The Friday death of Pittsburgh-based rapper Mac Miller, which TMZ attributed to a drug overdose, shook fans and fellow rappers alike, many of whom took to Twitter to pay their respects. “I [don’t] know what to say Mac Miller took me on my second tour ever,” wrote Chance the Rapper. “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.” Post Malone echoed that sentiment, tweeting “God fucking dammit. You were such an incredible person. You changed so many lives. Had so much love in your heart. You inspired me throughout highschool, and I wouldn't be where I was today without you. Never a more kind and sincere and beautiful person. I fucking love you mac.”
Macklemore, a Seattle-based rapper who has been just as vocal about his struggles with addiction and drug abuse, offered another moving tribute. Macklemore wrote on Instagram that Miller was “Such a genuine person.” He said that Miller “reached out to me at times when others didn’t. You were human. And we shared the same disease. A disease that is out to kill us, and when left untreated eventually will.” He added that “I’m shaken. Shaken that someone who had such a light can be taken from this world so easily. It could have been me too many times to count. On the surface people that appear to have it all, are not exempt from the gravity and cunning nature of this disease. If you’re in the midst of addiction tell someone what’s going on. Don’t be a secret. Go to a 12 step meeting. Introduce yourself and you’ll be greeted with love and understanding from people that are fighting the same battle.”
