Mac Miller was an open book in his final interview. The rapper, who died at the age of 26 on Friday, September 7, spoke about living in the spotlight, his music career and battling his demons.
“There’s pressure [being famous],” Miller told Vulture in a profile published on Thursday, September 6. “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. And that creates pressure.”
The “Self Care” performer acknowledged that he “signed up for” life in the public eye, but he still wished that “every single thing” he did as a teenager “wasn’t a discussion.”
“I feel like the public perception of me varies on who you ask,” he continued. “But there’s a bit of a freedom in knowing that people are going to think all types of s–t, no matter what. It actually makes me less stressed about how my actions are perceived. It’s out of my control. I mean, to a degree … I could control it. I could live this squeaky clean life and everything. I could try to control the media. But I’ve been finding freedom in just living and letting people say whatever the f–k they want.”
Miller also opened up to the website about the music he made in the early years of his career. “I used to rap super openly about really dark s–t because that’s what I was experiencing at the time,” he said. “That’s fine, that’s good, that’s life. It should be all the emotions.”
As for his mental health, the artist said, “I really wouldn’t want just happiness. And I don’t want just sadness either. I don’t want to be depressed. I want to be able to have good days and bad days.”
The interview was conducted on August 14, the day after he performed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Us Weekly on Friday that Miller was found dead at his home in the San Fernando Valley area just before noon. TMZ reported that he died from an apparent overdose.
