Dear Malcolm,

I wanted to let you know that it’s been raining a lot. It let up for a little bit after the Hurricane, but it’s come and gone and so have you.

You asked us in your song, “1 threw 8,” to tell you what the weather was like after you died.

This is not the first time you have talked about death so openly. The time between your mixtapes, “Macadellic” and “Faces” had me fearful.

But after that, you seemed fine. It felt like you were getting better.

Your song, “Self Care” made me feel as if we were going to see more lovely melodies and sensual sounds like the ones you gave us in your 2016 album, “The Divine Feminine”

To top it all, we had the lyricism from “GOOD A.M.”

Your latest album, “Swimming,” felt like the first of many. Not the end of it all.

I grew up with you. I explored my personal journey through rap music beginning with you, and you never left my side.

Wiz Khalifa faded out and Odd Future split up, but you were the only one to remain solid.

I vividly remember singing, “Knock Knock,” with my middle school friends and rapping along to “Kool Aid and Frozen Pizza.”

We were dancing to “Donald Trump” six years before we knew the fate of this country. We were all just kids, having a good time.

Then “Faces” happened, and I was dealing with a bad break up. I remember listening to “Wedding” on repeat to consul me. “Funeral” echoed my deepest thoughts of suicide in what felt like a world of fake friends.

“I should’ve died already” were the opening lyrics to a mixtape that would be coined as my favorite.

Malcolm, you never left me disappointed. You gave hard-hitting bangers in“Insomniak” and “Lucky Ass Bitch.” You presented us with love on “Weekend” and “Stay.” You tried new things with “Dang!” and “Come back to Earth.”

In the evolution of all your albums, you always stayed true to those blue slide park days.

My dear friend, you will be missed. Not because you were a great artist and hilarious, but rather because you have been such a big part of my life. I feel like my best friend just passed and there was nothing I could do about it.

So here is to a piece of your beautiful life that you let me in on. Thank you for sharing your talents and changing my life.

And at the end of it all, you did it all without a Drake feature.

Truly,

Your biggest fan.