| Dreams and Nightmares | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 30, 2012 (2012-10-30) | |||
| Recorded | January – September 2012 | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop[1] | |||
| Length | 56:36 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
| |||
| Meek Mill chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Dreams and Nightmares | ||||
| ||||
Dreams and Nightmares is the debut studio album by American rapperMeek Mill, released on October 30, 2012, byMaybach Music Group andWarner Bros. Records. Mill intended for it to be authentic and more cohesive than his mixtapes, having a stronger connection through both vocals and beats. The album featuresguest appearances fromKirko Bangz,Rick Ross,Nas,John Legend,Drake,Wale, andMary J. Blige, among others. Production was primarily handled byJahlil Beats andBoi-1da, alongside the likes ofTone the Beat Bully andKey Wane. The recording took place from January to September 2012, including sessions in a studio bus on theClub Paradise Tour. Sessions were also held in Los Angeles and Miami, and multiple recordings were included on Mill's ninth mixtape,Dreamchasers 2 (2012). The dreams represent Mill making money as a performer, while the nightmares are based on coming up from his neighbourhood.
"Amen" was released as thelead single in June 2012, followed by "Burn" and "Young & Gettin' It" later that year, before "Believe It" in early 2013.Music videos were produced for all of the releases, while the lead single and "Young & Gettin' It" both charted on the USBillboard Hot 100. Mill embarked on the Dreamchasers Tour for further promotion in August 2012, performing at 16 cities in the United States.Dreams and Nightmares received generally positive reviews frommusic critics, who mostly commended Mill's development into mainstream rap. Some praised his rapping, while a few critics highlighted the dreams theme. The album was named to 2012 year-end lists by multiple publications, includingRap Radar andThe Source.
Dreams and Nightmares debuted at number two on theBillboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in the first week in the US. It has since been certifiedgold in the country by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album reached numbers six and five on theCanadian Albums andUK R&B Albums charts, respectively. In November 2022, Mill held a 10th anniversary concert at theWells Fargo Center, beginning with footage throughout his career and featuring appearances from the likes ofFabulous,Fivio Foreign, and Rick Ross.
In late January 2012, Mill announced his debut album toHot 97 hostAngie Martinez, with a release planned for the summer of 2012.[2] The following month, Mill revealed the album's title to beDreams and Nightmares in avlog.[3] Mill released his ninth mixtapeDreamchasers 2 on May 7, 2012, in the lead-up toDreams and Nightmares.[4][5] That same month, Mill declared backstage toMTV News to expect from the album "quality music and you're gonna get the real me", explaining it would not "be all over the place" like his mixtapes.[6] He elaborated that he was going to establish a connection, trying to "perfect my craft a little more", assuring his flows blend better with the beats and these have more clarity.[6] Mill was hopeful to includeguest appearances from fellow rappersFrench Montana andRick Ross, yet still insisted some features would be a surprise.[6] In a May 2012 interview for The Juice, he added that the rappers featured would depend on how the unfinished tracks felt: "If I have a song that sounds like it fitsNicki Minaj the best or it fitsT.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."[5]
Dreams and Nightmares features production on numerous tracks from record producerJahlil Beats, who was first introduced to Mill viaMyspace.[7] He had previously contributed to Mill'sFlamers 2: Hottest In Tha City (2009) andDreamchasers 2, becoming a frequent collaborator of the rapper.[8][9] Jahlil Beats said of collaborating that their chemistry "was destined to happen", emphasizing how well his drums and Mill's flow blend together.[8] Jamaician-Canadian record producerBoi-1da produced the tracks "Traumatized" and "Tony Story Pt. 2", while production was also contributed by the likes ofTone the Beat Bully, Young Shun,Infamous, The-Agency, andKey Wane.[7] In early August 2012,Hip-Hop Wired reported that the album's release date was postponed from August 28 to late October 2012.[10] That same month, Mill implored toWild 94.9 that he desired to stay true tohip hop and have a "classic album" comparable to the likes ofNas'Illmatic (1994),Jay-Z'sVol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998), and50 Cent'sGet Rich or Die Tryin' (2003).[11][12] Nas voiced his approval of Mill, "I got my eyes on him. He's the next one to take this shit over."[12]
In early October 2012, Mill shared the track list forDreams and Nightmares, which showed the twobonus tracks.[13] Around the same time, Mill revealed that major musical acts like Nas, Rick Ross,John Legend, andMary J. Blige were set to be featured. He also announced an appearance from fellow rapper andMaybach signeeWale, who described Mill as being in a "special moment" when wanting to make history.[11][14] At the end of October 2012, Mill was detained by thePhiladelphia Police Department on his way to the album's listening party. The department could not disclose the reasoning, though he was angry at having to share handcuffs with theRolex watch on his wrist for the cover art.[15][16] Mill explained the conception ofDreams and Nightmares, detailing that the dreams represent "being on tour and television, gettin' paid for doing what I love to do", while "the nightmares was just makin' it to this point, the hard work and bein' in the streets".[17] He elaborated that there was darker incidents during his younger years in Philadelphia, alluding to acts he considered bad and unspecified violence.[17]
In January 2012, the recording process for the album began. This continued as Mill embarked on the Dreamchasers Tour and promotedDreamchasers 2, releasing some of the recordings on the mixtape. As him and fellow rapperNipsey Hussle listened to beats from American-Jamaican musicianSean Kingston in the studio, Mill came up with song lyrics.[18] American record producer Spiff brought in a batch of 80 beats,[19] while Jahlil Beats noted Mill's high level of energy that culminates in "some crossover records" and "a few fast records".[8] In May 2012, Mill stated that he was recording between two and three songs a day in a studio he had recently installed on his bus for Canadian musicianDrake'sClub Paradise Tour. The rapper said that although none of the tracks had been made final forDreams and Nightmares, his collaboration "Maybach Curtains" with Nas had a possibility of appearing.[5] Footage of the rappers in a Los Angeles studio that same month showed him playing two tracks from the album that Nas appreciated, including "Maybach Curtains".[20] In July 2012, the track wasleaked to the internet.[21] A month prior, Mill was joined in his recording bus by major rap acts like Wale, French Montana, andJ. Cole.[22] Rick Ross gave studio advice to Mill of making the tracks feel perfect and part of a cohesive record; he responded by freestyling and telling fellow rapperthe Game it was "that feeling".[23] In early September 2012, Mill relocated to a Miami studio for the final recording sessions, including the title track "Dreams and Nightmares".[24]
Dreams and Nightmares is a hip hop album,[25][1] incorporating elements oforchestral andpop music.[26][27][28] The album frequently utilizes piano, whichThe A.V. Club's Evan Rytlewski called "a softer template" than Mill's mixtapes.[26][27][29][30] Jordan Sargent ofPitchfork describedDreams and Nightmares as "distinct in both voice and sound", observing it is "tense and dramatic" through the variations of piano and Mill's rapping.[26] Some reviews considered the music to be formulaic;PopMatters' Matthew Fiander said Mill aims for commercial success over creativity and is accompanied by "the machinations of Maybach [like] overdone beats".[1][27][29] David Jeffries fromAllMusic depicted the album as disorganized with less care than a mixtape, yet thought that "sliced off into little bits, this is the glittery gangster feeling" to be expected for Maybach.[31] Multiple publications noted Mill's loud delivery, with Fiander and the staff ofXXL believing that he yells throughout.[25][28][29][32]
Mill summarizedDreams and Nightmares: "The dream part is me living as an artist making money touring across the world, and nightmares touches on everything that it took for me to make it from the streets."[33] The album features Mill reflecting on his earlier struggles in life, showing how he became credible and juxtaposing these with his current situation.[1][30][34] He tells his story of reaching triumph from the struggles,[25] including crime,[29]drug dealing,[1][35] and growing up in a rough urban area.[31] Mill expresses a desire for money and disregard for the associated fame, albeit acknowledging his wealth is tainted by how it was earnt.[25][1][29][35] He also boasts of his lifestyle, while maintaining his dedication and grit.[25][31][35] The rapper ventures between dreams and nightmares,[31] which are represented by his successes and inner demons, respectively.[25][1][28]
Dreams and Nightmares begins with the title track, which relies on pianostabs and strings.[25][1][32] The track has a beat switch in the middle to transition from the dreams to the nightmares portion; Mill changes from celebrating victory to rapping angrily about issues in his past.[25][1][35] "In God We Trust" features amaximalist beat, over which Mill raps forcefully about killing a man.[36] "Young & Gettin' It" contains elements ofclub and usage ofAuto-Tune,[37][38] with lyrics about the strength to sell drugs from Mill and a hook from fellow rapperKirko Bangz.[29][32]Soul elements, hallow chimes, and filtered moans back Mill hypothesizing a conversation warning his father's murderer he will kill him on "Traumatized", expressing loss and regret.[25][1][27][29] "Believe It" begins with Rick Ross referencingMiley Cyrus andJustin Bieber, before Mill touches on struggle and triumph.[26][36] Rick Ross appears on the next track "Maybach Curtains", alongside Nas' guest verse andcrooning from Legend.[25][29][35] The track features pop andR&B elements, and Mill recalls drug dealing.[1][27] "Amen" maintains these elements and has agospel beat,[27][36] alongside Mill and Drake discussing sexual exploitation and excessive wealth.[1]
On "Young Kings", Mill recalls the pressure of drug dealing, as well as lamenting his father's death and expressing "fuck fame" to focus on his money.[28][29][36] "Lay Up" is a popslow jam that sees him reference admiration of his status,[28][35] featuring Wale showing off to women and an appearance from Rick Ross.[25][29] "Tony Story Pt. 2" serves as a sequel to the track from Mill's 2011 mixtapeDreamchasers and utilizes windshield wipers aspercussion, with the rapper telling the story of gunplay leading into the tragedy of death.[26][29][34] "Who You're Around" features Mill meditating on damaged personal friendships,[1][32] joined by Blige on the chorus.[28] On "Polo & Shell Tops", Mill raps about resorting to sellingcrack cocaine to earn money and get revenge on others.[29][31] "Rich & Famous" is a pop track, which includes Mill speaking of material wealth and spending time with a woman.[1][28][32] On "Real Niggas Come First", Mill reminisces on drug dealing.[1] "Burn" is anup-tempo number, which sees Mill and fellow rapperBig Sean perform back and forth.[26][38] "Freak Show" is a club number set in a similar tempo, featuring rapper2 Chainz and DJ Sam Sneaker, with a refrain referencingfellatio.[39]
At the start of October 2012, Mill shared the cover art for the album. The artwork uses Mill's gold Rolex watch for symbolizing dreams, alongside handcuffs for nightmares.[16][40]Complex named the album cover the 18th best of 2012.[41] At the2012 BET Hip Hop Awards, Mill performed "Amen" and "Young & Gettin' It".[42] During the months leading up to October, Mill played the album for Jay-Z and appreciated the feedback from someone of his status, getting along well with him personally.[43] In mid-October 2012, Mill and Rick Ross previewed it atElectric Lady Studios in NYC for rappers such as Jay-Z,Will Smith, and Wale, as well as singersEstelle andThe-Dream.[44][45] Mill declared that he was staying true to his early days with "In God We Trust", delivering "that hard street shit" unlike much of mainstream rap.[45] At the premiere, Rick Ross said about Mill: "I'm proud of my homie. Everything he has accomplished, he earned himself."[46]
On October 19, 2012, Mill premiered "Maybach Curtains".[47] The next week, he appeared onMTV's weekly show RapFix Live to promoteDreams and Nightmares, performing his scrapped second verse from the song.[48][49] Hours before his appearance, the album leaked online and Mill responded by telling hostSway Calloway, "I ain't tripping. If people wanna buy your album, they're gonna buy your album whether it's gonna leak or not."[50]Dreams and Nightmares was released on October 30, 2012, through Mill's labels Maybach andWarner Bros.[28] The deluxe version was released simultaneously, featuring "Burn" and "Freak Show".[51] A day after the album's release, Mill held a release party in Atlanta, arriving on time after being detained.[16][52] On January 27, 2013, amusic video for the title track was released, documenting Mill's career up toDreams and Nightmares.[53]
"Amen" was released fordigital download andstreaming as thelead single fromDreams and Nightmares on June 19, 2012, by Maybach and Warner Bros.[54][55] A month earlier, the song had been included onDreamchasers 2.[55] The song's music video was released on June 15, 2012, interspersing footage of Mill and Drake partying late at night with clips of the Club Paradise Tour.[56][57] "Amen" reached number 57 on the USBillboard Hot 100, and it was later certifiedgold by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for pushing 500,000 certified units in the United States in July 2015.[37][58] "Burn" was released to download and streaming formats in the US as the second single on September 11, 2012, through Mill's labels.[59] Like "Amen", the song was first released on the mixtape.[4] An accompanying music video premiered on October 10, 2012, which features Mill and Big Sean accompanied by models and exploding cars inside a warehouse.[60][61] The song topped theBillboardBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[62] "Burn" was awarded a gold certification from the RIAA for amassing 500,000 certified units in the US in May 2019.[63]
On September 19, 2012, "Young & Gettin' It" was released as the third single fromDreams and Nightmares and the first one not from the mixtape.[9][38] The song's music video was debuted on September 28, showing Mill and Kirko Bangz partying on a yacht, before changing to Miami.[64][65] "Young & Gettin' It" reached number 95 on theBillboard Hot 100, and it was certified gold by the RIAA for shelving 500,000 certified units in July 2017.[66][67] On February 19, 2013, "Believe It" was sent to USurban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth and final single by Maybach and Warner Bros.[68] An accompanying music video premiered on March 24, beginning with Mill and Rick Ross making a business transaction in the desert and then partying inLas Vegas.[69][70] The song peaked at number 22 on theBillboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[62]
In late June 2012, Mill announced his Dreamchasers Tour to promoteDreams and Nightmares, performing at 16 cities across the US. Mill subsequently shared its poster alongside footage of him engaging in activities like performing and driving fast vehicles, accompanied by a list of accolades and the opening caption "Dream chasing is an occupation".[71][72] Tickets were made available on June 30, 2012, viaTicketmaster andLive Nation.[71] Mill posted "All Access" footage in August, showing him and his team riding around on vehicles such asdirt bikes andall-terrain vehicles.[73][74] The tour kicked off at theFillmore Auditorium inDenver, Colorado on August 2, 2012, while it finished 25 days later atIrving Plaza in New York City (NYC).[71] DJ sets byDJ Drama andCasey Veggies were included on the Dreamchasers Tour, as well as cameos from rappers likeYo Gotti,Bow Wow,Ace Hood,Waka Flocka Flame, andT.I.[75][76]
At the end of October 2022, Mill announced a 10th anniversary concert onInstagram, billed as "Meek Mill + Friends:Dreams and Nightmares Ten Year Anniversary". Mill also revealed a promotional poster and that it was set to take place at theWells Fargo Center in his hometown of Philadelphia on November 26, coinciding withThanksgiving in the US. Tickets for the event went on sale via the venue's website at 10 a.m. in early November 2022, although the rapper did not disclose any of the guests initially.[77][78] The musical direction was handled by Gil Smith II.[79]
Prior to Mill appearing at the Wells Fargo Center, footage played from the early days of his career with the "nappy braids that locked", then hisFlamers mixtapes, the release ofDreams and Nightmares, and finally the icon he had widely become.[80] "Friends" in the concert's title was represented by the rappers that joined Mill, includingFabulous,Fivio Foreign,Jim Jones, andA Boogie wit da Hoodie. Mill performed a few tracks from his recently released mixtapeFlamers 5, as well as popular album tracks such as "1942 Flows" (2017) and "Respect the Game" (2018).[80][81] He ended rumours of tensions with Rick Ross by bringing him out to perform "I'm a Boss" (2011), while Mill accompanied the rapper as he performed his own tracks.[81] Mill finished the event by performing "Dreams and Nightmares", telling the crowd he appreciated their support from his time at the bottom and he raps for Philadelphia.[80]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.0/10[82] |
| Metacritic | 69/100[83] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [31] |
| The A.V. Club | C+[30] |
| Consequence of Sound | C−[27] |
| Exclaim! | 6/10[34] |
| HipHopDX | 3/5[32] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10[26] |
| PopMatters | 6/10[29] |
| Rolling Stone | [84] |
| Slant Magazine | [35] |
| XXL | 4/5[25] |
Dreams and Nightmares was met with generally positive reviews frommusic critics. AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received anaverage score of 69, based on 17 reviews.[83] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.0 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[82]
AllMusic's Jeffries asserted that the album succeeds in the themes of both dreams and nightmares, finalizing it "is still satisfying and a step forward" for an album release after mixtapes, "slicked up and pimped out in a way that's entirely Maybach".[31] Similarly, Sargent fromPitchfork celebrated the record's transition to the mainstream after Mill's mixtapes for being "distinct in both voice and sound" as it shows his strengths, highlighting his emotion and themes.[26] The staff ofXXL declared that "Dreams and Nightmares doesn't break new grounds in hip-hop", serving as a release for Mill to gain respect "on the verge of universal acceptance" like Rick Ross and Wale similarly did.[25]
Marcus J. Moore ofBBC Music thought Mill's character of "a decent wordsmith with a gruff disposition" seemed obvious and the album "won't break new ground" in hip hop, feeling somewhat underwhelmed by the compositions and lyrics, yet observing "a respectable effort that ... moves him beyond illicit history".[1] Edwin Ortiz fromHipHopDX said the album proves that "Mill needs more time before he can rightfully call himself the lieutenant of the MMG army", concluding it is "a dream that could be forgotten by mid-day".[32] Rytlewski was less enthusiastic inThe A.V. Club, seeing the album as another addition to the "already distinguished discography" of Mill's mixtapes and appearances on Maybach compilations.[30] He grudgingly acknowledged the responsibility of following standards for debuts through the likes of "sweeping themes" and reflective lyricism, concluding Mill's execution is competent and the conventional focus only takes him backwards.[30]
Dreams and Nightmares appeared on year-end lists for 2012 of multiple publications.Rap Radar listed the album as the seventh best of the year; Paul "Big Homie" Duong believed that Mill continued the success of hisDreamchasers mixtapes and tells "the prison walls to the hall of fame storyline" to a top level, concluding "this is what dreams are truly made of".[85]The Source namedDreams and Nightmares as the 18th best album of 2012, while journalistChris Morris picked it as the 10th best hip hop album forNorth Country Public Radio.[86][87] The record was named the 15th best hip hop album of the year bySpin.[88] For the 2014 issue ofXXL that celebrated 40 years of hip hop, it was listed as one of the five best albums of 2012.[89]
Dreams and Nightmares debuted at number two on the USBillboard 200, selling 165,000 units and becoming the highest debut of the week.[90] It was held off the top spot by singerTaylor Swift'sRed, while the opening sales were only 1,000 apart from Wale's 2011 albumAmbition that reached the same position.[90][91]HipHopDX had predicted thatDreams and Nightmares would reach the top three of the chart, estimating 175,000 to 200,000 first-week sales.[90][92] It entered theBillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at number one.[93]
In its second tracking week, the album sold 41,000 copies, reaching 206,000 units in the US.[94] By July 2015, it had amassed 414,000 units.[95] In May 2016,Dreams and Nightmares was awarded a gold certification from the RIAA for reaching 500,000 certified units in the US.[96] Despite not being released as a single, the title track was certified double platinum by the RIAA for amassing 2,000,000 certified units in the country three years later.[97] The album experience lesser success in Canada, peaking at number six on theCanadian Albums Chart.[98] In the United Kingdom, it reached number five on theUK R&B Albums Chart.[99]
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[7]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dreams and Nightmares" |
| Tone the Beat Bully | 3:50 |
| 2. | "In God We Trust" |
| Black Metaphor | 4:37 |
| 3. | "Young & Gettin' It" (featuringKirko Bangz) |
| Jahlil Beats | 3:26 |
| 4. | "Traumatized" |
| Boi-1da | 4:10 |
| 5. | "Believe It" (featuringRick Ross) |
| Young Shun | 3:59 |
| 6. | "Maybach Curtains" (featuring Rick Ross,Nas andJohn Legend) |
|
| 4:52 |
| 7. | "Amen" (featuringDrake) |
| 4:49 | |
| 8. | "Young Kings" |
| Lee Major | 3:51 |
| 9. | "Lay Up" (featuring Rick Ross,Wale andTrey Songz) |
|
| 4:07 |
| 10. | "Tony Story Pt. 2" |
| Boi-1da | 4:23 |
| 11. | "Who You're Around" (featuringMary J. Blige) |
|
| 3:19 |
| 12. | "Polo & Shell Tops" |
| Cardiak | 3:26 |
| 13. | "Rich & Famous" (featuring Louie V Gutta) |
| Jahlil Beats | 4:15 |
| 14. | "Real Niggas Come First" |
|
| 3:32 |
| Total length: | 56:36 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Burn" (featuringBig Sean) |
| Jahlil Beats | 3:36 |
| 16. | "Freak Show" (featuring2 Chainz and Sam Sneak) |
| The Renegades | 3:21 |
Notes
Sample credits
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[7]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[110] | Gold | 414,000[95] |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)