9781422271889

HIP - HOP & R&B Culture, Music & Storytelling

HIP - HOP & R&B Culture, Music & Storytelling

Alicia Keys Gucci Mane Meek Mill Migos

Jay-Z John Legend Lil Wayne Nicki Minaj Pharrell Pitbull Post Malone Rihanna The Weeknd Travis Scott

Beyoncé Bruno Mars Cardi B Chance the Rapper DJ Khaled Drake

mason crest Carlie Lawson

HIP-HOP & R&B

Culture, Music & Storytelling

MASON CREST PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2022 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4628-3 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4625-2 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7188-9

Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Developed and produced by National Highlights Inc. Editor: Regency House Publishing Ltd. Cover Design: Annalisa Gumbrecht, Studio Gumbrecht

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CONTENTS Chapter 1 : Career Highlights—Setting Recording Industry Records .......................... 7 Chapter 2: The Road to the Top—Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream ....................................... 25 Chapter 3: Meek Mill’s Hip-Hop Career, Interests, and Passions in Moments .......... 35 Chapter 4: Meek Mill’s Brand Messaging—Becoming a Worldwide Sensation ...... 49 Chapter 5: Meek Mill Reminds Us to Give of Ourselves ................................................... 61 Series Glossary of Key Terms ........................................................................................................ 70 Further Reading and Internet Resources ................................................................................. 72 Citations ............................................................................................................................................... 73 Educational Video Links ................................................................................................................. 75 Index ..................................................................................................................................................... 76 Picture and Video Credits .............................................................................................................. 79 Author’s Biography .......................................................................................................................... 80

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Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more!

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Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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Chapter 1:

M eek Mill, also known as Meek Millz in his earlier rap days with rap group The Bloodhoundz, started out in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rather than re-locate, the rapper has remained where he began, which may explain some of the career delays he has experienced. He began rapping at age ten, heavily influenced by his uncle, Philadelphia DJ Grandmaster Nell, his father’s younger brother. Other musical influences include Career Highlights— Setting Recording Industry Records

Mill began his music career in his hometown of Philadelphia.

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local rap artists including Will Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Chic Raw, and Vodka. Born as Robert Rihmeek Williams, he released many mixtapes but was not signed until 2008, although he had rapped since 1997. He built his following competing in rhyme battles. His mixtape activity drew interest fromWarner Bros. Records and fellow rapper T.I.’s Atlantic label imprint Grand Hustle. Mill signed with Grand Hustle in 2008 but never released an album on the imprint because of a prison sentence. Once released from prison, he moved to Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group, a Warner Bros. label imprint after XXL magazine named him to the 2011 Freshman Class. His major label debut was on the compilation album Self Made, Vol. 1 . Collaborating with Ross on “Tupac Back” and “Ima Boss,” the Philly rapper first hit the Billboard rap chart and earned his first Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) gold certification. Despite twenty-two years as a rapper, Mill has released only four albums. His mixtape output resembles a gusher though, with constant output. He has released Dreams and Nightmares (2012), Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015), Wins and Losses (2017), and Championships (2018). He has appeared on a number of Maybach compilations as well. In addition to Vol. 1 , he appeared on Maybach Music Group Presents Self Made, Vol. 2: The Untouchable Empire (2012),

Scan here to listen to “Love Don’t Live Here,’’ one of the earliest songs by Mill.

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featured on the Wale hit single “Bag of Money,” and Self Made, Vol. 3 . Mill also writes with numerous other artists and has contributed to the albums of DJ Khaled, Kid Ink, and Jazmine Sullivan. Mill has released twelve mixtapes. All are available as digital downloads. Two of his collaborations with others, “All Eyes on You,” featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj-Petty, and “R.I.C.O.,” featuring Drake, have become Top 100 Billboard hits. These appeared on compilation albums. Mill’s career has been plagued by periods of prison sentences and house arrest. His constant brushes with the law have caused a stop-and-start productivity to his album output. Mixtapes essentially amount to demos, and while they can require less polish, they provide both an artist’s fans and the record label the ability to hear their dedication to their craft and the development of new material. All Released Solo Albums to Date: Discography D REAMS AND N IGHTMARES (Released October 30, 2012) Although his first mixtapes came out in 2006, Mill did not release his debut album until 2012. The star-studded debut featured 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Drake, Nas, Rick Ross, Wale, Trey Songz, John Legend,

Scan here to watch “Realest U Ever Seen,” another of Mill’s songs from his first days in rap.

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Louie V, Kirko Bangz, Sam Sneak, and Mary J. Blige. The album debuted at the number-two slot on the Billboard Hot 200. Mill released four singles from the album—his breakthrough “Amen,” featuring Drake, “Burn,”“Young & Gettin’ It,” and “Believe It.” The album attained gold status from the RIAA. Collaborations “Young & Gettin’ It,” featuring Kirko Bangz “Believe It,” featuring Rick Ross “Maybach Curtains,” featuring Rick Ross, Nas and John Legend “Amen,” featuring Drake “Lay Up,” featuring Rick Ross, Wale, and Trey Songz “Who You’re Around,” featuring Mary J. Blige “Rich & Famous,” featuring Louie V Gutta D REAMS W ORTH M ORE T HAN M ONEY (Released June 29, 2015) Maybach Music Group and Atlantic Records delayed the release of Dreams Worth More Than Money until June 29, 2015. Originally scheduled for release on September 9, 2014, the record company delayed it when Mill was arrested for a probation violation on July 11, 2014, which resulted in a prison sentence of three to six months. His follow- up album hit the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at number one with a bullet. (The phrase “number one with a bullet” refers to an album or song that

Mill collaborated with John Legend on “Maybach Curtains.”

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Mill collaborated with Rick Ross on “Lay Up.”

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takes the top slot on the charts without entering at a lower rank and climbing to number one.) It sold 246,000 copies in its first week. He released three singles from the album in the U.S: “Check,”“All Eyes on You,” and “R.I.C.O.” His sophomore effort became his first platinum album. “Lord Knows,” featuring Tory Lanez “Classic,” featuring Swizz Beatz “Jump Out the Face,” featuring Future “All Eyes on Yo,” featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj “R.I.C.O.,” featuring Drake Collaborations

“Pullin’ Up,” featuring The Weeknd “Been That,” featuring Rick Ross “Bad for You,” featuring Nicki Minaj “Cold Hearted,” featuring Puff Daddy W INS & L OSSES (Released July 21, 2017)

Scan here to listen to Meek Mill’s “All Eyes On You” featuring Nicki Minaj-Petty and Chris Brown.

His third release, Wins & Losses , proved another star-studded project with collaborations with Chris Brown, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Rick Ross, Quavo, Young Thug, Ty Dolla Sign, The-Dream, Teyana Taylor, Verse Simmonds, and Yo Gotti. The massive effort joined the production talents of Papamitrou, DJ Mustard, Streetrunner, Dougie, Street Symphony, Wheezy, Maaly Raw, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., and Audio Jack, with executive production by Rick Ross

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and Meek Mill. Critics lauded the album that debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, and the album sold well, eventually going gold with certification from the RIAA. Mill released two singles from Wins & Losses : “Whatever You Need,” featuring Chris Brown and Ty Dolla Sign and “Young Black America,” featuring The-Dream. The latter single carried the theme of the album, which Mill discussed in a radio interview with Streetz 94.5. “I just wanted to give people a real perspective of my life, what we call wins and what we call losses. I lost my case, we lost Lil Snupe, Chino lost his brother. Where we come from, that’s a loss,”Mill said. “When you talk L’s andW’s, you get an L, that mean you got life in jail. It’s critical, it ain’t what they talking about, so I wanted to give my perspective on it, let people know what I’ve been through.”

Scan here to listen to Meek Mill’s “Dangerous.”

Meek Mill performs in Rick Ross’s MMG Tour at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, CA in 2012.

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Collaborations “F**k That Check Up,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert “Whatever You Need,” featuring Chris Brown and Ty Dolla Sign “We Ball,” featuring Young Thug “These Scars,” featuring Future and Guordan Banks “Connect the Dots,” featuring Yo Gotti and Rick Ross “Never Lose,” featuring Lihtz Kamraz “Young Black America,” featuring The-Dream “Open,” featuring Verse Simmonds “Ball Player,” featuring Quavo “Made It from Nothing,” featuring Teyana Taylor and Rick Ross

Scan to listen to Meek Mill’s rap “Trauma.”

Teyana Taylor collaborated with Mill on “Made it from Nothing,” with Nick Ross.

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