On Friday night, J. Cole gave an emotional speech during his Las Vegas concert dedicated to the late Mac Miller, who had died earlier that day.
“As you grow up, you go through some traumatic shit,” he said before performing “Love Yourz,” while appearing to cry. “You leave it alone and you ignore it, and before you know it, you’re 20 fucking years old and you’re walking around with all this shit that’s accumulated.”
“Every day, Vegas, people die,” he continued. “And they never got a chance to deal with their shit...I’m not trying to wait till I die to deal with my shit. I’m trying to deal with my shit right fuckin’ now.”
Miller was only 26, and his death continues to hang over the music industry in the week that follows. Drake, Elton John, Childish Gambino, and others have also dedicated shows to the late rapper, known by so many as one of the kindest in the industry. Cole’s tribute, and speech about trauma and addiction mirrors his own album KOD, which stands for Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons.
Miller’s most recent album, Swimming, made its way to No. 1 on the Apple Music albums chart over the weekend. The project features his only collaboration with Cole, a track titled “Hurt Feelings.”
On September 11, Nightfall Records is hosting a vigil at the rapper’s favorite childhood park. Frick Park’s Blue Slide was the inspiration behind Mac’s debut album Blue Slide Park.
Following the news of Mac's death, Cole was one of dozens of artists and fans to mourn the Pittsburgh rapper.
