![]() ![]() Though “Dreams and Nightmares” is Philly to its core, the song’s appeal is far-reaching. What the world loves about the Rocky movie franchise exists in this song - only its origin story for “Dreams and Nightmares” is on Berks Street in North Philadelphia. “Dreams and Nightmares” is Meek Mill’s story, sure, but it’s also a quintessential underdog anthem. The song is so beloved, playing it at gatherings is a must, which is a testament to its staying power. ![]() As soon as the song drops, people rap along to it passionately, no matter where they are: cookouts, parties, homecomings, even weddings. The first few seconds of “Dreams and Nightmares” establishes its tone, similar to what Juvenile’s “ Back That Azz Up” does at parties, or UGK and OutKast’s “ International Players Anthem (I Choose You)” does, well, just about anywhere. “Most know how it feels to ‘see your dreams unfold’ and ‘nightmares come true.’ ” “The reason ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ resonates is because we literally know how it feels to be counted out,” said Al Torrance, a high school teacher and unofficial historian of Philadelphia’s rap scene. Ten years after its release, “Dreams and Nightmares” still gets just about any crowd hype. The song is a survival story that not only puts Meek Mill’s life on wax, but also speaks to the harrowing times that gave the track its vibrancy. But the selling point of “Dreams and Nightmares” is the story of its creation. Meek Mill’s signature has always been his own twist on the art of storytelling. In a genre with no shortage of underdog stories, Meek Mill’s “ Dreams and Nightmares” stands out. As far as graduations from mixtapes to major-label releases go, this one is still satisfying and a step forward, plus slicked up and pimped out in a way that's entirely Maybach.Hip Hop at 50 is our yearlong look at the people, sound, art, and impact of hip-hop culture on the world. ![]() Blige backing he gets on "Who Your Around," but his stories of growing up in the concrete jungle lack insight or angle, as turning to a life of crime is just a way to afford "Polo & Shell Tops," because that's the way it goes, and it makes for a damn good hook. He's cocky enough to kick off "Amen" with "I just wanna thank God, for all the pretty women he let into my life" and then respectful enough to deserve the rich Mary J. Any shuffle button could do just as well, but sliced off into little bits, this is the glittery gangster feeling, big boss stuff that Ross and Maybach fans expect, delivered with Meek's love of combining Twista fast with Rick Ross force, making him the MVP of the star-studded "Maybach Curtains" (with Nas, John Legend, and Ross) by sheer force of will and volume. Check how the hooky swagger anthem "Young & Gettin' It" with Kirko Bangz gives way to the heartbreaking "Traumatized" without a pause, and while Meek's a strong enough, smart enough, and, most of all, determined enough rapper to make these two sides happen, the album doesn't sort these cuts with even a mixtape's sense of care. Having torn it up on the first two volumes of Maybach Music's Self Made compilations, Philadelphia rapper and former Grand Hustle artist Meek Mill finally busts out on his own on Dreams and Nightmares, an apt title for an album that haphazardly bounces between the two. ![]()
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