Arriving at Kentish Town tube station, there is a bustle of young teens opting for baggy tees and Nike Air Maxes, going through packs of Marlboros like they’re going out of fashion. Bustling through the stereotypical rap Samaritans of the youth today, it’s no surprise Mac has an entourage of fans as it has been a year since his last tour at the Forum for ‘Blue Slide Park’; since then 2 albums have been released.
Hustling my way through sweaty teens fuelled on booze and smoke, pouring through the crowd, I make my way to get a glimpse of Mac. His release of ‘Watching Movies With The Sound Off’ is a far cry from his debut album, ‘Blue Slide Park’. In a recent interview with CLASH Magazine, Mac explains “The first album was designed to sell, now it’s like I just did it with the music”. He also said that he felt “it was important to take time between the first album and W.M.W.T.S.O to figure out what makes a 21 year old me different from 19-old me?”.
It’s clear that Mac has come back with a bang, as he arrives on stage playing songs off ‘Blue Slide Park’, his debut that enticed his fans of today. The audience rap “Anything you need you can find it at the market If you don’t hold me down, for all I care, you can starve bitch” a line off the song that hit the UK radio stations that was Frick Park Market.
Mac Miller is undeniably today’s hip-hop Biggie and Dre. With his catchy lyricism that exploits more than just drug use and sex, he separates himself from the hip-pop culture.
Mac overcame addiction to codeine which eminated from the success and whirl wind rollercoaster that arose after the release of ‘Blue Slide Park’; now it’s clear to see that Mac has developed into a more gritty and urban rapper with a less poppy trance feel to his music. ‘Gees’ off his new album balances on the line of indecency and Mac really exploits his ability of freedom of speech that surrounds rappers. ‘Gees’ is the epitome of grimy rap lyricism as Mac explains “Make a nun throw it back while I pull her scarf, She gave me head, my nuts touched her cross, boss”. With the crowd belting “Bitch, suck my dick before I slap you with it”, it’s noticeable that the shedding of his cheeky rapper attitude has worked in favour with his fans. Mac Miller never fails to provide an entertaining and euphoric performance, his classics ‘Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza’, ‘Blue Slide Park’ and ‘Loud’ always come with the warning of damaged vocal chords.
With my voice still intact as I leave the forum, I grab a poster, light up a cigarette and hop on the busiest tube in London followed by many Mac Miller followers. The tube is dizzy with people reminiscing about the highlights of the gig with groups of friends sharing the pictures they managed to snap up, videos playing on their iphones and the memorabilia of the concert tightly sealed in their wallets until it can be stuck up on their wall at home.
My allegiance is water tight.
Jam Luckhurst
