Dreams and Nightmares

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For the role-playing game book of the same name, see Dreams and Nightmares (Changeling: The Dreaming).
Dreams and Nightmares
Dreamsandnightmares.jpg
Studio album by
Meek Mill
ReleasedOctober 30, 2012 (2012-10-30)
RecordedJanuary – September 2012[1]
GenreHip hop
Length56:36
Label
Producer
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 on October 30, 2012, by Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records.[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] Mill said that it would be more cohesive than his mixtapes by having more connection in both vocal delivery and clearer beats.

The album was supported by four singles in total including, "Amen", "Burn", "Young & Gettin' It" and "Believe It".

Upon its release, Dreams and Nightmares received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in its first week in the United States. The album has gone on to be certified gold for sales of over a 500,000 copies.

Background[]

In February 2012, Meek Mill posted one of his vlogs, revealing the title for his debut album to be Dreams and Nightmares.[4] On May 14, 2012, in an interview with MTV, 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 these fellow rappers French Montana and Rick Ross (who is also his label-boss), to appear on the album.[5] Later, he 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 he did a collaboration with Nas on the track, titled "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, 2012, an unfinished version of his track "Maybach Curtains", was leaked to the internet,[7] which prompted Meek Mill to take to Twitter by saying "Who leaked maybach curtains....I'm not letting nobody hear my shit at all!"[8] In August 2012, during an interview 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 Big Sean, was released on September 11, 2012.[16] The song also was included on his mixtape Dreamchasers 2.[17] The album's third single, "Young & Gettin' It" featuring Kirko Bangz, was released on October 2, 2012.[18] "Believe It" featuring Rick Ross, will be sent to US urban radio stations, as the album's fourth single on February 19, 2013.[19]

The lead single "Amen" and the album's Intro "Dreams and Nightmares" were certified Gold & Platinum respectively by the Recording Industry Association of America.[20]

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.[21] After originally being scheduled for release on August 28, the release was pushed back to October 30.[2][22] On October 10, Mill previewed the album in New York City for industry insiders including Jay-Z and Will Smith.[23] 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."[24] 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.[25]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic69/100[26]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllHipHop7.5/10[27]
AllMusic3.5/5 stars[28]
Consequence of SoundC-[29]
Exclaim!6/10[30]
HipHopDX3/5 stars[31]
Pitchfork Media7.4/10[32]
PopMatters6/10[33]
Rolling Stone3.5/5 stars[34]
Slant Magazine3/5 stars[35]
XXL4/5 (XL)[36]

Upon its release, Dreams and Nightmares received generally positive reviews by music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 69, based on 17 reviews.[26] Ralph Bristout of XXL noted that, "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."[36] The Village Voice's Sowmya Krishnamurthy dubbed it "the perfect balance of street rap and commercialism."[37] 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."[38] However Edwin Ortiz of HipHopDX said: "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."[31] 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."[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]

Commercial performance[]

Dreams and Nightmares debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 165,000 units.[42] The album was held off the top spot by American singer Taylor Swift's fourth studio album Red, which sold over 344,000 units.[43] In its second week on the chart, Dreams and Nightmares descended six places to number eight.[44] The sales of the album for that week were 41,000 copies, bringing the total sales to 206,000.[44] As of June 2015, it has sold 414,000 copies.[45] On May 25, 2016, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.

Track listing[]

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[46]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Dreams and Nightmares"
The Beat Bully3:50
2."In God We Trust"
  • Williams
  • Byron Forest II
  • M. Jordan
Black Metaphor4:37
3."Young & Gettin' It" (featuring Kirko Bangz)
Jahlil Beats3:26
4."Traumatized"
4:10
5."Believe It" (featuring Rick Ross)
Young Shun3:59
6."Maybach Curtains" (featuring Rick Ross, Nas and John Legend)
4:52
7."Amen" (featuring Drake)
4:49
8."Young Kings"
Lee Major3:51
9."Lay Up" (featuring Rick Ross, Wale and Trey Songz)
4:07
10."Tony Story 2"
  • Williams
  • Samuels
  • Boi-1da
  • Burnett
4:23
11."Who You're Around" (featuring Mary J. Blige)
3:19
12."Polo & Shell Tops"
  • Williams
  • Carl McCormick
Cardiak3:26
13."Rich & Famous" (featuring Louie V Gutta)
  • Williams
  • O. Tucker
  • Robinson
  • Thomas Butler
Jahlil Beats4:15
14."Real Niggas Come First"
  • Williams
  • M. Jordan
  • Matthew Furdge
  • Kenoe
  • Got Koke
3:32
Total length:56:36
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Burn" (featuring Big Sean)
Jahlil Beats3:36
16."Freak Show" (featuring 2 Chainz and Sam Sneak)
The Renegades3:21

Notes

Sample credits

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[60] Gold 500,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Meek Mill - The Making Of "Dreams & Nightmares" Part 1". YouTube. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Dreams & Nightmares: Meek Mill: Music". Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  3. ^ Harling, Danielle (October 2, 2012). "Meek Mill "Dreams & Nightmares" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  4. ^ Harling, Danielle (February 18, 2012). "Meek Mill's Debut Album To Be Titled "Dreams & Nightmares"". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  5. ^ Alexis, Nadeska (May 14, 2012). "Meek Mill Talks Dreams And Nightmares During MMG's Atlantic City Show". MTV. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  6. ^ Horowitz, Steven (May 30, 2012). "Meek Mill Talks 'Dreamchasers 2' Mixtape, Nas Collabo & Roc Nation Deal". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  7. ^ "Meek Mill - "Maybach Curtainz"". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. July 25, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  8. ^ "Meek Mill tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  9. ^ Muhammad, Latifah (August 13, 2012). "Meek Mill Locks In Dreams & Nightmares Release Date". HipHopWired. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  10. ^ Magazine, Complex (2012-12-13). "18. Meek Mill, Dreams And Nightmares — The 25 Best Album Covers of 2012". Complex. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  11. ^ "iTunes - Music - Amen - Single by Meek Mill". iTunes. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "Amazon.com - Music - Amen - Single by Meek Mill". Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  13. ^ Bustard, Andy (June 17, 2012). "Meek Mill f/ Drake – 'Amen' Cover Art + Lyric Video". SoulCulture. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  14. ^ Fleischer, Adam (July 11, 2012). "Meek Mill Debates Philadelphia Pastor Who Called for "Amen" Boycott". XXL. Townsquare Media. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  15. ^ Singh, Jakinder (July 17, 2012). "Meek Mill Issues Apology For "Amen" Track". XXL. Townsquare Media. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  16. ^ "iTunes - Music - Burn - Single by Meek Mill". iTunes. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  17. ^ "Dreamchasers 2".
  18. ^ "Young & Gettin' It – Single – United States". iTunes. Apple, Inc. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  19. ^ "Urban/UAC Future Releases | R&B, Hip Hop, Release Schedule and Street Dates |". Allaccess.com. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  20. ^ "Gold & Platinum: Meek Mill". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2015-08-27.
  21. ^ Horowitz, Steven (June 21, 2012). "Meek Mill Announces "Dream Chaser" Headlining Tour". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  22. ^ Menyes, Carolyn (August 2, 2012). "Meek Mill's Debut Album Pushed Back". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
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  24. ^ Singh, Jakinder (October 24, 2012). "Meek Mill Isn't 'Tripping' Over Dreams & Nightmares Leak". MTV. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  25. ^ "Meek Mill Exclusive World Premiere: Maybach Curtains". Rap Genius. October 17, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b "Reviews for Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  27. ^ K1ng Eljay (@K1ngEljay) (October 30, 2012). "Album Review: Meek Mill's "Dreams and Nightmares"". AllHipHop. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  28. ^ Jeffries, David. "Dreams and Nightmares - Meek Mill". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  29. ^ Madden, Michael (November 9, 2012). "Meek Mill – Dreams and Nightmares". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  30. ^ Japal, Chayne (November 1, 2012). "Meek Mill Dreams & Nightmares Review". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b EOrtiz (October 29, 2012). "Meek Mill - Dreams & Nightmares". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  32. ^ Sargent, Jordan (October 31, 2012). "Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  33. ^ Fiander, Matthew (October 30, 2012). "Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares". PopMatters. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  34. ^ Rosen, Jody (November 9, 2012). "Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  35. ^ Cataldo, Jesse (October 27, 2012). "Meek Mill: Dreams and Nightmares | Music Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
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  37. ^ Krishnamurthy, Sowmya. "Last Night: Meek Mill". Village Voice. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
  38. ^ "Music - Review of Meek Mill - Dreams and Nightmares". BBC. November 5, 2012. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
  39. ^ Smith, Alex. "REVIEW: Meek Mill - Dreams and Nightmares". Def Pen Radio. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  40. ^ Soto, Alfred. "SPIN's 40 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2012 | SPIN | Year-End Lists | Best Albums". SPIN. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  41. ^ "XXL Lists The Best Hip-Hop Songs And Albums Of The Last 40 Years - XXL Issue 152 - Page 4 of 4 - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
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  44. ^ Jump up to: a b "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 11/4/2012". HipHop DX. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  45. ^ "Upcoming Releases: Hits Daily Double". Hits Daily Double. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015.
  46. ^ Dreams and Nightmares (CD liner notes). Meek Mill. Warner Bros. Records. 2012.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  60. ^ "American album certifications – Meek Mill – Dreams &". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
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