Dreams and Nightmares

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Dreams and Nightmares
Studio album by Meek Mill
Released October 30, 2012
Recorded January–September 2012[1]
Genre Hip hop
Length 56:36
Label Maybach Music, Warner Bros.
Producer Rick Ross (exec.), Young Shun, Jahlil Beats, KeY Wane, Cardiak, Tommy Brown, Boi-1da, The Beat Bully, Black Metaphor, Lee Major, Kane Beatz, Ashanti Floyd, Infamous, The Agency, Travis Sayles, Kenoe, Got Koke, The Renegades
Meek Mill chronology

Dreamchasers 2
(2012)
Dreams and Nightmares
(2012)
Dreamchasers 3
(2013)
Singles from Dreams and Nightmares
  1. "Amen"
    Released: June 19, 2012
  2. "Burn"
    Released: September 11, 2012
  3. "Young & Gettin' It"
    Released: October 2, 2012
  4. "Believe It"
    Released: February 19, 2013

Dreams and Nightmares is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Meek Mill. It was released through Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records on October 30, 2012.[2] The album features guest appearances from Nas, Rick Ross, Wale, Trey Songz, Drake, Big Sean, John Legend, Louie V, 2 Chainz, Kirko Bangz, Sam Sneak and Mary J. Blige.[3]

Background

Meek Mill revealed the album's title to be Dreams & Nightmares during a video blog posted in February 2012.[4] In an interview with MTV on May 14, 2012, Meek Mill revealed the album, "ain't gonna be all over the place like the mixtapes. This album I'ma make it connect, I'ma try to perfect my craft a little more; make sure the flows touch the beats a little better, make sure the beats sound clearer." He also expressed a hope to have fellow rappers French Montana and Rick Ross appear on the album.[5] He later stated in an interview with Billboard that he was recording "'two to three songs' per day in a studio recently installed on his tour bus." Meek Mill also revealed that he has a collaboration with Nas, entitled "Maybach Curtains", which may appear on the album. On the collaboration, he stated that, "Nas is one of the best rappers ever. Just having him in the studio, that's a big thing to me. I grew up listening to this guy. I came and I played the beat for him and he liked my music, so we just vibed out." He also added that when it comes to future collaborations for the album, "If I have a song that sounds like it fits Nicki Minaj the best or it fits T.I. the best, that's the people I would sort of lean towards getting on them songs. But it depends on how the songs fit the person."[6] On July 25, an unfinished version of "Maybach Curtains" was leaked to the internet,[7] prompting Meek Mill to take to Twitter and say, "Who leaked maybach curtains....I'm not letting nobody hear my shit at all!"[8] During an interview in August with HipHopWired, Meek stated that, "As far as features on my album I might have the hottest guys in the game that I got on the [mixtape]: Kendrick Lamar, Drake, 2 Chainz...all them guys on the mixtape, so most likely they might be appearing back on the album, but I don't know for sure."[9] Complex named the album cover the eighteenth best of 2012.[10]

Singles

The album's lead single, "Amen", featuring recording artist Drake, was released on June 19, 2012.[11][12] The song was first included on Mill's eleventh mixtape, Dreamchasers 2 (2012).[13] Following the song's official release as a single, Philadelphia area pastor Rev. Jomo K. Johnson called for a boycott of Mill due to the lyrical content of "Amen". In a statement, he said that, "As a hip-hop fan, I want to encourage every rap fan in Philadelphia who is a believer in Jesus Christ, to boycott Meek Mill until he acknowledges this blatant disrespect. And being resident of North Philadelphia and pastor, I revoke Meek's 'hood pass' until this happens."[14] On July 17, in an interview on the BET show 106 & Park, Mill stated, "I don’t think no preacher or no church approves of any type of rap music — because rap music, period, is a lot of bad stuff said. But at the end of the day, it's real life. And me, I wasn’t trying to disrespect no religion or anything like that."[15]

The album's second single, "Burn", featuring rapper Big Sean, was released on September 11, 2012.[16] The song was also included on Dreamchasers 2.[17] The album's third single, "Young & Gettin' It", featuring rapper Kirko Bangz was released on October 2, 2012.[18] "Believe It" will be sent to US urban radio stations as the fourth single on February 19, 2013.[19]

Release and promotion

On June 21, 2012, Meek Mill announced he would be going on a Dreamchasers Tour starting on August 2 and ending on August 27 to promote the album.[20] After originally being scheduled for release on August 28, the release was pushed back to October 30.[2][21] On October 10, Mill previewed the album in New York City for industry insiders including Jay-Z and Will Smith.[22] On October 24, the whole album was leaked online. Meek Mill responded to it by stating,"I ain't tripping. If people wanna buy your album, they're gonna buy your album whether it's gonna leak or not."[23] Mill premiered "Maybach Curtains", on the website Rap Genius, on October 17, 2012. The song features guest vocals from recording artists Nas, Rick Ross and John Legend.[24]

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllHipHop 7.5/10[25]
Allmusic [26]
HipHopDX [27]
Pitchfork Media 7.4/10[28]
PopMatters 6/10[29]
Slant Magazine [30]
XXL (XL)[31]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, which indicates "Generally Favorable Reviews", based on 14 reviews.[32] XXL's Ralph Bristout noted at the end of his review "Dreams and Nightmares doesn’t break new grounds in hip-hop, however it does serve as a respectable release from the rapper who’s on the verge of universal acceptance—a road similarly traveled by his cohorts Rick Ross and Wale."[31] Village Voice's Sowmya Krishnamurthy dubbed it "the perfect balance of street rap and commercialism."[33] Marcus J.Moore of BBC music noted that "The Philadelphia rapper opts for brutal honesty on debut LP" and stated that "It’s an intricate depiction of the young rapper: Mill doesn’t shy away from his chequered past; he reflects upon it to explain the person he’s become. The compositions are pretty formulaic and the lyrics aren’t overly technical. Still, it works for Mill as a respectable effort that exorcises personal demons and moves him beyond illicit history. He had to grind like that to shine like this."[34] However Edwin Ortiz of HipHopDX wrote "With 'Dreams & Nightmares' it's clear that Rick Ross' protege Meek Mill needs more time before he can rightfully call himself the lieutenant of the MMG army. With that said, consider this project a dream that could be forgotten by mid-day."[35] Def Pen Radio's Alex Smith called Dreams & Nightmares "impressive", stating "Meek has found a way to take a gritty street flow and apply it to rich production and appeal to a commercial audience". He criticized the album for its inclusion of tracks previously released, saying, "While some fans may be happy to see these songs again, it’s hard to get excited to pay for something that we’ve already been presented with in the form of a free download."[36]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 165,000 copies.[37] In its second week the album sold 41,000 more copies dipping to number eight on the chart.[38] As of April 17, 2013, it has sold 347,000 copies.[39]

Accolades

Dreams and Nightmares was named the fifteenth best Hip Hop album of 2012 by Spin Magazine.[40] XXL named it one of the top five hip hop albums of 2012.[41]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Dreams and Nightmares"  Robert Williams, Anthony TuckerThe Beat Bully 3:50
2. "In God We Trust"  Williams, Byron Forest IIBlack Metaphor 4:37
3. "Young & Gettin' It" (featuring Kirko Bangz)Robert Williams, Kirk Randle, Orlando TuckerJahlil Beats 3:26
4. "Traumatized"  Williams, Matthew SamuelsBoi-1da 4:10
5. "Believe It" (featuring Rick Ross)Williams, William Roberts II, Roshun WalkerYoung Shun 3:31
6. "Maybach Curtains" (featuring Nas, Rick Ross and John Legend)Williams, Roberts II, Nasir Jones, John Stephens, Marco DiazInfamous, The Agency 4:52
7. "Amen" (featuring Drake)Robert Williams, Aubrey Graham, Jeremy Felton, Dwane Weir II, TuckerKey Wane, Jahlil Beats 4:49
8. "Young Kings"  Williams, Leigh ElliottLee Major 3:51
9. "Lay Up" (featuring Wale, Rick Ross and Trey Songz)Williams, Roberts II, Olubowale Akintimehin, Tremaine Neverson, Ashanti Floyd, Daniel JohnsonKane Beatz, Ashanti "The Mad Violinist" Floyd (co.) 4:07
10. "Tony Story (Pt. 2)"  Williams, SamuelsBoi-1da 4:23
11. "Who You're Around" (featuring Mary J. Blige)Williams, Mary Jane Blige, Tommy Brown, Travis SaylesTommy "TBHITS" Brown, Travis Sayles 3:19
12. "Polo & Shell Tops"  Williams, Carl McCornickCardiak 3:26
13. "Rich & Famous" (featuring Louie V)Williams, Vincent Robinson, TuckerJahlil Beats 4:15
14. "Real Niggas Come First"  Williams, Maurice JordanKenoe, Got Koke 3:32
Total length:
56:36

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart (Wa)200
Canadian Albums Chart 68
Dutch Albums Chart 98
French Albums Chart 199
UK Albums Chart[43] 67
US Billboard 200[44] 2
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[44] 1
US Billboard Top Rap Albums[44] 1

References

  1. "Meek Mill - The Making Of "Dreams & Nightmares" Part 1". YouTube. Retrieved 13 September 2012. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Amazon.com: Dreams & Nightmares: Meek Mill: Music
  3. Harling, Danielle (2 October 2012). "Meek Mill "Dreams & Nightmares" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2 October 2012. 
  4. Harling, Danielle (18 February 2012). "Meek Mill's Debut Album To Be Titled "Dreams & Nightmares"". HipHopDX. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  5. Alexis, Nadeska (14 May 2012). "Meek Mill Talks Dreams And Nightmares During MMG's Atlantic City Show". MTV. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  6. Horowitz, Steven (30 May 2012). "Meek Mill Talks 'Dreamchasers 2' Mixtape, Nas Collabo & Roc Nation Deal". Billboard. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  7. "Meek Mill - "Maybach Curtainz"". HipHopDX. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012. 
  8. "Meek Mill tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 25 July 2012. 
  9. Muhammad, Latifah (13 August 2012). "Meek Mill Locks In Dreams & Nightmares Release Date". HipHopWired. Retrieved 19 August 2012. 
  10. 18. Meek Mill, Dreams And Nightmares — The 25 Best Album Covers of 2012 | Complex
  11. "iTunes - Music - Amen - Single by Meek Mill". iTunes. Retrieved 19 June 2012. 
  12. "Amazon.com - Music - Amen - Single by Meek Mill". Amazon.com. Retrieved 19 June 2012. 
  13. Bustard, Andy (17 June 2012). "Meek Mill f/ Drake – ‘Amen’ Cover Art + Lyric Video". soulculture.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  14. Fleischer, Adam (11 July 2012). "Meek Mill Debates Philadelphia Pastor Who Called for "Amen" Boycott". XXL. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  15. Singh, Jakinder (17 July 2012). "Meek Mill Issues Apology For "Amen" Track". XXL. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  16. "iTunes - Music - Burn - Single by Meek Mill". iTunes. Retrieved 11 September 2012. 
  17. "Dreamchasers 2". 
  18. "Young & Gettin' It – Single – United States". iTunes. Apple, Inc. Retrieved October 2, 2012. 
  19. http://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases
  20. Horowitz, Steven (21 June 2012). "Meek Mill Announces "Dream Chaser" Headlining Tour". HipHopDX. Retrieved 22 July 2012. 
  21. Menyes, Carolyn (2 August 2012). "Meek Mill's Debut Album Pushed Back". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2012. 
  22. Krishnamurthy, Sowmya (2012-10-10). "Meek Mill Previews Dreams & Nightmares". Village Voice. 
  23. Singh, Jakinder (24 October 2012). "Meek Mill Isn't 'Tripping' Over Dreams & Nightmares Leak". MTV. Retrieved 24 October 2012. 
  24. "Meek Mill Exclusive World Premiere: Maybach Curtains". Rap Genius. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2012. 
  25. Album Review: Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” | AllHipHop.com
  26. Dreams and Nightmares - Meek Mill : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic
  27. Meek Mill - Dreams & Nightmares | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews | HipHop DX
  28. Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares | Album Reviews | Pitchfork
  29. Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares | PopMatters
  30. Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares | Music Review | Slant Magazine
  31. 31.0 31.1 Meek Mill, Dreams and Nightmares | XXL
  32. Dreams and Nightmares Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More - Metacritic
  33. Krishnamurthy, Sowmya. "Last Night: Meek Mill". Village Voice. Retrieved 10/11/2012. 
  34. BBC - Music - Review of Meek Mill - Dreams and Nightmares
  35. Meek Mill - Dreams & Nightmares | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews | HipHop DX
  36. Smith, Alex. "REVIEW: Meek Mill - Dreams and Nightmares". Def Pen Radio. Retrieved 31 October 2012. 
  37. Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 11/4/2012 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX
  38. "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 11/4/2012". HipHop DX. Retrieved 15 November 2012. 
  39. "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 4/14/2013". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 17, 2013. 
  40. SPIN's 40 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2012 | SPIN | Year-End Lists | Best Albums
  41. http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2014/01/xxl-lists-best-hip-hop-songs-albums-last-40-years-xxl-issue-152/4/
  42. New Music: Meek Mill ft. 2Chainz & Sam Sneak ‘Freak Show’ [Audio] | THATSENUFF.COM
  43. "MEEK MILL". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2013. 
  44. 44.0 44.1 44.2 "Dreams and Nightmares - Meek Mill". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 
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