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Video: SGB approves Blue Slide Park $28.5k in vigil for late contested Mac Miller allocation vote pittnews.com pittnews.com
T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | september 12, 2018 | Volume 109 | Issue 21
A small memorial to Mac Miller sits on a slide at Blue Slide Park. Knox Coulter | staff photographer
PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY MOURNS MAC MILLER
Sarah Connor Culture Editor
Blue Slide Park in Squirrel Hill’s Frick Park became synonymous with late Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller after he released both a song and album eponymous with the iconic slide. On Tuesday night it was a place of mourning for Miller. Hundreds of Pittsburghers — fans, old friends and family alike — flocked to the park Miller made famous for a celebration of his life and career. Miller, 26, died last week of a suspected overdose in his California home, just weeks away from the tour for his newest album, “SWIMMING.” Nightfall Records hosted a candle-light vigil in his memory. The event featured speeches from some
who knew Miller, DJs playing his music, food trucks for fans and dozens of lit candles. Fans began crowding the park around 5 p.m., and by 5:30, the space at the top of the famous blue slide was covered. Fans left letters, flowers, candles, Pittsburgh Pirates hats and Tees by the slide, all in memory of the late recording artist. The first speaker of the evening was an old friend of Miller’s, Donald Davis. The two attended Taylor Allderdice High School together, and Miller graduated from the Pittsburgh public school in 2010. Davis shared emotional stories about the beginning of Miller’s career. “When he made his first CD and brought it to school, kids threw them on the floor,” Davis said. “A lot of people used
to judge him, they would look at him and say he ain’t nothing.” Davis continued with his speech by telling a story that he holds close to his heart. He, Miller and some of their friends from Taylor Allderdice High School went to the very park the vigil was held at to film Miller’s very first video. In the video for the song “Money Money,” Miller and Davis perform their secret handshake. Davis reminisced on this memory with a warm smile. “We made sure to put that in the video because that was always our thing,” Davis said. “I remember coming to film here that day, it was so damn cold.” After Davis, Miller’s grandmother took the mic.
“Mac would have loved this,” she said. “He loved Pittsburgh and he loved everything that you all did for him.” The fans in the audience applauded both speakers and lit their candles as Mac Miller blared loudly through the park. Next to the blue slide, an artistic memorial stood honoring Miller. There were photo portraits of him, and a large painting of Miller done by local artist Zachary J. Rutter. Rutter stood next to his painting proudly, talking to fans who came by to admire the artwork. “I did this whole painting today,” he said. “I did a painting of Mac years ago, when I was 18. He signed that one and See Mac Miller on page 3