On Friday, September 7, 2018, Mac Miller was found dead in his home in San Francisco, the cause was an apparent overdose. Once news got out that Mac was dead, the media went into an uproar. Some ignored his death, others began their grieving processes. Twitter blew up with many of Mac Miller video’s in which he voiced his opinions and shared his thoughts. His death was shocking to many seeing as he just released a new album ‘Swimming’ August 3rd.

The cause of Mac Miller’s death is not uncommon to the celebrity world of deaths. In the past, other celebrities have fallen into the same fate as Mac Miller did. For example. Michael Jackson died June 25, 2009 from cardiac arrest but had a history of drug use. Prince, April 21, 2016, died of accidental drug overdose. Whitney Houston, February 11, 2012, died of accidental drowning after taking drugs. After this, in July of 2015, her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, did almost the exact same thing; dying of drug intoxication and being emerged in water for a long period of time. Kurt Cobain, April 5, 1994, died of suicide but again struggled with alcoholism and drugs his whole career. These are not the only celebrities that struggle with this addiction. The era of Kurt Cobain, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Prince was the era of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll.

Recently, more celebrities have fallen into the battleship of drugs and alcohol. In July, Demi Lovato had an alleged drug overdose and was rushed to the hospital. The news was not released by herself or her family; TMZ released the information to the public and the recording of the 911 call. September 23rd was the first day Demi was spotted in public since her supposed overdose, says Us Weekly.

Something scary is that celebrities sometimes do not realize the effect that they have on their listeners, their fans. Macklemore is an artist that has rapped and voiced his opinions about drugs stating, “Us as rappers underestimate the power and effects we have on these kids” stated Macklemore in a remixed song called “Otherside.” Many teenagers look up to the people who have more money because they see what these celebrities have and how they live, hoping that one day that’ll be their life. Therefore, seeing influencers doing drugs and drinking alcohol is twisting the younger generations mind into thinking that it is okay and acceptable. The newsmakers do not have the chance to see what they are literally doing to their fans, the lives they are changing.

No one thinks they will be the one affected by drugs or be the ones to die because of a drug overdose, but in today’s age, civilians are becoming more aware of the issue that is uprooting in America. People are dying because of drugs and pills that are being handed over the counter. Macklemore also commented on how America is supplying this war on drugs that we are fighting within many of his songs. “Doctor, please, give me a dose of the American Dream. Put down the pen and look in my eyes. We’re in the waiting room and something ain’t right. All this is on you, we’re overprescribed.” These lyrics were written by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, lyrics featured in their song “Kevin.”

The drug and alcoholic lifestyle of some celebrities is a potential foreshadow of what could happen to the public, this is because they are role models for many.