U.S. rapper Mac Miller dies at age 26

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – U.S. rapper Mac Miller, whose debut album “Blue Side Park” topped the charts in 2011 and who dated singer Ariana Grande for a time, died on Friday at age 26, his family said in a statement.

The statement did not give more details on the circumstances of Miller’s death.

TMZ reported that Miller died in Los Angeles of an apparent drug overdose but Reuters could not confirm that. Miller, whose real name was Malcolm McCormick, had discussed his use of drugs in media interviews and rap lyrics.

Miller first gained a following at age 18 with his mixtape “K.I.D.S.” in 2010. His best known songs include “Loud,” “Smile Back,” and a collaboration with Grande called “The Way.”

“Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, has tragically passed away at the age of 26,” his family said in the statement. “He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans.”

A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office declined to comment.

Miller was scheduled to launch a U.S. tour next month, and had tweeted about it on Thursday.

Rapper Wiz Khalifa, who like Miller grew up in Pittsburgh and was close to him, tweeted on Friday: “Praying for Mac’s family and that he rest easy.”

DATING GRANDE

Miller dated Grande from 2016 until earlier this year, according to media reports.

In May, he was arrested in Los Angeles in connection with a car crash. He was later charged with driving under the influence and was scheduled to appear in court next week, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

Miller’s most commercially successful album was his 2011 “Blue Side Park” which topped the charts. This year, his release “Swimming” hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 list of top albums.

Vulture magazine profiled Miller in an article that appeared online on Thursday. It detailed his perfectionism and work ethic.

“Most rap careers open big and crumble over time, but this one is a long game,” Craig Jenkins, the author of the profile, wrote in the piece.