“Last time I was supposed to come to D.C., I got locked up,” Meek Mill told eager fans at Echostage Friday night.
The Philadelphia rapper’s brazen admission was a nod to a concert that was canceled last summer during his incarceration for probation violations. Worse, this setback came while the rapper was working on his forthcoming album, “Dreams Worth More Than Money.” Because of last year’s scrapped show and his own tardiness (he didn’t take the stage until just before 1:30 a.m.), Meek Mill’s performance at the crowded venue was about making up for lost time.
Wasting none of it, he dived head-first into the celebratory “House Party,” raising the collective energy — and volume — in the building to a level matching his own. Fittingly, this was followed by “Levels,” a bevy of boasts strung together with a beat that plods like a marching battalion. Keeping spirits high, Meek Mill earned further adoration from the crowd by deploying a celebrity ally: Washington Wizards guard John Wall, who sauntered onto the stage at his urging.
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Meek Mill’s set ran the full gamut of emotions, including a somber moment of remembrance for slain protege Lil Snupe. The teenage rapper was murdered in 2013, and after acknowledging that his pupil would rather have him celebrate his life than mourn his death, Meek Mill performed “Amen” from his 2012 mixtape “Dreamchasers 2.” With the pop of its drums stripped away and the signature church organ enhanced, the song adopted a more sentimental meaning.
The boisterous cadence Meek Mill raps with often overshadows his earnest demeanor. His voice also carries a layer of appreciation that implies gratitude for his current status. After his most recent legal hitch, he has been reminded of how quickly everything can be snatched from him. Hence, he suggested fans call him “Lucky” instead of Meek Mill after his DJ played eccentric Queens, N.Y., rapper (and rumored girlfriend) Nicki Minaj’s trippy hit, “Only.”
The reality is that there’s one thing the gaggle of supporters flocked to Echostage to hear, and it wasn’t confirmation of the alleged couple’s relationship. It was “Dreams and Nightmares,” the bipolar intro from his 2012 debut album of the same name. This song, which rises to a molten-hot explosion, is Meek Mill’s manifesto. Its infamous change in tempo struck the building like a bolt of lightning, and the resulting adrenaline rush compelled the sea of fans to recite each lyric in fiery unison. Meek Mill’s decision to close the show with this jewel was a calculated one and, in just under an hour, helped him atone for last summer’s absence.
Kimble is a freelance writer
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