Mac Miller (Malcolm McCormick) invaded the Haunt on Sunday night and spewed a torrent of Pittsburgh-bred rap so dope that worries of the snowstorm outside evaporated from the concertgoers’ minds. Besides the inclement conditions, Miller had to deal with a recurring Sunday night problem at the Haunt — a stiff audience. The 58s, Miller’s opener, couldn’t quite get everyone in the mood. Despite their obvious talent and wicked flows, the three dual pairs of rappers didn’t bring the level of energy required. Their rough, Pittsburgh language was appealing, but ultimately did not register with the audience.

Luckily, Miller stepped in with a message that he could translate. He knew that the audience needed more than they expected to get their adrenaline up, which explains why he took brief intermissions from his prepared material to play “Apache” and other classic crowd pleasers. Miller did not just rely on gimmicks, though. His banter between songs most clearly demonstrated his talent with words. Miller frequently stunted his conversation with micro-rhymes; miniature, spit-fire flows to pepper the crowd with, so that a break between songs wasn’t really a break. Tree-Jay, the lackey often in the background of Miller’s music videos holding the stereo or smoking the joint, echoed the chit-chat with laughter, adding a comic element to each break.

Miller stuck to his hit songs throughout the performance. “Knock Knock” and “Nikes on My Feet” have helped Miller form a following, whose presence became apparent when they answered to his calls and chimed in to his “some crazy ass kids knockin’ at yo front do/so knock knock/let em in/hey.” “Knock Knock” is perhaps the catchier of the two, but neither really demonstrates his ability to flow. While the performance may have propelled Miller to Ithaca’s number one party guy for this week, it also captured his poppy side. Freeway and Statik Selektah aren’t just featuring Miller on killer tracks like “PA” because he’s created a popular brand, but because he packs rhymes unique for a kid whom many initially held in doubt.

Mac Miller hails from an affluent Jewish family in one of Pittsburgh’s more comfortable neighborhoods, Point Breeze. Backgrounds often spur rappers to assume a false image, but Mac Miller is no pretender. His flows back up his cocky demeanor, making it no secret why he is being featured as one of XXL Magazine’s top freshman. He does not portray himself as a hoodlum, but rather a “kid from down the block,” a style he has perfected. 

Moreover, his message is consistent. He’s just a kid who loves to smoke weed and hang out, a redundant topic in rap that he has somehow brought originality to and emphasizes to his advantage. Miller urged the audience at many points to hold their thumbs up, a gesture that defines his whole concept. Standing next to me, up-and-coming Ithaca rapper J-Breezy admitted, “I can’t believe he thought of the thumbs up thing; it’s genius.”  It does not sound genius, but J-Breezy makes a valid point. Mac Miller’s rap brings a positive energy and includes everyone who listens, and he’s managed to find an everyday gesture to represent his approach to this.  Smoking weed and having the “Best Day Ever,” the name of Miller’s upcoming album, are simple, easily relatable ideas. 

On Sunday Miller seemed to admit that his music lacks a serious side. It’s true; his life-of-the-party brand that has built a large fan base doesn’t have much to offer in the way of rough experiences. Though surely it was not easy for Miller to achieve fame — it took hours of free-styling in the cafeteria to establish himself as the top rapper at a high school who had just graduated Wiz Khalifa — he still has not tapped into the darker side of rap that might win him universal acclaim. 

Miller’s song “Poppy” is his attempt at introducing more serious elements into his music; it is dedicated to his late Grandfather and is accessible to everyone who has ever lost a relative. Although it once again demonstrates Miller’s rhyming ability, it is a little too accessible. Not everyone should be able to relate to each song. Miller ended his show with this track, and cut it a bit short to begin his t-shirt sale. Given the boisterous tone of the whole show, a somber ending did not seem fitting. 

Miller has the lyrical ability to turn a serious idea into a hit, but doesn’t necessarily have the material yet. One gets the sense that in light of his recent attention it might be more interesting to see him at work in the studio. In a recent interview, he admitted that his main goal is to start collaborating with different artists. He has already done this, and it will be exciting to watch what happens next. Now might not be the right time for him to shake up his lyrics or style, but that may come soon.