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September 7, 2020 marks exactly 2 years since we lost Mac Miller. The world was shaken up by the loss of the rapper--real name Malcolm James McCormick--when he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 26 from an accidental drug overdose.
One person who knew Malcom better than anyone else was Ariana Grande , who dated the beloved artist for two years. After years of friendship and working on music together--including their collaboration track, “The Way” off her first album, Yours Truly--their relationship developed into something more.
The first photo Grande posted of them as a couple happened in 2016, proving that their working relationship turned romantic. On September 6, 2016, Ariana uploaded this photo with the caption, “baabyyy,” showing her arms wrapped around Mac Miller’s shoulders as she shows off that huge smile. While Mac’s face isn’t showing in the flick, his signature tattoos--including the Pittsburgh Pirates logo on his right hand--let fans know exactly who that was cuddling up to the singer.
The couple spent two years together before they ended up breaking things off in 2018, just a few short months before Miller’s untimely death. While the romantic side of their union ended before he passed, it’s clear just how much love was (and still is) there.
In the first song Ariana released following Mac’s passing, “Thank U, Next,” she pays tribute to all of her previous relationships for getting her where she is today. She references her exes Big Sean and Pete Davidson before giving a special shoutout to Miller, saying, “wish I could say, ‘Thank you’ to Malcolm, ‘cause he was an angel.”
While things didn’t work out, the two years Ariana Grande and Mac Miller spent together were still just as special. The heartbreaking post she wrote following Malcom’s death sums up just how much love was there from the start.
“i adored you from the day i met you when i was nineteen and i always will,” Ariana wrote under a video of Miller. “i can’t believe you aren’t here anymore. i really can’t wrap my head around it. we talked about this. so many times. i’m so mad, i’m so sad i don’t know what to do. you were my dearest friend. for so long. above anything else. i’m so sorry i couldn’t fix or take your pain away. i really wanted to. the kindest, sweetest soul with demons he never deserved. i hope you’re okay now. rest.”
Let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at more pictures of Ariana Grande and Mac Miller together to remember the good ole days.