Rap fan reviews “Dreams Worth More Than Money”
October 5, 2015
Meek Mill’s hard- hitting sophomore album, Dreams Worth More Than Money, dropped June 29 as the artist’s first-ever Billboard topping record. This project, which was delayed for the better part of a year due to Meek’s brief stint in jail for probation violation, shows off his classic tracks with slightly less yelling and more actual rapping, due to some coaching by Jay-Z, and much more impressive instrumentals than fans have been used to. For better or worse, Meek stays true to his style of making music to bump to rather than bringing depth to his lyrics or messages.
Despite not having much meat to chew on for most of his tracks, Meek was able to include numerous artists on his album, including Nicki Minaj, Drake, the Weeknd, Chris Brown, P Diddy, Rick Ross, SwizzBeatz,and quite possibly the hottest up-and-comer in the game, Future. Compared to Meek’s Dreamchasers mixtape anthology and previous work, Meek’s current album creates something significantly more accessible and exciting for his fans and the current age of hip-hop to listen to. Meek delivers his catchiest work, Lord Knows, which supplies Meek’s signature huge intro, even including a sample from Mozart’s Requiem Lacrimosa. Additionally, Classic features a unique, Mr. Bangladesh produced piano riff.
Meek does try to incorporate one message throughout the album. He speaks of and emphasizes using his wealth to better his community, as he grew up in an impoverished area of Philadelphia, though he still spends a vast majority of his time rapping about girls, cars, and money. There are some rare flashes of contemplation in The Trillest and Cold Hearted talking about how fame and money have affected his family and life; however, overall, Meek leaves the listener with little to think about, as he has stayed true to his style of bluntly conveying everything that would otherwise require thought.
Ignoring the one main drawback of the album—its superficiality—Dreams Worth More Than Money comes across as Meek’s strongest work to date and includes some of the year’s more entertaining and fun tracks to listen to. Through Dreams Worth More Than Money, Meek firmly establishes himself as a brash, confident rapper and as a leader of the new age of hip-hop.
