In a since-deleted Instagram post shared on Wednesday (Nov. 27), Anderson .Paak responded to being name-dropped in Goldlink’s open letter to the late Mac Miller.
Late on Tuesday evening (Nov. 26), Goldlink describe his complicated relationship with Miller in a lengthy Instagram tribute.
“I’d be lying if I said I was surprised to hear that you died on us. Not because you were necessarily troubled, but because you were special and because of that, you were troubled,” Goldlink began his post. He explained how the two rapper’s relationship suffered tension following Miller’s GO:OD AM tour, which Miller had brought Goldlink on as a supporting act.
“So I didn’t always have great things to say about you. When we were on the GO:OD AM tour, I played you my album and after that, we didn’t talk, and you thought it was absolutely incredible. I released it under the ‘Soulection’ label and the single for my album was called ‘Unique’ ft. Anderson Paak, and that was your favorite song at the time. You loved it so much that you made the entire tour party listen to it, and surprised me with a cake after my set.”
In the post, Goldlink also accused Miller of using the 2015 LP, And After That, We Didn’t Talk, as an “actual blueprint” for his 2016 album, Devine Feminine.
“I always thought you drove yourself insane about your own music. So much that, you would adopt styles as homage to those around you that you loved. That’s where our problem started. Divine Feminine was an actual blueprint of and after that, we didn’t talk,” he wrote. “Your single was called “Dang!” Ft. Anderson Paak…you had Souelction support you on the Divine Feminine tour and when I tried to contact you, about anything at all…you never hit me. A close mutual friend ended up just hittin’ my DJ saying ‘listen man, we love Link, but we just had to do what we had to do. And Mac said if he needs a verse at anytime, he got him’ We are family, you could always call me.”
The post ended on a positive note, with Goldlink writing, “I was so proud of you and what YOU created for yourself. And I’m forever grateful for that.”
However, several Miller fans, including past collaborator Anderson .Paak, thought the post was distasteful.
“[Goldlink] I would imagine yo weird a** posted up somewhere just like this when you decided to make that disrespectful, narcissistic, jealous grossly unnecessary post,” .Paak wrote in his since-deleted Instagram post. “Why you would do it I can’t even understand It . maybe your belt was wrapped around your Gotdamn waist too tight or maybe it was the choker cutting the circulation off to the brain but since you felt it necessary to bring me up twice and my boy ain’t here to respond ima say it like this. You ain’t the first to make an album inspired by a relationship, you ain’t the first to make a song featuring Anderson .Paak but you are the first to disrespect my friend who is no longer here for absolutely no reason and I can’t stand for that.”
.Paak claimed he’d tried to reach Goldlink in other ways, but the artist had been non-responsive.
“I’m not a tough guy I’m not about negativity but this bugged me bad bro. I’ve called you and dm’d and you havnt responded. So since this is what you like to do in order to get attention we can do it like this. You’re not surprised huh? Well I’m in disbelief!!!” he wrote. “If Devine Feminine was such a blue print of your record then tell me where the plaques are for whatever your s*** was called!! Mac brought your a** on tour and opened up his fan base to you when you had nothing and this the type of appreciation you give? You should of just been grateful for the op! Whatever issues you had with Mac should have been addressed in person and ended there. what’s the point of bringing this up after his passing and disrespecting his name?”
“That ain’t how you go about promoting whatever you got coming. Some things simply have nothing to do with you but when you have a God Complex im sure it’s easy to think everything comes from you or was inspired in some way,” he concluded.
Miller died on Sept. 7, 2018 from an accidental drug overdose at home. After his passing, his legacy was honored at the Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life, which was attended by Action Bronson, Vince Staples, Earl Sweatshirt, J.I.D., John Mayer, Anderson .Paak, ScHoolboy Q, Alchemist and more. Hip hop artists, ranging from EarthGang to Rapsody, have spoken highly of the late rapper and his tendency to spotlight lesser-known artists.
Check out some Twitter reactions below.