Meek Mill needs a rebrand. He's become "Twitter fingers" exclusively, between the viral moments and the extremely unfortunate friendship he has/had with Diddy. It's not the best time to be a Meek fan, and something that could go a long way in fixing that is the music. It worked back in 2018, when he dropped Championships and managed to go Platinum. That album really benefited from a Drake-featured single, and Meek's latest song decided to borrow a Drake-originated structure.
"5AM In Philly" is a transparent riff on Drake's timestamp records. The ones that the Toronto rapper has been doing since 2010, and are regularly cited as some of his greatest tracks ever. It's a bold move, and Meek really goes for the full timestamp treatment. He gets a moody instrumental that sounds like it came out of the OVO camp. Wistful piano keys coalesce with a subtle drum pattern, giving Meek Mill plenty of time to wax poetic about his life. There's even a part near the two minute mark where the drums adopt the same exact pattern as the backend of Drake's "6PM In New York."
Meek Mill Turns In A Forgettable Drake Impression
It's a classic move from producer Noah "40" Shebib. A concept that Meek bizarrely reminds us of by adopting a rhyme scheme around the number "40." "And the time meet the time, you forty without a dime (I'm just a man)," he aggressively raps. "And the only thing you own is a .40 and a little .9. So if he kill son, that's the only way he gon' shine." Not enough Drake similarities? How about the fact that Meek Mill decides to talk about "scary times" during the outro. One would be hard-pressed to think the rapper is referencing Drake's Scary Hours EPs. The production is cool, and the rapping is passable. Meek does such a poor job of hiding his influences, though, that it feels like Drizzy karaoke.
What are your thoughts on "5AM In Philly" by Meek Mill? Does Meek sound good changing up his style? Do his bars hit home? Do the similarities to Drake distract you? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Meek Mill. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
N**gas gettin' in your head, that sh*t might change your dog
I change my drawers, then put on my Glock when I wake up
(I need someone who understands)
Crazy part, that sh*t just made my block really break up
I'm the motivation, I made n**gas get their cake up