French Montana Thinks He Could Have Saved Mac Miller’s Life

Rapper French Montana thinks he would have been able to prevent Mac Miller‘s fatal overdose in September had he been around Miller at the time.

“Honestly, I think Mac Miller was doing the same thing every other artist was doing,” Montana told TMZ‘s Raquel Harper in Tuesday’s episode of Raq Rants on BET. He added that it’s important for celebrities to surround themselves with people who have their best interests at heart.

“Sometimes if people don’t have people that keep them grounded it can go left,” he said. “I just feel like they let him get away with whatever he choose to do.”

The 33-year-old “Zooted” rapper, who was like a big brother figure to Miller before he died, said had he been spending time with Miller that day, he hopes he could have prevented his death.

“If I was there that night … if I was around him a couple more nights, I would have made him stop. But he didn’t have nobody that was doing that,” Montana said.

“I feel like I have people that if I do something like that, like how I was to him, like a big brother … he ain’t have that around him,” he said.

On Monday, Miller’s death was ruled an accidental drug overdose from a fatal combination of fentanyl and cocaine. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office released its toxicology findings, which said the 26-year-old “Self Care” rapper died from “mixed drug toxicity” and that alcohol was also in his system.

The report also detailed that Miller was found by his assistant in his San Fernando Valley home in a “praying position,” kneeling forward with his face resting on his knees. The assistant had reportedly described him in the 911 call as being “blue.”

The rapper had obtained a quarter-inch abrasion on the edge of his nose and was bleeding from one nostril. Police found a rolled-up $20 bill with a powdery substance in his pocket, as well as a bottle of prescription pills in the bathroom and an empty bottle of an alcoholic substance on the nightstand.

Miller was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fentanyl, an extremely powerful opioid, was also the drug reported to be found in Prince’s system at the time of his death, as well as late musician Tom Petty.

Miller had long battled substance abuse; four months before his death, he was arrested for driving under the influence and for a hit-and-run when he wrecked his G-Wagon on a utility pole and fled the scene. Officers later arrested him at his home after the confessed and blew two times over the legal limit on a breathalyzer.

Last week, Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life was held in the Pittsburgh native’s honor, where musicians like Travis Scott, John Mayer, Chance the Rapper and more performed tributes to the late rapper.