Despite a disturbing outpouring of hate blaming Ariana Grande for Mac Miller’s untimely death, a close friend of the rapper has finally set the record straight. Shane Powers took to his podcast on Sept. 10 in an episode titled “Shane Says Goodbye To Mac Miller” to disprove any suggestion that Ari was responsible for the 26-year-old’s apparent overdose. 

“Ariana and him were together, and they were very much in love. And I have to say, she was incredible when he was first sobering up. She was a f—–g G to him,” Shane explained. “There could not have been anybody more supportive of him being sober than Ariana.” Shane went on to reveal his firsthand experience with Mac’s substance abuse and Ari’s struggle to tame it. 

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“I saw that, I was around it, I took phone calls from her. ‘How do I help? What do I do?’ This little girl was unbelievably involved and helpful to him being healthy. Because whether he [was] an addict or not, the way that Mac partied was not healthy,” the 47-year-old detailed. 

When it came to Mac, Shane added that the “God is a woman” singer “was deeply helpful and effective in keeping Mac sober and helping him get sober. And she was all about him being healthy, period, in this area of his life.” It’s a shame that it took Shane’s words to (hopefully) pardon Ariana’s blame, but we’re glad he spoke about it. 

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Ariana has yet to make a formal statement on Mac’s passing. However, she did “break her silence” on Sept. 8 by sharing a gorgeous black and white photograph of her longtime love with no caption. Additionally, it seems she was forced to disable any commenting — for fear of further hate. Our continued thoughts and prayers are with Mac’s fans, family, and friends… Ariana included.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).