When the late Mac Miller was 19, his 2011 debut album Blue Slide Park become the first independent album this century to hit number one on the Billboard chart. It eventually went Gold.
Because he wasn't on a major, Miller and his indie label Rostrum Records were able to split 75 percent of all the proceeds on iTunes, which was the dominant distribution platform at the time.
That was the first of a very good financial run for Miller. His sophomore album Watching Movies with the Sound Off sold 102,000 in its first week, still on Rostrum
Then in 2014, he signed a $10 million deal with Warner Bros.
According to People, Miller's estate was worth $9 million when he died Friday of a suspected drug overdose.
RIP.