Blige, marks the point where the album becomes syrupy and maudlin. 2" is the follow-up to the stunning storytelling track from Dreamchasers, but this version lacks its precision and is bogged down by a chintzy Boi-1da beat. Unfortunately, the album loses steam with a quarter of the way to go. Where some rappers coast, Meek's mere existence feels earned. It extends to "Traumatized", a track where Meek addresses his father's killer while illustrating exactly how treacherous his upbringing was for him and those around him. He is as much a truth-teller as lyricist, and this singular viewpoint and delivery have both been carried over from his mixtapes. Struggle and triumph, are palpable and plainly articulated in his music, and it makes the best of Dreams and Nightmares (including "In God We Trust" and "Believe It") feel eminently vital. Sneering talking heads and confused elitists use that struggle as a weapon against the music: How can this music, and these artists, be taken seriously when they brag about throwing money at strippers? The genius of Meek's music is that he embodies, fleshes out, and answers the rapper's dilemma. Rap is often about contradiction, of wanting to stay humble and true while still stunting. It's a track that best distills Meek's singularity hurt oozes from his voice and words, illustrating rap's literal and spiritual roots. ![]() On the opening title track, he raps unabated for nearly four minutes, tracing lines from his come-up in Philly to strip clubs in Miami and back, over a beat that morphs into menace halfway through. His music channels pain, anger, empathy, and glee into a wave that hits immediately and forcefully, especially on the album's first two songs. It is tense and dramatic, with variations of piano constituting the bedrock of the album and Meek rapping passionately even by his own standards. After navigating that push-pull, Meek Mill has emerged with an album that is distinct in both voice and sound and also plays to his strengths. So maybe Dreams and Nightmares is something to celebrate, even though it's imperfect. ![]() But this is still a thin line for artists to walk, one so difficult that good-to-great major label rap debuts now feel like a minor miracle. Waka Flocka Flame was smart enough to capitalize on his timing simply by turning a proposed mixtape into a debut album, and, most recently, Kendrick Lamar used his unwavering artistic vision to essentially subvert this game entirely. Cole have made better, more accessible versions of the early songs that first got them buzz, and Nicki Minaj plays both sides of the field. He’s helping to change that, and for many, their long nightmares may become dreams of hope.There are exceptions. He’s been able to have a major positive impact by bringing much needed attention to how an act of a teenager that gets into the system can haunt them forever. Kids like my son who were 11 got to watch as Meek grew into an extremely impactful person who with huge support from the likes of Jay-Z, former Sixers minority owner Michael Rubin, and even Robert Kraft. Meek Mill becoming one of the faces of criminal Justice reform was not something I think he or anyone would have seen in 2012, but the importance of it is no less impactful. That includes high-profile relationships and beefs, but most importantly, his battles with the criminal Justice system. Meek Mill the man has been on an almost separate journey in the 10 years since his debut release. While there are a lot of Dreams and Nightmares still in Meek’s music, the evolution to him now is evident, the core of his being is visible on this record still. 2” are more stories reported from what Meek had recently been able to leave behind. ![]() Songs like “Amen” featuring Drake and “Maybach Curtains” with Nas and John Legend are celebrations of his new success, while songs like “Tony Story Pt. The album, now 10 years old, definitely feels like a reflection of a young man dealing with newfound fame and fortune that is still just removed from a life of extreme hardships. If you put “Dreams and Nightmares” on at any bar in the city, folks will sing the lyrics at the top of their lungs. The song itself has become a Philly classic along the lines of “Summertime” by the Fresh Prince and “What We Do” by Freeway as songs that everyone in the city knows by heart. In the ten years since it’s release, Meek, the song, and album have all taken on much deeper meanings in the culture. On February 4th of 2018, as the Philadelphia Eagles warmed up on the field in Minnesota for the Super Bowl, they rallied around what became their team’s anthem, the intro to Meek Mill’s seminal album Dreams and Nightmares.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |