Mac Miller: Rapper who Trump called 'next Eminem' before he made his feelings known about the president

Trump was denounced by the Black Lives Matter supporter as an ‘egomaniacal, attention-thirsty, psychopathic, power-hungry delusional waste of skin and bones’

Miller was a self-taught musician who played piano, guitar, bass and drum (Getty)

A Twitter spat with Donald Trump – long before he became US president – and a romantic relationship with the singer Ariana Grande ensured that the American rapper Mac Miller became well known far beyond the confines of the hip hop community.

Miller, who was 26 and hailed from Pittsburgh, was found dead at his Los Angeles home after a suspected drug overdose. Originally named Malcolm James McCormick, he came to prominence in 2012 when his single “Donald Trump” rose to No 75 in the US Hot 100, prompting a series of tweets by the future leader of the free world in which he lurched from congratulating Miller to threatening legal action.

The track was neither a critique of Trump nor a homage, Miller explained; he used the businessman and TV celebrity’s name to symbolise financial success. When it achieved 20 million his on YouTube, Trump tweeted that he was “very proud” of Miller, calling him “the next Eminem”.

After it reached 75 million hits, Trump reacted to reports that Miller regarded him as “a dick” by claiming he had illegally used his name. He added: “I’m now going to teach you a bigboy lesson and lawsuits and finance. You ungrateful dog.” Another two years, however, and Trump again praised the song as it approached the 100 million mark

Performing with Ariana Grande at the One Love Manchester concert last year (Getty)

Miller, interviewed by Vanity Fair magazine before the 2016 presidential election, said: “To put it in perspective, the person who could possibly be leader of the country flipped out over a 19-year-old kid calling him a dick. As comedic as it can be, it’s terrifying.”

Grande, with whom he parted in May after 21 months together, credited him with helping her through the aftermath of last year’s Manchester Arena suicide bombing, but said his struggles with addiction proved “toxic” for their relationship. Soon after their break-up he was arrested for driving under the influence and fleeing the scene after crashing in LA.

A self-taught musician who played piano, guitar, bass and drum, Miller’s first release was a mixtape, But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy, at 15; his last was the Swimming album, which was widely hailed a success, in August. In between came another 11 mixtapes and four studio albums, one live set and two EPs. After recording with Pittsburgh rap group The Ill Spoken, Miller’s debut solo album, Blue Slide Park (2011), became the first independent album to go in at No 1 in the US since 1995.

Two years later he was featured on Grande’s single “The Way”, which reached No 9 in American and No 41 in the UK, although they did not become a couple until after their jazzy duet on his track “My Favourite Part” from The Divine Feminine (2016). None of his five albums charted lower than No 4 in America, with Swimming standing at No 3 there and 37 in the UK at the time of his death.

Miller also collaborated with Kendrick Lamar, CeeLo Green and Lil Wayne, and worked as a producer for hip hop performers. In 2013-14, MTV screened two series of Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family, a reality documentary show about his life in California after he moved from Pennsylvania.

Yet his most memorable TV appearance was on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. Eight months before Trump reached the White House, Miller, who later declared himself a supporter of Black Lives Matter, denounced the president as “an egomaniacal, attention-thirsty, psychopathic, power-hungry delusional waste of skin and bones”.

Malcolm James McCormick (Mac Miller), rapper, singer, musician and producer; born 19 January 1992, died 7 September 2018