Middle Of Da Summer
Meek Mill Lyrics

Philly
The song is about Meek Mill's experience growing up in Philadelphia, also known as Philly.

Take 'em back to the block, Meek
Meek is reminiscing about his childhood and taking the listener back to his old neighborhood.

Middle of the summer
The setting for the song is in the summertime when things were heating up in Meek's neighborhood.

I used to play the block all night til the sun came up
Meek spent a lot of time on the block, hanging out with friends, and hustling until the early morning.

Everybody got they gun game up
During the summer, tensions were high, and everyone in the neighborhood was armed to protect themselves.

Stack all winter just to stunt in the summer
Meek worked hard all winter on his hustle so that he could enjoy the fruits of his labor and show off during the summer.

Ridin' in my new Camaro, sometimes I wonder
Meek is enjoying the success of his drug dealing and rapping career and wonders if all of it will lead to his downfall.

Will it take me under or will it make me stronger
Meek is questioning whether his success will ultimately lead to his demise or if it will make him a stronger person.

Thinking the times when I was broke it only gave me hunger
Meek reflects on his past struggles and how it fueled his drive to make something of himself to escape poverty.

Shorty walking through the block it only made me wonder
Meek had a lot of distractions, such as women, during the summer but remained focused on his hustle.

My homies was sellin' dope and doin' Jay-Z numbers
Meek's friends were successful drug dealers, and some were making a lot of money, similar to how Jay-Z was at the time.

Niggas smoochin wrist was cold and throwin AC numbers
Meek's acquaintances were flaunting their wealth by wearing icy jewelry and throwing around a lot of money.

They on it was from the zone, used to say we youngins
Meek's friends were from the same area as him and considered themselves more experienced in the game.

Around the time when all the rap was on the radio
During the summer, Meek and his friends were mainly focused on dealing drugs, while the hip-hop scene was taking off nationally.

Me and my niggas on the block with hammers heavy though
Meek and his friends carried guns to protect themselves while working in their neighborhood during the summer.

I used to put it in my hand ain't wanna let it go
Meek was reluctant to let go of his gun as it gave him a sense of power and protection.

The work was low the numbers was right
Business was slow during the summer, but profits were still good enough to put money in Meek's pocket.

Used to play the summer league a couple youngins was nice
Meek and his friends played basketball in the summer league and came across some talented young players.

They ain't make it to the league cause it'll fuck up your life
Meek and his friends realized that playing in the NBA wasn't a realistic outcome for them as their lifestyle was too hectic and illegal.

Charlie nix marching through screamin' stop the violence
Charlie Nix was an anti-violence activist who spoke out against gun violence and its impact on the community.

He had will smith with him tried to stop the wildin'
Will Smith supported Charlie Nix's efforts to stop the violence by joining him in his marches and protests.

But as soon as they left the hood, man shots was fired
Despite their efforts to stop the violence, gunshots still rang out in the neighborhood soon after Charlie and Will left.

Ambulances rushin' somebody mama cryin'
The violence in the neighborhood led to someone getting hurt or killed, and the family's anguish and pain were palpable.

They say the good don't make it here
The environment in Meek's neighborhood was tough, and many good people didn't survive or succeed due to the violence and dangers of the lifestyle.

Ain't no fightin' hammer time and they gon' take it there
Meek knew that if he or anyone in the neighborhood got into a physical altercation, it would escalate quickly to gun violence.

North rushin', cops lock you like Jamaican hair
The police would often patrol Meek's neighborhood, and if they saw anything suspicious, they would arrest people immediately, similar to how Jamaican women braid hair tightly.

Young boul, sixteen, and got eighty years
Meek points out the harsh reality of young people getting caught up in the legal system for lengthy prison terms.

People cooking out, old heads lookin' out
Some people in the neighborhood were still able to enjoy the summer by having cookouts while the older generation watched over things.

Rest in peace, tears for the soldiers that got tooken out
Meek mourns those who have lost their lives in the neighborhood, referring to them as soldiers who fought against the harsh realities of their environment.

I was in the streets, momma told me to be in the house
Meek's mother wanted him to stay inside and avoid getting swept up in the dangerous lifestyle of the neighborhood, but Meek chose to remain outside and play in the streets.

Ten o'clock I was on the block, moving in and out
Despite his mother's warnings, Meek spent a lot of time outside late at night, dealing drugs and doing his hustle.

City of brotherly love, I was only thirteen, I seen a puddle of blood
Philadelphia is known as the City of Brotherly Love, but Meek witnessed early on the harsh realities of violence in the city, such as seeing a pool of blood at a young age.

Grown man lying there, he got one in his mug
Meek saw a man who had been shot and killed, with a gunshot wound to the head.

His grandma screaming, 'told you about selling them drugs!
The victim's grandmother blamed his drug dealing for his death and had warned him about the dangers of that lifestyle.

But it was feeling like the winter, July was feeling like December
The violence and struggles of the summer made it feel like the winter season rather than the normally upbeat summer vacations kids enjoy.

We ball hard to the finish
Despite the struggles, Meek and his friends continued to hustle and work hard until the end of the summer.

They say I'm cold cause I'm a winner
Meek is aware that his success and drive may come across as cold or heartless to others, but he remains committed to achieving his goals.

We had a quarter brickies, half of birdies
Meek and his crew were involved in drug dealing and made a significant amount of money from selling drugs in the summer.

Stash box ride super dirty
Meek kept his drug-selling equipment, such as scales and baggies, in a hidden compartment in his car to avoid getting caught by the police.

Tryna get that money
Meek and his friends were hustling hard to make as much money as possible during the lucrative summer season.

Zip locks, nose candy
Meek was involved in the sale of cocaine, which he would keep in Ziplock bags to sell to customers.

Back to back in them black caddies
Meek and his friends would ride around in black Cadillac cars that were often used by drug dealers in the neighborhood.

And we said this is our summer, and we taking it there
Meek and his crew were determined to make the most of the summer and their opportunities to make money and have fun.

I'm all up in this mirror, like look at this Audamars
Meek is proud of his expensive watch and admires his success and wealth in the mirror.

Standing in my rear while starin' at this painted mirror
Meek stands in front of his car and admires its painted exterior, feeling proud of his hard work and success.

Still tryna get it square
Despite his success, Meek is still trying to make something of himself and achieve stability.

Super fly how we live
Meek and his friends live a glamorous and flashy lifestyle, characterized by their success and wealth.

Aw knocked out lights comin', knocked out mean a bike's comin'
Meek is referring to the sound of police cruisers which are called 'knockers' in Philadelphia, when they come close and the neighbor's lights turn off it means a bicycle rider has to run and hide, because the police might think he is a drug dealer.

Smellin' two stroke
Meek smells the fumes of motorcycles which are used by drug dealers to move quickly.

These Philly streets will make you lose hope
Meek acknowledges that the harsh realities of living in Philadelphia can be discouraging and demotivating for some, leading them to lose hope.

Her son was murdered now she use coke
Meek has seen how the pain of losing a child can lead a parent to turn to drugs for comfort.