MIAMI – Musician Malcolm James McCormick, better known for his rapper stage name Mac Miller, was found dead on Friday at his home in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. He was 26.
After Los Angeles Fire Department responded to his home, Los Angeles Police Department homicide detectives responded to investigate a death. Officers told the Los Angeles Times there was no foul play and they turned the investigation over to coroner's officials.
McCormick's family released a statement on Friday afternoon saying he had "tragically" died.
"He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans," the statement said. "Thank you for your prayers."
After TMZ reported the rapper died of an apparent overdose, fans and celebrities began to mourn his death on social media. Chancelor Bennet, better known as Chance The Rapper, said they were good friends and he helped him to launch his career.
"He was one of the sweetest guys I ever knew," the rapper wrote on Twitter. "Great man. I loved him for real. I am completely broken. God bless him."
Rapper Post Malone described Mac Miller as an incredible person. He wrote a message for Mac Miller on Twitter.
"You changed so many lives. Had so much love in your heart. You inspired me throughout high school, and I wouldn't be where I was today without you," the rapper wrote. "Never a more kind and sincere and beautiful person. I f-----g love you mac."
McCormick was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He played the piano and the guitar, and often said discovering rap and hip hop at 14 changed his life. He was 19 when he released his YouTube "Blue Slide Park" album on Nov. 8, 2011. It ranked first on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart when it debuted.
In 2012, Pharrell Williams produced the indie rapper's "Pink Slime," and months later he experimented with jazz instrumentals in "You," an extended play record exclusive to iTunes.
McCormick later adopted Larry Fisherman as his record producer pseudonym, and launched his REMember Music record label in 2013. He reportedly signed his label to Warner Bros Records for some $10 million.
The label released a statement after his death saying he was "a hugely gifted and inspiring artist, with a pioneering spirit and a sense of humor that touched everyone he met. Mac’s death is a devastating loss and cuts short a life and a talent of huge potential, where the possibilities felt limitless."
McCormick was open about his struggles with addiction during MTV2's reality TV series "Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family." He said he became addicted to "Purple Drank," a mix of codeine and promethazine, and stopped drinking for the show.
"I'm just changing how I live life, my state of mind ... When you first get sober you feel like a superhero," McCormick said during an interview with Vogue in 2016. "You feel real emotion because you've been suppressing it forever. It's so much easier to navigate what's important."
McCromick was in a 2-year relationship with Ariana Grande until May. He was involved in a DUI hit-and-run crash involving a pole shortly after.
"I didn't share about how hard or scary it was while it was happening but it was," Grande wrote in May about his struggles with addiction. "I will continue to pray from the bottom of my heart that he figures it all out."
McCromick talked about the crash as a "stupid mistake" on Apple Music in July.
"It was the best thing that could have happened, best thing that could have happened, I needed that," he said. "I needed to run into that light pole and literally have the whole thing stop."
About a month after their break up, Grande got engaged to Pete Davidson, a "Saturday Night Live" cast member.
McCormick's last album was "Swimming," which he released Aug. 3. Celebrity Net Worth reported he had accumulated about $14 million in wealth. Vulture published a profile of him on Thursday.
"A lot of times in my life I’ve put this pressure to hold myself to the standard of whatever I thought I was supposed to be, or how I was supposed to be perceived," McCromick said during the interview with Vulture. "And that creates pressure."
McCormick was scheduled to start a tour at the end of next month.
Rapper J. Cole referred to McCormick as a great soul, and sent a message to his colleagues on Twitter.
"If you don’t feel right, if you feel you have a substance problem, if you need an ear to vent to. If you uncomfortable talking to people around you," he wrote. "Please reach out to me."
Long Live Mac Miller, Rest In Peace We Love You
— Jaden (@jaden) September 7, 2018