Meek Mill: The Effect of Going Mainstream

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Meek Mill is probably my most favorite Philly rapper.  Although he is not the most lyrical, his songs really bump.  This makes them perfect to put on a party playlist or to listen to in the car.  Like most underground rappers, Meek's music was distributed primarily through free mixtapes.  His best mixtapes were the Flamers Trilogy which were made up of the Flamers, the Flamers 2, and the Flamers 3.  Every single song on those mixtapes was enjoyable to listen to because the beats were so complex that they caught your ear.  Meek Mill's music really pumps you up.

However now that Meek Mill is a member of the rap group Maybach Music, headed by Rick Ross, his music has toned down as a result.  Though his beats are still heavy, complex, and ear catching, Meek just does not rap the same.  He raps a little bit slower and is quieter when it comes to the delivery of his bars. A criticism that many had of Meek Mill prior to going mainstream is that he yelled his lyrics rather than rapped them.  But honestly that's just who Meek Mill is.  It's what got you so pumped up when listening to his songs because you would literally yell his lyrics with him.

In no way is the music Meek Mill makes now bad or not enjoyable to listen to.  He still raps over complex beats with a heavy bass, and he still makes bangers that can be bumped for days in your Toyota.  It's just upsetting that going mainstream has caused him to shift his rapping style.  This is just the sad fact associated with going mainstream as a rap artist: If you can't get played on the radio then you have to change.