| "Amen" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single byMeek Mill featuringDrake | ||||
| from the albumDreams and Nightmares andDreamchasers 2 | ||||
| Released | June 19, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2012 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 4:47 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters |
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| Producers | ||||
| Meek Mill singles chronology | ||||
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| Drake singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Amen" onYouTube | ||||
"Amen" is a song by American rapperMeek Mill from his debut studio album,Dreams and Nightmares (2012). Featuring Canadian rapperDrake, the song includes background vocals fromJeremih. It was produced byKey Wane andJahlil Beats, with the first serving as a songwriter alongside the vocalists. Due to theinterpolation ofthe Doobie Brothers' "Minute by Minute", written byLester Abrams andMichael McDonald, they also received songwriting credits. The song was thought of by Key Wane in New York'sTimes Square, after he prayed when experiencing failure.
On June 19, 2012, it was released fordigital download andstreaming as the album'slead single byMaybach Music Group andWarner Bros. Records. At the time of release,Philadelphia reverend Jomo K. Johnson encouragedboycotting the song over alleged usage of the church for sinful activities, leading to the two debating publicly onHot 107.9. Mill eventually apologized for any offense and Johnson called off the boycott, forgiving him. Ahip hop number withpop andR&B elements, the song relies on agospel beat, with lyrics focused on sexual exploitation and wealth.
"Amen" received widespread acclaim frommusic critics, who generally praised Mill's rap style. Some highlighted it as a step-up for him, while other critics complimented the beat. In the United States, the song reached number 57 on theBillboard Hot 100 and number 5 on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2012. It has since been certifiedgold in the US by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). An accompanyingmusic video was released toYouTube on June 15, 2012. In the video, footage of Drake'sClub Paradise Tour is juxtaposed with him and Mill partying at night. The two performed the song live atthe Fillmore on Mill'sDreamchasers Tour in August 2012.
American record producerKey Wane described how he came up with "Amen" as "a prime example of God being real", remembering being stranded with no money in New York'sTimes Square and not knowing how to return to Detroit.[1] The producer felt like he was on the verge of failure, praying: "Lord, change my situation if you feel like my situation needs to be changed."[1] He then met Mill and gave him the song, advising the studio team against heavy usage of equipment and rather to maintain a relationship with God through prayer.[1] The song was produced by Key Wane andJahlil Beats, the latter of whom co-wrote it with Mill, singerJeremih,Drake,Lester Abrams, andMichael McDonald, with the final two receiving credits due to having wrote theinterpolated work.[2]
Mill remembered playing "Amen" for the likes ofXXL editor Shaheem Reid in Los Angeles, envisioning it as a hit and listeners singing along. The song went through several alterations at a Los Angeles studio, and Mill identified it as an example of him "set[ting] up a hit", through hearing the beat and crafting it "into what I want to make it into".[3] Mill wrote "Amen" to thank God for the best things in his life. Drake became a fan upon hearing the song and quickly sending it back to Mill.[3] Mill and Drake's collaboration on "Amen" in 2012 marked their first involvement with each other.[4][5] The two developed a friendship afterwards and were seen multiple times in public, including performing and partying together.[5][6] Mill collaborated with the musician a second time on his single "R.I.C.O." in 2015, the same year as the two experienced a fallout.[5]
In January 2012, Mill started recording the album and went on to release some of the tracks on his ninth mixtape,Dreamchasers 2, including "Amen".[7][8] The song was premiered viaSoundCloud on May 4, 2012. It was then included onDreamchasers 2, released three days later, before being released as a single forDreams and Nightmares in June 2012.[4][9][10] The mixtape release credits Drake and Jeremih as featured artists, while only Drake is credited on the album version despite them both having vocals.[2][4][11]
Musically, "Amen" is ahip hop number, with elements ofpop andR&B.[12][13][14] It contains an interpolation of the 1979 single "Minute by Minute", as performed bythe Doobie Brothers and written by Abrams alongside McDonald.[2] The song relies on a minimalgospel beat,[1] prominently supported bychurch organs.[15][16][17] It is also backed by piano, over which Mill lowers his tone by a fewoctaves.[18] Michael Madden ofConsequence noted that Mill conveys energy with his flow, whileExclaim!'s Chayne Japal thought he raps with urgency.[14][19]
Throughout "Amen", Mill and Drake speak of sexual exploitation and excessive wealth.[17][20][21] Mill demonstrates innocence at the start of the song, thanking God for "all the pretty women he let into my life".[20][22] On thehook, Mill raps about those accompanying him and adds amen at the end of each line.[20] Mill also alters the hook from fellow rapperRick Ross's 2012 song "Holy Ghost" to appeal to more women: "In that dress she look like the devil but I let her innn [sic]."[16]
On June 19, 2012, the song was released fordigital download andstreaming in various countries as thelead single from the album by Mill's labelsMaybach andWarner Bros.[4][10] It was a success on radio stations in the United States.[23] "Amen" was later included as the seventh track of Mill's debut studio album,Dreams and Nightmares, on October 30.[22] The song was met with widespread acclaim frommusic critics, with general praise for Mill's rap style.Rap Radar listed "Amen" as the seventh best song of 2012, with Paul "Big Homie" Duong asserting that Mill takes everyone "to church"; he highlighted Mill's celebratory lyricism and Drake's appearance.[21]Pitchfork'sJayson Greene picked the song as the best new track on May 8, 2012. He said that "Amen" finds Mill abandoning his previous style and sounding like "a cocky young rap star" on the mixtape's "early highlight".[16] Greene described the song as "a gospel-clapping, organ-greased cookout beat", which would be usual for fellow rapperKanye West making jokes over, while Mill's first song sounds "more like avictory lap than a wind sprint".[16] In a similar review atPrefixMag, Charlie Kaplan named the song as the album's best due to the "joyous and gorgeous gospel beat" that is aided by Mill and Drake's impressions of West's 2004 debut album,The College Dropout, further highlighting it as the only instance where the rapper is victorious in "breaking out of his mold".[15] Japal fromExclaim! praised the song as a "sacrilegious celebration", which explains why Mill "raps with such an impassioned sense of urgency".[19] Writing forRolling Stone,Jody Rosen highlighted that Mill "cleverly tweaks sex-rap clichés".[24] Madden fromConsequence praised Mill's exhilaration, writing that Mill used "his high-energy flow" to go through the pop and R&B styles.[14]
Jess Cataldo ofSlant Magazine thought Mill utilized his charisma to create a "breez[y] material, like the backyard-barbecue anthem" that is "a sunny, lighthearted" number, supported by the prominent organ.[25] InAllMusic, David Jeffries was taken aback by Mill's arrogance at the song's opening line.[22] ForBillboard, Erika Ramirez wrote that Mill still "toy[ed] with his abundance of riches" on the "summer hit".[26] In 2017, Michael Saponara from the same publication ranked "Amen" as Mill's sixth best song and said that he "collided [with Drake] on the churchy [...] track", while also praising Jeremih's angelic backing vocals.[11] Mosi Reeves was more lukewarm atSpin; he noted that Mill "uncharacteristically lowers his tone a few octaves" over the gospel-influenced piano and said the song is good, yet "reads like old news" onDreams and Nightmares since it had been released previously.[18]PopMatters editor Matthew Fiander considered the song one of the album's "safe choices", believing that it "would [have been] a revelation" if not already included onDreamchasers 2.[27]
On July 10, 2012, NorthPhiladelphia reverend Jomo K. Johnson, from Mill's hometown, pushed for aboycott of "Amen". He declared that he is a hip hop fan, yet it is needed to properly call Mill out "and say enough is enough", with the rapper seemingly making usage of the church "as a backdrop and a parallel for some of the sinful things that he does".[20][28] Johnson also encouraged Christians that are rap fans across his city to boycott the rapper until he acknowledged "this blatant disrespect", using his religious position to "revoke Meek's 'hood pass' until this happens".[20][28] On July 11, 2012, Mill argued with Johnson over the boycott onHot 107.9'sThe Q Deezy Show, debating that the reverend was using it to gather fame and saying he might have helped him in other situations.[28][29] Johnson credited Mill for his talent, yet opposed his usage of it and ultimately accused him of lying in his music, while the rapper accused him of sounding like "a psycho".[28][29] On July 16, 2012, Mill apologized for any offense caused by "Amen" onBET's music show106 & Park, explaining that people are offended by all types of things and he meant no disrespect to any religion. Johnson responded by calling off the boycott and granting Mill forgiveness, though made clear his intentions to not support him in any way.[13][30]
In an interview withBillboard, rapperLecrae was asked what he thought of the controversy over "Amen" and responded that he was not bothered if a rapper does not value a word or know the meaning. Lecrae compared the situation to being mad at a "blind person bumping into you", clarifying that one shows them where to sit rather than becoming angry and his interest was fully set in helping people understand terms.[31]Christian rap artiststhe Ambassador andDa' T.R.U.T.H. also commented on the controversy in interviews, voicing their appreciation of Johnson taking a public stand against the song.[32][33] However, Da' T.R.U.T.H. stated that there was a possibility that Johnson could have reasoned more with Mill in the radio debate instead of only making blanket statements.[33]
For the issue date of July 7, 2012, "Amen" entered the USBillboard Hot 100 at number 86.[34] The song later peaked at number 57 on the Hot 100 and by October 23; it had sold 330,000 downloads.[35] "Amen" lasted for 18 weeks on the chart.[36] On June 9, 2012, the song debuted at number 67 on the USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[37] It reached the top 10 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 8 on the week of August 18, 2012. The song climbed three places to peak at number five the next week with a 10 percent airplay and 2 million audience gain,[38][39] becoming Mill's first top-five hit as a lead artist on the chart.[26] It remained at the position through to the week of September 8, 2012.[40] On the year-end Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 2012, the song ranked at number 43.[41] It further peaked at number four on the component USHot Rap Songs chart for the issue dated September 8, 2012.[42] On July 22, 2015, "Amen" received agold certification from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for amassing 500,000 certified units in the United States.[43]
Themusic video for "Amen" premiered at midnight on June 15, 2012, via Mill'sYouTube account.[44][45] It was directed by DRE Films, a director for Maybach.[44][46] The video opens with Mill waking up in the bed of his hotel room accompanied by women, following a party the night before.[46][47][48] Mill leaves his bed to get dressed, and the rest of his crew do the same, getting up from the floor and bathtubs.[47] He shows off his wealth in footage from the previous night with Drake, accompanied by bottles of liquor, expensive cars, and an entourage.[46][47][49] These celebrations are juxtaposed with clips of Mill's stint for Drake'sClub Paradise Tour, which adds cameos from the opening rap acts, such asJ. Cole,Waka Flocka Flame, andFrench Montana.[46][47][48][49] Mill and Drake also visit thePhiladelphia Museum of Art to perform "Amen", in addition to theMiami Beach nightclubLIV.[47][50] For the video's conclusion, Mill's tour set fades into the background.[46]
Mill and Drake performed the song at a concert in Detroit for the Club Paradise Tour on May 31, 2012.[51] The two later delivered a performance of it atthe Fillmore inSilver Spring, Maryland for Mill'sDreamchasers Tour on August 24. Drake's appearance shocked the crowd with excitement, and Mill shouted before the performance: "I'm having the greatest time of my life!"[52] At the2012 BET Hip Hop Awards, Mill performed a rendition of the song as he wore a black sweater with leather sleeves, sunglasses, and various jewelry items, such as ajesus piece.[53][54] On August 3, 2012 rapperthe Game released a remix of "Amen", featuringJason Weaver.[55][56] For the remix, the Game reflects on current events and his life from a personal standpoint.[56]
Information taken fromDreams and Nightmares liner notes.[2]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[43] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
The way 'Amen' happened is a prime example of God being real. I went to New York with no money. I was stranded in Times Square, didn't know how I was going to get to the Greyhound to get back to Detroit just to hop in my raggedy car to drive back to school hoping that the car would make it. I'm thinking if I graduate this year with nothing I'm going to feel like a failure [...] I just prayed, 'Lord, change my situation if you feel like my situation needs to be changed.' Then I ran into Meek Mill and gave him 'Amen.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)It's going to sound funny, but it doesn't bother me if a person doesn't understand the root or the base meaning of something, or if they don't value that thing to speak about it. It's almost like being mad at a blind person for bumping into you. You don't get mad at the blind person for bumping into you, you show them where the seat is, so I'm more interesting in helping people understand what those terms mean verses getting mad at its misuse. It doesn't bother me. It just shows me that I need to be here doing what I'm doing.