Thundercat Remembers “Best Friend” Mac Miller On Fifth Anniversary Of His Death

Thundercat shares how late rap star Mac Miller impacted his life “in a major way” on the fifth anniversary of his passing.

Speaking exclusively with VIBE ahead of his performance at Music At The Intersection festival, the Grammy Award-winning artist gave insight into his close relationship with the rapper, who died on Sept. 7, 2018, as a result of an accidental overdose. Crediting Miller’s transition with spurring him to focus on his own wellness, Thundercat became emotional when asked about his former collaborator.

“Mac… Goodness,” the renowned musician began while collecting his thoughts. “Mac changed my life, man, and he was one of my best friends. And the funny thing is, sometimes we throw the term ‘best friends’ around and stuff like that, but every day, I think about him. And I always remember how he affected my life in the major way. And I just know he’s always there with me and I keep that in my heart.”

The 38-year-old also spoke on the reverence The Divine Feminine creator has received from peers and fans over the past half-decade, noting that the outpouring of praise is “bittersweet” in light of his absence. “I mean, the Mac that I knew and the way he had room for everybody and the way he made room, I think the world is making room for Mac now,” Thundercat said.

“And it’s beautiful to watch. To me, he was always genius, like I could see it [laughs]. He was too cool. Got the baddest girl on the planet, but it was smooth. From that to creatively [being] a powerhouse. That and all the above and taking it all in stride. He was too cool, man. I would say he was a one-man Rat Pack, you know. And yeah, it is bittersweet, but it’s an overall joy to know that he left his mark.”

Mac Miller’s death was determined to be caused by an accidental overdose due to a “mixed drug toxicity” of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol. Three men were arrested and charged in connection to his death, with Cameron James Pettit being sentenced to 10 years in prison, Ryan Reavis receiving 10 years, and Stephen Walter being handed a 17.5 year sentence for supplying and distributing the counterfeit drugs that took Miller’s life.

This weekend, Thundercat will be in St. Louis, Mo., for a headlining performance at the Music At The Intersection festival, which will take place at the Grand Center Arts District on Saturday (Sept. 9) and Sunday (Sept. 10). The two-day event is filled with performances from more than 50 artists. In addition to Thundercat, other acts on the bill include Smino, Herbie Hancock, Thundercat, Masego, Snarky Puppy, The Fearless Flyers, Taj Mahal, Tank and the Bangas, and Angela Winbush.

The Los Angeles native revealed his anticipation of hitting the stage, as well as the opportunity to come face to face with one of his biggest musical inspirations for the first time. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the performers. I’m looking forward to hanging out, meeting new people. And I’m really looking forward to getting the chance to meet Sting for the first time. Again, one of my heroes for sure,” he said.

As far as what fans can expect from his own set, Thundercat hints that the possibilities are endless. “Awkward jokes and hopefully the mic isn’t mic’d too hard to where you can hear me farting nervously on stage. I don’t know,” the bassist says while laughing. “A lot of the music that they heard over the last few years. I have some of my favorite musicians in the world with me. So a lot of intensive, Jazz-influenced music.

See the complete Music At The Intersection festival lineup below.

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