The place has Meek Mill been? I miss that man, plain and easy—I’d argue the rap sport at giant does too, even when they don’t notice it. My unique draft of this had an intro that gave context to why I’d really feel that approach, what with the pronounced emphasis on the legacies of rappers who blew up on the flip of the final decade due to every part happening with the Large 3 this yr. Nevertheless it’s not that difficult; I’m interested by Meek as a result of his presence within the wider hip-hop taking part in discipline was a beneficial one. The business is best when there’s a pugnacious, lyrically deft, unabashedly aggressive Philly MC within the combine (phrase to Beanie Sigel.) However as Meek’s releases have grown extra random, his absence is that rather more pronounced.
So the place is Meek Mill? To paraphrase that nice Jack Nicholson line from the 1989 Batman: “He’s at house, washing his tights.” Lately the Philly spitter is extra identified for dropping instant-classic tweets and different assorted social media habits than for traditional information. You’ll be able to cherry decide anyone of his feedback on the looming presidential election or Puffy’s trial, there are too many to select from. Or how about his response to being confronted with the phrase neurodivergent? Most of those scan like somebody who tweets first, asking questions that he may’ve reserved for his interior circle with out contemplating how goofy it could make him appear. Nevertheless it isn’t all unhealthy—who can neglect that point he flicked it up sitting with an orangutan inside a Wraith with an inside that matched his new buddy’s fur?
Meek’s definitely dwelling life, however he appears far faraway from the middle of rap relevance. Hip-hop followers can get jaded in the direction of an artist when this occurs, however there’s no erasing the run Meek went on within the early 2010s. These first two Maybach Music Self Made albums, these first two Dreamchasers tapes, “Home Occasion,” “I’m a Boss,” “Litty”—he had initiatives, and he had hits. When Uncut Gems set a scene at 1OAK, Howie strolling in to “Amen” was pitch-perfect interval soundtracking for a film going down in 2012. The freestyles have been legendary, like this 2011 go to Meek and his Maybach Music Group crew paid to Funk Flex, the place MMG boss Rick Ross eggs Meek on like a proud uncle. The intro to his debut album birthed an precise timeless file; the intros to all his subsequent initiatives that adopted maintained that high quality if not the ubiquity—please do your self a favor and revisit “On the Common,” the DC4 opener that’s by no means removed from my Not too long ago Performed.
Then revisit a few of his loosies you could have forgotten, like “B Boy.” He proved he can kick storytelling raps, a vital element in any well-rounded MC’s arsenal, with the “Tony Story” collection. (“Half 2,” for the win.) He has a fairly good diss monitor, even when it got here a yr too late. And when that loss plus jail time stunted his momentum for a second, he got here again in 2018 in a giant approach along with his album Championships, which had the bangers, the album cuts and a show-stopping Jay-Z verse that also go to this present day.
After which after that, Meek’s run simply unusually trails off. Costly Ache, the album that adopted Championships, is very stable, but it didn’t impression the identical. After that, Meek voiced frustration along with his label Atlantic Data and parted methods with Roc Nation administration, and hasn’t launched an extended participant since. A 2022 Flamerz 5 mixtape got here and went. Beloved producer Knxledge’s five-year mission marrying traditional Meek freestyles to his personal soulful manufacturing? Gone eternally, over mysterious copyright claims that will have come from Meek himself. And he and Rick Ross restored the 2010s Maybach Music feeling briefly with a reunion collab mission, Too Good to Be True however regardless of a pair of wonderful singles, the complete album ended up validating the title—it’s stable, however not rather more.
