He grew accustomed to dealing with life or death scenarios from a young age, and describes being painted into a corner by life in vivid detail. But Meek Mill’s frustration and desperation have nothing to do with Philly losing its claim as the nation’s capital at the top of the 19th century, and less to do with the behavior of the city’s despised sports fans. The intrinsic bond between the intro and Philadelphia’s identity and attitude are undeniable. It was going to be a Philadelphia anthem.” “When I heard, ‘Hold up wait a minute…’ I knew, right then and there, that it was over. “I remember listening to the where the piano is playing, and he told me to just wait,” he says. But at the time, he was pushing ‘Amen’ because of the feature, back when those guys were good.”Ĭosmic Kev was impressed by “Willy Wonka,” but also immediately recognized that “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)” was sublime. Because, once again, the energy on that record. “When he sent me ‘Willy Wonka,’ I was snappin’ on that. “He sent me ‘Dreams & Nightmares,’ ‘Amen,’ and ‘Willy Wonka’ - which was off one of the mixtapes, because he had done those records early,” Cosmic Kev says. According to Cosmic Kev, the intro wasn’t the song from this initial batch that Meek was the most enthusiastic about. I didn’t think they was gon’ catch it the way they caught it.”ĭJ Cosmic Kev, a legend at Philadelphia’s Power 99 FM and one of the most respected voices in the local hip-hop community, says “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)” was one of three records Meek sent him well before his debut was released. “But you know, that’s why I made that song in that manner. “I didn’t think would respond to that song like that,” he admitted on Hot 97’s Juan Epstein podcast in 2013. Meek Mill said he’s long felt the record was special (“Me and my homies, we always thought that about the intro,” he told Complex in 2014, in response to Drake’s praise), but he’s acknowledged that he had no idea it would adopt this extended cultural afterlife. Therein lies the root of the song’s popularity: it’s become an anthem because it channels a relatable narrative into raw energy - something any listener can feel. But being written off or doubted is not exclusive to Philadelphia - that’s a narrative many can relate to or, at the very least, understand. They, like Meek, succeeded despite being written off. Hence why the Philadelphia Eagles have embraced it as their anthem during a rocky journey to Super Bowl Lll. It’s deeply rooted in Meek Mill’s North Philadelphia upbringing the grit and chip-on-your-shoulder ambition that characterize the city are evident throughout the song. Much of that impact comes from the feeling “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)” evokes. The song has only grown more impactful over time. What was intended to serve as a tone-setting opening statement for Dreams and Nightmares unexpectedly grew into a special moment - an instant classic that Drake once described as “one of the best rap moments of our generation,” back when he and Meek were on good terms. READ: Meek Mill Joins Colin Kaepernick’s #10For10 Challenge “I’ve known Meek since 2005 or 2006, and that record was really a sign of his progression in the game.”

“I really couldn’t believe I was hearing a record of that magnitude coming from a new-school Philly artist,” Harris tells Billboard. Foxx” on 100.3 FM, recalls hearing “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)” about a year before when The Beat Bully, the song’s producer, played it for him during a meeting. Quincy Harris, host of The Q on Fox Philadelphia and “The Quincy Harris Morning Show with K. “It’s kind of reversed, but when you hear it, the dream part is a little softer and when we go into that nightmare, it turns into a massacre,” Meek told hip-hop journalist Shaheem Reid in 2012. It’s extraordinary because of how Meek’s urgency mounts, his volume gradually increasing before he erupts into unbridled adrenaline. It unfolds in two acts: Meek chronicling his ascent over somber keys before reveling in the success no one expected from a kid from Berks Street, as the beat abruptly turns sinister. The “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)” is an intense juxtaposition of extremes: being stuck at the bottom, then rising to the top against the odds. READ: Court Clerk In Meek Mill Case Fired After Asking Rapper To Pay Son’s Tuition But for Meek Mill, the opening statement of his 2012 debut album, Dreams and Nightmares, will forever be regarded as his manifesto. What’s perhaps even more rare, however, is for an intro to become arguably that artist’s signature record. It’s uncommon - and, typically, unfortunate - for an intro to be celebrated as an album’s defining moment.

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