Meek Mill has always been a natural when it comes to rapping about the streets and relaying his ‘rags to riches’ story with unwavering ambition. But surprisingly, the presence of Nicki Minaj in Meek’s life has allowed him to effectively broaden his horizons musically. The finest display of this subject matter resides on “Pullin Up”, the latest example of The Weeknd shining on tracks with high profile rappers (Wiz Khalifa, French Montana, Rick Ross, etc). With a fitting intro from the Toronto crooner, Meek goes into great detail on how his relationship with Nicki blossomed over the years, and essentially puts her ex on blast. The more PG-version of the story is heard on their genuine collaboration “Bad For You”, an accessible yet not generic effort that is deserving of rising on the charts. While it may be too soon to proclaim Meek and Nicki as hip-hop’s new ‘Bonnie & Clyde’, their romance has added fresh elements to Meek’s subject matter which can be unvarying otherwise.
When evaluated as a full body of work, Dreams Worth More Than Money is a compelling collection despite its imperfections. Meek’s ‘yelling rap’ had previously taken away from the quality of his music, but his intensity this time around is thankfully kept in check. And while the ‘corner boy turned top dog’ mentality is still the fuel that empowers Meek Mill’s artistry, a few more years of experience have brought about a higher level of substance for the MMG rapper. Tracks such as “The Trillest” and Diddy-featured closer “Cold Hearted” are prime illustrations of introspectiveness that add appealing layers to Meek’s highly anticipated effort. So while there is still room to grow for the Philly emcee, Meek’s ambition is successfully conveyed over production which is professionally polished by street aesthetics, and that makes Dreams Worth More Than Money worthy of the confidence it embodies.
Repeatable: “Lord Knows”, “Jump Out The Face”
Skippable: “Stand Up”
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