind, did I mention I'm Fine." It's unclear what was in his mind at the time, but he apparently turned to drugs again to deal with his problem.
