There was a widespread outpouring of grief over the weekend with news that rapper Mac Miller, who’d released his acclaimed latest album Swimming just last month, had died of an apparent drug overdose. He was 26.
Online tributes streamed out from everyone from Cardi B and Lil Xan to Elton John and Childish Gambino, as well as collaborators like J. Cole, Snoop Dogg and John Mayer.
Another collaborator, Cincinnati’s CLOCKWORKDJ (formerly known as DJ Clockwork), also shared some touching thoughts and photos on social media. CLOCKWORK was the touring DJ for the Pittsburgh native MC, and was also featured on Miller’s MTV2 reality series Mac Miller and the Most Dope Family. Miller did a regional tour with CLOCKWORK eight years ago that was presented by the local management/promotions group Self Diploma.
Friday, after the news of Miller’s death surfaced, CLOCKWORK tweeted, love and condolences for Miller’s family: “I love you so much bro, so much. I love yall too for all the condolences, thinking of ms Karen right now and mark and miller.”
CLOCKWORK also shared photos and video on Instagram from his time with Miller. On Saturday, in a caption on a touching series of pics of him and Miller, he wrote, “We would tell each other ‘i love you’ before we touched the stage, every show. He always made sure we said that before the show started. My lil brother gone man .. love you.”
Sunday night, CLOCKWORK shared a clip from the final show he did with Miller, writing, "I vow to continue to push your legacy bro .. we have alot of music in the vault, that i dont even know what to do with."
Check out more from CLOCKWORKDJ’s Instagram here. After an NYC performance Friday, he is scheduled to appear Saturday at Revel OTR Urban Winery in Over-the-Rhine at 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door or online (it’s $15 at the door after midnight).
Visit gotclockwork.com for more on CLOCKWORKDJ.