Maybach Music Group super star Meek Mill dropped his highly anticipated sophomore album Dreams Worth More Than Money. Right in the middle of the BET Award festivities, most of his peers in the rap game all showed support by posting their pre order confirmations. Even some of his competitors & friends from his home in Philly all showed hometown pride by posting their orders. The album was set to come out last summer but Meek was arrested and jailed for violating probation. Last November when he was released from prison, he starting dropping new material consistently and building a stronger buzz. Fans believed he got better lyrically since being in jail and more popular in other markets since dating hip-hop princess Nicki Minaj.
Lets start off now with the album cover art and title. Meek Mill has branded himself off of chasing dreams, making them come true and a lot of things he wishes/works for to be true. The album is called Dreams Worth More Than Money and the art work is a stack off money covering a funeral pamphlet. The pamphlet was from his fathers funeral service who was killed when Meek was 5 yrs old. He mentioned how it changed his life drastically through many rhymes during his career. I feel the cover art is saying that he dreams of his father being alive and being with him more than he wants money. Also, the message in the album title means “chase your dreams and not the money” or “do it what you do for the love not just for the money.”
The album intro/first single “Lord Knows” Meek rhymes over a baseline and drum tap mixed with a cathedral choir harmony. The hook starts the song off. The first line in the hook is “all I wanted was a new mercedes..” We’d think that Meek didn’t expect anything extra out of life but to sell crack on the streets of philly and just buy cars. Him deciding to do Music changed that giving him more than he could ever dream of or pray for. He also talked on the nights he spent in jail praying he get out. Before the fame and while being famous he has spent nights in jail praying for freedom.
The next track was the Swizz beats produced track “Classic”. This record club bounce to it. To me it sounds like a Jay-Z record. It was a party record but the hook had an important message to it. Swizz raps “in these philly streets the situations is/the police ain’t respecting the youth/the youth ain’t respecting the truth/the glock nine is on me in the booth/and this sh*t im talkin is the truth..”. This kind of explains a little about how young blacks are being targeting by police because they don’t respect the law. Cause law has no respect for them. This song says Things should change on both sides but in the meantime we can party.
The third track “Jump Out The Face” Meek brought Future on this record and kept up with the party/I get money feel of the album. This track had the typical “southern bounce” to it. Meek rhymes about the diamonds in his watch and how he continues to stunt on his enemies and haters.
The hit single off the album “All Eyes On You.” features r&b star Chris Brown to sing the hook and Nicki Minaj. You can tell Meek is proud of his new girlfriend who he dreamed of having for years as he was coming up in the industry. Meek and Nicki finish each others bars while mimicking a convo they had with each other when they first met. The song stamps the relationship as real and they will be together for years to come.
It did’t want to be too opinionated but the following track “The Trillest” is the best song on the album. The album took a break from club anthems as Meek talks about how life has changed since becoming rich and famous. The positive, the negative, changes in his family etc. He seemed like he was being hard on himself by saying he could be a better family man. “I been losing touch with my family it ain’t the same, I should have gave my sister some money but i made it rain, I should of hit the crib with my son and played the game, but instead I hit up the jeweler to make a chain.”Without him saying it, you can tell he’s apologetic and trying to mature. He also says “I wear my chains in every hood just to let you see it..” and if you look at his social media pages he tells you the pics are for motivational use and not just to show off his wealth. He’s even maturing with the photos he posts and what he shows to the public. Meek gave his deep true feelings on this record.
The album goes back to its typical drum tap southern sound with the track “RICO” featuring Drake. The song sounded like a freestyle as Drake spit one short verse followed by Meek spitting his. Again, talking about how he stunts on his haters and his crew is better than yours. It sounds like they were taunting the law by saying they could be recording their voices on the song. Also with the level of success they have it looks illegal and they could get hit with RICO charges.
The album takes a dark turn with the record “I Got The Juice.” With being successful comes not only you being a target for enemies but friends turning on you. When the attention from women is on you it’ll make any type of man jealous. Meek shares his deep feelings again on how becoming a star has its consequences.
The next record “Ambitions” Meek immolates the soul of the late great Tupac by screaming “my ambition as a rider!” On the songs hook, he keeps the dark, sad but energetic tone going as he talks about the nightmares he lived in his past street life. The song was short with one verse and the tempo was too slow for the usual speedy & energetic sound Meek brings to hip hop. Honestly, I feel its short because Meek is not about street life as much as he used to be since he has worked his way out of the streets. Thats the goal of most rap artists so overall its not a bad thing. We like to see he’s moving away from that.
Meek goes back into getting the ladies attention with recruiting r&b vocalist The Weeknd on the song “Pulling up”. Meek and The Weeknd promise to take women from their boyfriends on this record and how they’ll sneak and do it. Weeknd sings “tell your man wait inside when im pulling up..”. For the women that have a “side n####” they have sex with and who gets more money then their current boyfriend can relate to and bang this record.
Getting back into the club sound of the album..the next two records “Check” and “I Been That” we hear Meek talk about his diamonds, clothes, money and groupies. He got a verse from his label’s boss Rick Ross for “I been that”. Not really memorable or standout records with these two. I would have liked to hear Meek do another type of song with his mentor rather than their typical money show off songs.
“Bad For You” is a dope record. Meek gets his new girlfriend Nicki Minaj again to get on this record. You can sense the chemistry and love between the two young artists. Meek talks about how he was in past relationships, flaws and everything. He was confessing to Nicki and she in return explains how Meek bought out feelings in her she thought she didn’t have. Their relationship has an overall good response from fans to paparazzi and so much good attention around it. The two can crown themselves as the Jay-Z & Beyonce of the next generation.
The next record “Stand Up” Meek opens it up having a convo with DJ Khaled asking “when you go out you want an obituary or a documentary?” Khaled says he wants Money! The tracks production is a sample of the opening music from the Al Pacino film “Scarface”. Meek gives a message to anyone living the dark & cold street life to not say a word, snitch or turn on your friends when placed under arrest. “Be a stand up individual and take responsibility for your acts in the streets.”. Its not like he’s encouraging the masses to do wrong but rather warn the listeners about how vicious street life can be and don’t do it. If you decide to, know that its every man for himself.
Meek ends the album with the record “Cold hearted” and gets some wise words from Sean “Diddy” Combs on the song. Meek mentions other hip hop moguls such as Jay-Z and Baby saying when they talk to him he listens. Meek is growing into becoming an icon in music and the icons who came before him say the attitudes you get from friends and family while becoming great in front of them could make you cold hearted. Due to friends and family turning on you by saying you changed or they can become jealous of you. Diddy chimes in saying “the money you get will have your own mother talking to you like you aint sh*t. Are you sure you want this money? Are you sure you want power? Are you sure you want fame?”. Its a reminder to those at the bottom and a reminder to Meek Mill who is close to the top to be careful what you wish for.
Overall despite some pointless references to the money Meek Mill gets and champagne cases he can now by, this album showed his growth out of the streets and out of the prison system. He wasn’t as boastful or cocky as he was in his first album. Touching on the subjects of family, the nights spent in jail/streets and his new exclusive relationship show the maturity in Meek Mill. Even giving the fans more lessons about living life on this one instead of rapping about taking lives. On Scale of 1 to 10 and including lyrics, beats and song subjects its gets a strong 8. Meek has stamped the energetic and hyped rhyme style as his and found his permanent place in hip-hop.
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