Childish Gambino gave a moving tribute to Mac Miller: “I feel good about being sad, because it tells me that he was special”
Musician Mac Miller passed away on Friday, September 7th after an apparent drug overdose, and since then, the music community has come forward with tributes and touching words for a man who appeared to deeply affect the lives of everyone he met. Actor and musician Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, spoke at length about the late performer during a concert in Chicago on Saturday night, September 8th.
According to RollingStone.com, Gambino began his tribute by reportedly asking fans not to film the moment and praised Miller for being “the sweetest guy.” He talked about their bond in the face of critics, and explained why it’s okay to feel sad.
“I’m a very sensitive person," Gambino told the crowd, "but this Mac Miller shit got me fucked up. He was so nice. He was the sweetest guy, he was so nice. And we were both internet music kids, and a lot of critics were like, ‘This corny-ass white dude, this corny-ass black dude,’ and we used to talk. And this kid, he just loved music.
Gambino told the audience that they “should be allowed to be sad” and then dedicated his performance of “Riot” to the late star.
"We should be allowed to be sad about it," he told the crowd. "Like my heart was broken…and I feel good about being sad, because it tells me that he was special, that I had a special moment…Everybody in this room deserves that. So I just wanna say ‘I love you Mac,’ and I just want to tell you that I love you and this song is for him, because I feel like sometimes he wanted to let go.
The moment was indeed filmed, so you can watch Gambino’s moving tribute here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
