Manifesting Meek Mill’s “Dreams & Nightmares”

Written By: @BdotTM October 2, 2013 @ 6:34 PM EDT
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Real nigga what up?!  It’s been a year and Meek’s “Dreams & Nightmares” is still the shaking the block.

Numbers lie. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Meek Mill’s debut, Dreams & Nightmares, sold over 369,000 copies to date. But beyond the music industry’s general ledger, the album’s title track/intro is platinum plus in the streets.

It’s been almost a year since the release of Dreams & Nightmares. While it’s singles “Amen”, “Burn”, and “Young & Getting It” were well-received, it’s the intro that has unexpectedly extended the album’s shelf life. “No, I didn’t think they would respond to that song like that,” Meek said on Hot 97’s Juan Epstein podcast. “But you know, that’s why I  made that song in that manner. I didn’t think they was gon’ catch it they way they caught it.”

But what is it that turns listeners from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde? Produced by Tone Beats, the track colors outside the lines of traditional song formats. “‘Dreams & Nightmares’ is my favorite cause it’s different. It ain’t shaped like a regular song,” Meek said. “[It’s a] new feel. It’s an intro, I never expected an intro to be doing this out here.” The song begins with nimble pianos and a creeping crescendo. Then at it’s apex, crumbles with ominous keys and Meek’s insatiate delivery.

Lyrically, Meek’s at his best. His rhymes are reflective, palpable, and aspirational. He taps into the common man’s sensibilities in way that’s more testimonial than karaoke. Look at this guy, he’s a shoe in for the remix.  “It got that energy the way it build up and drop it be just like, an extra energy,” says Meek. “People go crazy in the clubs when they hear it.”

Not since Jay-Z’s “Interlude 2 (PSA)” Lil Wayne’s “A Milli”  has a record, barring a hook and multiple verses, impacted urban hang suites like, “Dreams & Nightmares”. Only time will tell if another song can. For now, all we can do is to continue to pray for times like this.—B.Dot

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21 Comments
  1. Polka Faze says:

    you guys need to make the text in your articles white and increase the size a bit. and it’s amazing that you can write and article about Meek Mill and still jock Jay-Z.

  2. Alex says:

    why is this an article?

  3. GreenBergs says:

    werd i see you b.dot writing paragraphs all of a sudden

  4. smfh says:

    this album had no impact what so ever now rich forever is a classic talk about that fool

    1. joy road says:

      preeeeeeeeeeaaaaacccch! Meek album(s) are trash stop it b dot…nigga intro was better than his album I wish rr would speka the real not what the check is telling you to do…wale flopped…stalley is a non mf factor rockie fresh is a bench warmer..b dot keep the shit real man!

  5. GreenBergs says:

    u needa make a post bout tht new gahbage

  6. mac DIESEL says:

    @ B.Dot
    Numbers lie. According to Nielsen Soundscan, Meek Mill’s debut, Dreams & Nightmares has sold over 369,000 copies to date. But beyond the music industry’s general ledger, the album’s title track/intro is platinum in the streets.

    It’s almost been a full calendar year since the release of Dreams & Nightmares. And although it’s singles “Amen”, “Burn”, and “Young & Getting’ It” were well received, it’s the intro that has extended the album’s shelf life. “No, I didn’t think they would respond to that song like that,” Meek said on Hot 97′s Juan Epstein podcast. “But you know, that’s why i made that song in that manner. I didn’t they was gon catch it they way they caught it.”

    Produced by Tone Beats, the track colors outside the lines of traditional song formats. There’s isn’t a chorus nor multiple verses. It begins with nimble pianos and a creeping crescendo. Then at it’s apex, crashes to earth with ominous keys and Meek’s insatiate flow. “‘Dreams & Nightmares’ is my favorite cause it’s different. It ain’t shaped like a regular song,” Meek said. “[It’s a] new feel. It’s an intro, I never expected an intro to be doing this out here.”

    Lyrically, Meek’s at his best. His rhymes are reflective, palpable, and motivational. He taps into the common man’s sensibilities in way that leads you to believe that you’re actually featured on the track. Look at this guy, he ain’t no worries. “It got that energy the way it build up and drop it be just like, an extra energy,” says Meek. “People go crazy in the clubs when they hear it.”

    Not since Jay-Z’s “Interlude 2 (PSA)” has a record, without a hook, impacted urban hang suites like, “Dreams & Nightmares”. Only time will tell if another song can. For now, all we can do is to continue to pray for times like this.
    ^
    ATTENTION: TO ALL FUTURE JOURNALISTS & MUSIC CRITICS!!!! THIS IS NOT TRUE UNBIASED UNCOMPROMISED JOURNALISM!!!! THIS IS WUT U CALL BIASED JOURNALISM AND A BIASED CRITIQUE ALSO KNOWN AS STEADY DICK RIDIN’ IN THE URBAN/HIP-HOP WORLD!!!! DO NOT STOOP TO THIS LEVEL JUST TO KEEP A JOB AND COLLECT A PAYCHECK!!!!
    ……….HA!!!! WIPE THAT WHITE SHIT OFF YA CHIN, BENSON!!!!
    DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!

  7. JD says:

    B.dot you might need to edit this, missing a couple words. Also, you’re right, nothing without a chorus has hit this hard since PSA Although there was that one track called A Milli…

    1. yung aiky says:

      amilli amillii amilli was the hook

  8. Guest says:

    THAT ALBUM WAS AVERAGE AS F***

    N YES THAT INTRO GETS THE CLUB GOIN CRAZY BUT I STILL DONT GET WHATS SO GOOD ABOUT IT

    ALBUM AINT EVEN SOLD 400K … YOU MINE AS WELL DO ONE OF THESE KISS ASS ARTICLES FOR ASAP ROCKYS DEBUT TOO….

    … OH WAIT NVM… ASAP ISN’T MMG

  9. Mad Wrapper says:

    Written by MMG PR.

  10. LikeJordan45 says:

    LMAOOOOOOOOO LMAOOOO LMAOOOOO “PLATINUM IN THE STREETS” YOO LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOO

  11. William Roberts says:

    BDot why did you write an article about a year old Meek Mill song when he just dropped a brand new mixtape? It might be the worst mixtape of the year but not a peep from the fellas at Rap Radar? Is it because you aren’t allowed to write anything about MMG that could be construed as negative?

    Officer Richard Ross must be secretly so pissed off that he signed Meek Mill before he found out what a mouth breathing retard he is.

  12. William Roberts says:

    Yeah BDot this song is really a classic man. Meek screams about a great deal of important topics; his watch/other jewelry, cars (Aston Martin, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Maybach), ho’s, Haters, grinding, “fuck niggas”, MMG, strip clubs, Puma sneakers, etc.
    Wait am I talking about this song or every Meek Mill song ever made? I forgot.

    Numbers lie B Dot? Is that only when it comes to the album sales of MMG guys like Meek Mill? Or do numbers also lie when it comes to Macklemore?

    If you were a journalist with integrity you would publish a review of Meek’s new mixtape.
    If you were a MMG PR rep you would write an article about a generic year old intro.

  13. YeeZus says:

    trueeeee. the intro is undeniably great…the rest of the album though i’m not so sure

  14. africanhiphophead says:

    More B.Dot pieces please. Combed through the site for his column after I read this.

  15. adaptor says:

    this post should be about the producer, not meek mill.

  16. Yung Prob says:

    All y’al . Some hatas…at the end of the day MMG winning still getting money anD where u all at???? Meek mill one of the hottest artist out! The album was above average as opposed to what u all know. The man came from Shit and he doin it. Bet he still got a check cuz aint too many new guys doin dem numbers!

  17. Gmoney says:

    Meek is to real and the fake will always get exposed

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