Mac Miller would have turned 30 on Jan. 19.
But the rapper, who evolved from Pittsburgh-bred indie artist to platinum-selling star who shared a nearly two-year relationship with Ariana Grande, died in September 2018 from an accidental drug overdose.
That an insightful exploration of his life – the new book “Most Dope: The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller” – arrived the day before what would have been a momentous birthday wasn’t specifically planned. But the karma of good timing intervened.
“This book felt like a celebration of Mac’s life and what he accomplished,” Paul Cantor, author of “Most Dope,” tells USA TODAY. “There was always the goal that the book was done right and respectfully and honestly. Around the time I was finishing it, the publisher decided they wanted to release it around the time of his birthday. They felt it was a tribute to him and I agreed.”
Remembering Mac: Fans hold vigil for rap star
Miller’s career technically began when he was 14 years old, freestyling in the attic of a friend. But navigating a rap calling as a young white man in a city increasingly entranced by another native talent, Wiz Khalifa, meant that Miller – born Malcolm McCormick – engaged in a slow-burn of independent iTunes releases and mixtapes that eventually cultivated a burgeoning fan base.
But by the time his debut, “Blue Slide Park,” arrived in 2011, Miller’s career was primed for takeoff. The album topped the Billboard 200 and introduced Miller to a wider rap audience with songs including “Smile Back” and “Party on Fifth Ave.”
Along with growing fame, Miller experienced deeper bouts of depression and, during his 2012 Macadelic tour, became addicted to lean, the combination of prescription cough syrup and soda popularized in the hip-hop community.
His music career produced four…