Peep the list.

And because Kanye West loves ranting, listen to him call into DJ Enuff’s show and sound off about his placement and the list in general.

When Meek Mill first signed to the Maybach Music Group, many of his fans feared that one of this generation’s most technically talented rappers would lose his voice in Rick Ross’s world of kingpin anthem’s and purposefully ridiculous drug metaphors. Meek Mill first made his mark in his native Philadelphia with the Flamers mixtape series, full of high energy beats and high energy rapping. Mill had a seemingly endless list of rhymes that he could shoot off in rapid, seemingly endless succession. A simple Youtube search today provides a packed list of freestyles, some dating all the way back to 2005.

While Meek’s contributions to MMG group projects tend to be a little bit one-dimensional, fears of Mill’s solo work conforming to the MMG sound were somewhat quashed when his debut mixtape with the label, Dreamchasers, proved to be a rewarding listen. Tracks like “House Party” and “Tony Story” channeled Meek’s endlessly energetic style into a dark and intriguing form. The former was an absolutely sinister party track with a highly complex but impressively catchy hook, while the latter was a tragic and immersive tale about friends turned against one another by the streets. The tape was a sleeper, seemingly uniform when first heard, but growing in subtlety with repeat listens. As a mixtape, it showed promise and strong identity on Meek’s part.

In name, theme, style, and ambition, Dreams and Nightmares seems to simply be the next mixtape in the Dreamchasers series. Album continuity is important in hip-hop. It’s the reason every EPMD album has a song called “Jane” and much of the reason why no one bought Lil Wayne’s Rebirth. Continuity between releases acts as a sort of self-canonization. Not only is this album similarly named, it contains “Tony Story Pt. 2”, a sequel to the standout track from Dreamchasers. In Meek Mill’s case, this is a bad sign for those hoping to see an increase in the rapper’s creativity and star power. The album shows little development as a sequel to Dreamchasers 2, maintaining the same strengths and pitfalls of the two mixtapes.

Dreams and Nightmares is an apt album title for a rapper who waxes poetic in such stark terms. Other than the intro, which switches between the two halfway through, each song can be easily placed in one of either of these two categories. The album is tense to say the least, taking the listener to some high-strung places. Meek’s flow adds immediacy to each side of the dreamworld. He maintains his characteristic keyed-up yelp from songs about money to songs about sex.

Yet, possibly because of his voice’s common thread, the dreams and the nightmares don’t seem to stand very far from one another. The dreams have a hint of doom while the nightmares have a hint of pleasure. The juxtaposition can be uncomfortable and it extends into the emotions the album is trying to represent. On “Treacherous”, a sentimental track about revenge, he reminisces about running trains in the same verse as lamenting his mother’s tears.

This leads to a curious mix of cold-hearted nihilism and teary-eyed sentimentality that often doesn’t mix when applied to the same situations. It’s certainly an attitude unique to Meek at this point (most rappers aren’t nearly as serious these days as he seems to be), but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s compelling. It can hold a mixtape and build excitement for an the future, but it doesn’t make for a very convincing debut statement. This, essentially, makes Meek into a singles artist, blocking the album from maintaining any sort of emotional cohesion or thematic purpose. And as we all know, rap singles aren’t as popular as they used to be.

3 out of 5 stars

3 out of 5

The constant use of the phrase “self made” by the Maybach Music Group is the product of multiple inflated egos, but, in some sense, it’s appropriate. You’ll notice that Rick Ross is rarely a participant in the signing drama that often surrounds an intensely hyped new rapper. He has never signed a Chief Keef, a Tyler the Creator, or a Kreayshawn to MMG. Meek Mill, Stalley, Gunplay, Omarion, and Wale are all seasoned musicians coming from successful careers.

Before signing to MMG, Meek Mill was a captivating and frenetic street rapper from Philadelphia with a giant local following. Stalley was a Ohio-repping golden era rap revivalist known for his finely crafted mixtapes. Gunplay was an old cohort of Rick’s and a relatively successful mixtape rapper with a strong following. Omarion was an R&B superstar and former member of B2K. Lastly, Wale was a local DC rapper whose name had been repeatedly spoken in dorm rooms across the country. Prior to MMG, these careers were not based on novelty or hype, but hard work and serious entertainment value.

While Ross’ choice of these specific men may seem a little arbitrary, the Self Made albums are based on a concept similar to that of a rock supergroup. Bring disparate but well-known artists together to make a group that is greater than the sum of its parts. They will have a mammoth audience consisting of a wide variety of listeners, ready to be exposed to new sounds: top 40 listeners, trap rap fans, hip-hop heads, and frat boys alike. The weak point in this formula is that it assumes that the distinct sounds of these various artists can somehow be combined into a coherent whole while still maintaining each member’s artistic voice. This is one of many reasons that most rock supergroups are disappointing.

Ross’s approach to this problem has simply been to recycle his own well-tested sound. Results so far have been less than exciting. “Tupac Back” was the first single of 2011’s Self Made Vol. 1, a behemoth of a track made to rattle windows on city blocks across the nation. It began strong, Rick Ross delivering his patented, pregnant-pause weeze. When he handed the track to Meek Mill, however, the song deflated. It remained a solid track, but in the end “Tupac Back”  was tainted by Meek’s less-than-Ross flow. Rick Ross’s mythmaking is based upon the idea that he can back up grandiose imagery with rapping to match. When the rapping wavers, the entire concept crumbles.

As one might expect, Self Made Vol. 2 sees Ross steadfastly maintaining the same stale myth to the bitter end. The album is equal parts condescendingly humble, wildly self-indulgent, and  menacing. It’s an understandable if unfortunate instinct, given that with the help of this formula he can produce hard-hitting solo tracks at an above average success rate. Songs like “All Birds” and “Bury Me a G” are made in his classic mode, with huge, dispassionate beats. Unfortunately, having maintained this mode for six years, his vocal contributions to the album are less than invigorated.

To its own credit, Rick Ross’s larger-than-life image has always included an element of the ridiculous. After all, “BMF”, his biggest hit, is based upon the premise that he’s proud of how fast he wastes his own money. On Vol. 2, however, he borders on self-parody. He begins the album by declaring that Michael Jackson would want everyone to smoke a joint in his honor if he were to come back from the dead. It’s an almost unintelligible piece of nonsense. On multiple occasions, he compares his woman to a bag of money and he makes it very clear that he’s serious. The line turns him into cartoon, as if he’s Wile E. Coyote looking at Roadrunner and seeing a steak. It might be a good line if he said it once, but after the sixth time, we’re no longer impressed.

Thankfully, Ross is mostly relegated to a supportive position. In comparison to Vol I, Vol. 2 sees the MMG crew settling into their roles, for better or for worse. Each member of MMG performs his part with equal parts complacency and comfort. Luckily, this means that most of them manage to shake themselves out of the hypnosis at least once or twice. Given that Meek Mill and Gunplay are the best rappers in the group, the best songs are those with the darkest emotions. Unfortunately, neither are offered very many opportunities to show their talent.

Meek manages to shed much of Ross’s influence on “Black Magic”, switching out the pause-heavy rap for a nuanced, lyrical verse in his most comfortable, hyped-up voice. His other three appearances, however, are either simply lackluster or out-of-place. Meek is a great rapper, but only shows it when he takes the time. Gunplay, who wasn’t even allowed on the cover, is offered a measly two verses. He excels in both, giving us nuanced, chilling lines like, “Take a close look at my face / the war paint is on”, all delivered in his own unhinged billow. He may not be commercially viable, but Gunplay is the most dynamic and creative rapper in the group.

Most of Self Made Vol. 2, however, is given to the three weakest and most marketable members. Wale and Stalley put in a surprisingly valiant efforts. In the wake of Wale’s signing, he had seemed like an overinflated balloon, obsessed with his own perceived potential while no longer producing any of the content that had made him appealing to his fans to be begin with. He seems to have regained a semblance of conscience at times, although most of it takes the form of complicated MMG apologetics. With that said, his rapping is forced, colorless, and forgettable. Stalley has the least off-putting personality of the group, but also the least appropriate style for this attitude-driven sound. Neither of have distinct enough voices to fit well into a posse album. Positioning them next to more talented rappers simply highlights their own lack of character.

Omarion’s inclusion is the least appropriate of all, although his contributions are by no means unappealing. The Maybach sound slides easily from sentimental to mildly romantic, but the rappers of the group are not predisposed to their own romantic sides. Alone, he produces perfectly serviceable R&B tracks with a sensitive personality and polished voice. “MIA” is the most effective, most likely because Wale is the most sentimental rapper of the group, but his other track, “Let’s Tall”, is crippled by an awkward Rick Ross appearance and an even more awkward Biggie sample in the chorus. His attempt at rapping on “This Thing is Ours” serves only to prove that his creative career choices are as misguided as the rest.

Given the diversity of this crew, it’s hard to say that an album with a wider variety of moods would produce a higher number of entertaining tracks. It would, however, have given the group a chance to expand upon their deep well of creative potential. In January, the group was featured on a song with the other two members of Triple Cs. “Slow Down” featured a sped-up, funky EPMD sample with none of the drama of the MMG standard. Listening to it now, the group raps like they are a bunch of kids being taken to get ice cream after a long dinner full of vegetables. It only makes the complacent consistency of Self Made Vol. 2 that much more disappointing. If Rick Ross cared about what he had in his grasp, we could have a lot more than consistency.

2.5 out of 5 stars

2.5 out of 5

You can view the results below.

They should make up and cover a Monica & Brandy song: 17 votes.

No f*cks are given: 15 votes.

I need to see a dance reenactment to make a decision: 8 votes.

I’m just sayin’ they could do better: 2 votes.

Chris Brown had it coming. Karma is real.

This is only the beginning of USA vs. Canada: 1 vote.

They need to bury the beef ASAP. For the kids: 1 vote.

Stream/Download “Power Circle” here.

Download: Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 2 [Dat Piff]

Download: Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 2 [ShareBeast]

After meddling for a couple of years near the carcass of backpack rap by spitting over Madlib instrumentals, Stalley made a name for himself in 2011. He enlisted the fresh produce of soulful syrupy trunk rattlers from Rashad, and used them to rhyme about cars, girls, the working class, and Black pride. While some were critical of Stalley’s technical skill and personality on the mic, without a doubt Lincoln Way Nights was one of the best free or for purchase long players of all year. After the beard branded the internets, and Young Guru re-mastered the record, Rawse and MMG came calling and added the young spitta to their ranks. On Savage Journey to the American Dream, Stalley (or the Bawse) replaces Rashad for the critically lauded Block Beataz, and further streamlines his sound / message for a possible mainstream push in the future.

One thing that is clear from jump is that Stalley has definitely stepped up the quality of his flow by varying his tempos over different tracks and leaning into his personality a bit more. On “Hammers & Vogues” Stalley re-units with Curren$y for a lush celebration of material wealth and rising popularity; it calmly hits like CP3 in crunch time. The slapper though is the Chad Hugo produced lead single “Everything New”. The title concisely captures the lyrical sentiment as Chad’s Yosemite Sam piano chords bounce over classic Neptune’s marching band drums. Yet, it’s the Soundtrakk produced “Seen It All” that truly captures Stalley’s talent. The record’s big light’s melancholia allows Stalley to get earnest and honest about how his new opportunities and experiences have pitfalls he remains vigilant of.

All in all though, Savage Journey is a bit languid and monotonous. While the Block Beataz definitely have more layered and better engineered sound than Rashad, the chemistry and nuance of Lincoln Way Nights is gone. The tail end of the record actually has its best moments as other producers take the reign and the Beataz themselves change up from their futurist slump-funk to more MMG anthemic sounds such as “BCGMMG” featuring Ross and Meek Mill. Also the album itself fails to reflect the very title: the hardships of trying to make riches and name for one’s self in America. Snippets of American’s speaking on it at the end of tracks really isn’t enough. It’s more about how wide-eyes and appreciative Stalley is about his new position on arguably rap’s hottest label not named YMCMB. Without a doubt this is a solid tape, I just hope Stalley doesn’t lose himself trying to conform to the aesthetics of the Bawse and his team.

3 out of 5 stars

3 out of 5

Stream the track and let us know what you think.