![]() The title track, easily the strongest opener of any 2012 rap album, begins as a deceptively straight-forward drumless Maybach monologue before the beat changes up and we go entirely off the rails as only Mill can. While, on one hand, it’s an incredibly cohesive and consistent release, for someone like Mill this by-the-number traditionalism feels more like a creative roadblock than a path to success. ![]() But while those saw him receive an increase in popularity for their focused flows on tracks that could explode at any time, Mill made it a point to remind listeners that the eventual album wasn’t “going to be all over the place.” What resulted is Dreams and Nightmares falling on its own double-edged sword for following the “classic rap debut” formula too closely. The album arrived as the culmination of Mills’ Dreamchasers mixtape series. ![]() Unfortunately, that debut Dreams and Nightmares sounds a little too much like someone else’s. After 2011’s chaotic “House Party” single won over the critics and streets alike, the stage was set for Mill to give us his prime debut album. Once his relationship with Grand Hustle ended, Ross and company knew about the potential stardom in Mill’s talents, eventually adding him to the label and fine-tuning all of his strengths to ready him for the national stage. Signed by T.I.’s Grand Hustle in the late-2000s, Mill garnered a loyal following on the mixtape circuit for his undeniably charismatic party bangers. ![]() Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.Like most of Maybach Music Group’s roster, Meek Mill’s story is one of a talented, but discarded, rap artist left to die by the major labels until Rick Ross and company could groom him into one of the most popular new artists in hip-hop today. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021.Īron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Quotable Lyrics Hold up, broke nigga turned rich Love the game like Mitch But if I leave, you think ’em pretty hoes gon’ still suck my dick? There was something about that Rollie when it first touched my wrist Had me feelin’ like that dope boy when he first touched that brick, I’m goneĪron A. Hopefully, Meek’s sentence gets appealed. It’s a single that highlights the American dream of making something out of nothing. Even his arch-nemesis, Drake, said “Dreams and Nightmares Intro really one of the best rap moments of our generation….” However, that was prior to their beef. Either way, Drake isn’t lying about it. He’s been brought out on stage with Jay-Z in the past to perform it. To this day, “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)” is a fan favorite. The production consists of heavy hitting 808’s and triumphant horns that take over the track and lead Meek into delving into his battle rap background. While the first half highlights Meek’s humble beginnings, the second half showcases Meek’s hunger for success and greatness. ![]() Once the beat switches in the second half into a much more aggressive tone, he goes into beast mode. The dichotomy between the first and second half of the song not only set the tone for the album but showed to contrasting sides to Meek Mill’s music. The first half of the song finds Meek Mill detailing his rise to success over a melodic, upbeat piano progression with orchestral strings that feel like what would be played if one’s heading to heaven. The “Dreams & Nightmares (Intro)” is arguably one of the best hip hop intro tracks in modern hip hop. ![]()
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