Raised in the North Philadelphia section of the city with his sister and inspired by his mother and father; who died when he was five, Meek Mill began taking the rap game seriously at the age of 12 after losing a street battle to neighboring rappers. He says his desire to rap grew after watching his uncle Philly hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Nell. While hanging out in his neighborhood, Meek met three guys and formed the group, “BloodHoundz,” which consisted of Mel Love, Dat Nigga Leel and Young Pooh. The group lasted for fives years and Meek ventured on his own.
With a solo career in tow, Meek became one of Philadelphia’s hottest underground rap artists on an independent label. In 2007, Meek debuted his Flamerz series, which stands for hottest songs and released his first mix tape, Flamerz 1, which featured the hit single, “In My Bag.”
In 2008, Meek debuted the highly anticipated Flamerz 2 –“Hottest In Da City,” which showcased more of his lyrical abilities with the singles, “So Fly,” “Prolli,” and “Hottest In Da City.” Upon release of Flamerz 2, it caught the attention of founder and President of 215Aphillyated Records, Charlie Mack. Mack was immediately impressed with Meek that he signed him to his management company. During the same year, he met the founder and owner of Grand Hustle, TI. TI was impressed with his lyrical ability that he offered him an opportunity to travel to Los Angeles to meet with him along with the Warner Brothers Records, within one week both record companies offered him a deal. Meek was overwhelmed by the offers; however, he felt collaborating with TI was an opportunity of a lifetime and chose his label. An ecstatic Meek was on top of the world; a record deal and the chance to work with one of hip hop’s greatest rappers and then a set back occurred. He was arrested, charged with a crime and order to serve seven months in jail.
Meek pre-released three singles from his third mix tape Flamerz 2.5 – “The Preview” in August of 2009, which featured the chart topping hits, “Make ‘Em Say,” “Imma Da Ish,” featuring Ms. Jade and “Starting Something,” in honor Michael Jackson. Within the first two weeks of its release, Clear Channel added it to their play list, which is an anomaly in the music business. In June of 2009, Meek began immediately working on his freshman album – Flamerz 3, “Hottest In America – Gangster Grill Edition,” hosted by DJ Drama and featuring the songs: “Baby Girl,” “Hottest In America,” and “I’m Killinem.” The highly anticipated cd is set to be released on January 19, 2010. Despite his stint in jail, Meek’s fans remained loyal, he currently boasts of 13 million hits on My Space and 20 million viewers on You Tube. Meek Mill has recently just signed to Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group.
In the future, Meek plans to establish the Meek Mill Foundation, which will mentor young males between the ages of 12-24 on the importance of “Education over Incarceration.” He gives a shoutout to the next artist coming up named shizz.. He also plans to collaborate with United Community Action Network and the Lifers of Graterford Prison to address the violence plaguing our cities. To learn more about Meek, you can visit the official website: www.meekmillflamerz.com and for bookings or shows, you can call Charlie Mack at 215-910-4675 or e-mail: firstoutdalimo@aol.com.
2015 - BEEF WITH DRAKE
In July 2015 Meek attempted to air out Drake for "not writing his own raps" via popular social media site Twitter. These tweets resulted in a huge reaction from the hip hop community, however, the stunt went awry when Drake (Aubrey Graham) decided to respond. Drake released the diss track "Charged Up" during an Apple Music stream and an immediate response from Meek was demanded. Funkmaster Flex announced he would debut Meek's response live on Hot97. However, the track never came. After four days there was still no sign of a response from Meek, prompting Drake to release a second diss track "Back To Back." The response to this was huge and a harsh blow to Meek's career. Two days later Meek finally released "Wanna Know." This track received largely negative reviews and it was clear to most that Drake had won the beef. On August 2nd at the annual OVOfest, Drake truly roasted Meek Mill; performing "Back To Back" in front of various memes poking fun at Meek to a raucous Toronto crowd. Many fans believed this to be the nail in the coffin spelling the end for Meek's career.
These Scars
Meek Mill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We was on the hood goin' to war on the backstreets
Bulletproof Caddy like, "Who said they gon' get at me?"
Pull up in your hood, niggas running like a track meet
No more Rollies, I'm just buying more properties
Young niggas watching me, give 'em that game properly
Pass go twice, skip jail, build a monopoly
Don't let 'em trick you outta your spot
Since I been gettin' it, ain't miss a season from Ricardo
Tisci when they see me , know me at Wells Fargo
Still rappin' like it's no tomorrow
So I don't have to stand, let me borrow
And let you in my circle, but that's coming with a cost though
You don't work, you gon' starve yo
Dime in the crib, tip-toeing on the marble
Rockin' all this ice, I'm just tryna hide my scars tho
Somethin' bout that Wraith and them lights, how them stars glow
Give me motivation, out in Miami, know the Haitians
All the hitters got the bitches and I'm MMG
A legend on Collins how they gon' remember me
Young niggas
The land they gave us was always ours
Don't close the door, you owe us more, uh
I know that it's hard to face reality, mm
And when they changed, they were all surprised but me
And we buy Wraiths to hide behind these stars, yeah
And we rock all this ice just to hide these scars
If you never seen a dream fade away behind all these bars
And only God can touch your soul behind all these bars, oh
Patek on, iced out, yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Hundred rounds, brrr, spend live by (brr)
Drankin' purple lean, fuck my sky dive
Ridin' in them Wraiths like a shotta (skrrt skrrt)
Skipped out of school, whipped a deuce to a four
Chanel on my whore, got the marble on my floor
Ten year deal just to wear Diadora
I secure the bag, first round, that's of course
Cocaina white inside, that's a Porsche
Came from the gutter, nigga trapping is a sport
Young nigga don't spray the drum in the court
That's the Actavis, pop the seal like a cork
They running out of info, making rumours, what's your source?
Friends turned to foes, niggas leavin' me no choice
Hoes gettin' exposed, make a nigga cut them short
Hit a few licks before I made it out of choice
The land they gave us was always ours
Don't close the door, you owe us more, uh
I know that it's hard to face reality, mm
And when they changed, they were all surprised but me
And we buy Wraiths to hide behind these stars, yeah
And we rock all this ice just to hide these scars
If you never seen a dream fade away behind all these bars
And only God can touch your soul behind all these bars, oh
In "These Scars," Meek Mill shares his past experiences and his rise to fame in the music industry. He reflects on his time on Instagram, where he was involved in rap beefs, while at the same time, he and his friends were fighting wars in the backstreets. He boasts about his wealth, including bulletproof Cadillacs, multiple properties, and his ability to pass go twice in Monopoly. However, he warns listeners not to be tricked out of their spot, or they will have to pay the cost. Meek Mill has made it big in the industry and lives extravagantly, but he never forgets his roots and the scars that come with it. He uses his success to motivate and inspire others while staying humble and grounded.
The chorus of the song, "And we buy Wraiths to hide behind these stars, and we rock all this ice just to hide these scars," emphasizes that despite the success, experiences leave lasting scars that cannot be erased. Meek Mill relates to his listeners by reminding them that, just like him, they may be hiding their scars with their wealth or secrets.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was on 'Gram entertaining all the rap beefs
Back when I was on Instagram, starting and getting involved in fights with other rappers
We was on the hood goin' to war on the backstreets
In reality, we were actually in the streets of our community, battling against each other
Bulletproof Caddy like, "Who said they gon' get at me?"
I had a bulletproof Cadillac and was confident in my safety, asking challengers who dare come after me
Pull up in your hood, niggas running like a track meet
Whenever I pulled up in someone else's neighborhood, people immediately fled like they were in a track and field competition
No more Rollies, I'm just buying more properties
I've stopped buying expensive watches and instead investing in real estate
Young niggas watching me, give 'em that game properly
Young people are observing me and I want to give them wise advice
Pass go twice, skip jail, build a monopoly
A reference to the game Monopoly, where I aim to get to my financial goals without getting in trouble with the law
Don't let 'em trick you outta your spot
Don't allow others to take away your power and authority
Nigga you gotta be retard or you could treat me out this new Gallardo
No one would take me out of my fancy new car unless they are stupid or generous
Since I been gettin' it, ain't miss a season from Ricardo
Ever since I started making money, I have been able to regularly buy designer clothing from the fashion designer Ricardo Tisci
Tisci when they see me, know me at Wells Fargo
Even the employees at Wells Fargo bank recognize me due to my expensive taste in fashion and money deposits
Still rappin' like it's no tomorrow
I continue to rap with passion and vigor as if there is no tomorrow
So I don't have to stand, let me borrow
To avoid standing for an extended period, allow me to take a seat and rest
And let you in my circle, but that's coming with a cost though
If I allow you to enter my inner circle, there may be consequences
You don't work, you gon' starve yo
If you don't put in any effort, you will face the consequences of not having enough resources to survive
Dime in the crib, tip-toeing on the marble
A beautiful woman is present in my house, softly walking on the luxurious marble floors
Rockin' all this ice, I'm just tryna hide my scars tho
The extravagant jewelry I'm wearing is an attempt to conceal physical and emotional scars
Somethin' bout that Wraith and them lights, how them stars glow
The car's Wraith model and bright lights create a unique experience that resembles the brilliance of a starry sky
Give me motivation, out in Miami, know the Haitians
I seek inspiration from my surroundings, currently being in Miami and a community of Haitian people
All the hitters got the bitches and I'm MMG
All of the successful men have the desirable women, but this is just another day for me as part of Maybach Music Group
A legend on Collins how they gon' remember me
With my legendary status, I wonder how people will remember me on Collins Avenue
The land they gave us was always ours
Our land was always ours but was taken and given back to us as if it was a gift
Don't close the door, you owe us more, uh
Don't shut down or hide from the reality that you owe us more than what has been given
I know that it's hard to face reality, mm
Acknowledging the difficulty of being aware and confronting the truth
And when they changed, they were all surprised but me
When the situation changed, everyone else was surprised and caught off guard, but I always saw it coming
And we buy Wraiths to hide behind these stars, yeah
Purchasing a Wraith car is like hiding behind an image of luxury and status
And we rock all this ice just to hide these scars
Wearing all of these expensive jewelry pieces is just a way to cover up or distract from our emotional and physical wounds
If you never seen a dream fade away behind all these bars
If you've never experienced your hopes and desires slip away while being in prison
And only God can touch your soul behind all these bars, oh
Only a higher power can bring relief and enlightenment to your soul while being incarcerated
Patek on, iced out, yeah yeah (yeah yeah)
Wearing an expensive Patek Philippe watch with a lot of diamonds (repetition emphasizes the extravagance)
Hundred rounds, brrr, spend live by (brr)
Having a hundred rounds of ammunition and ready to live by shooting if necessary (onomatopoeic sound effect emphasizes intensity)
Drankin' purple lean, fuck my sky dive
Drinking purple cough syrup with codeine, disregarding the danger and consequences like skydiving
Ridin' in them Wraiths like a shotta (skrrt skrrt)
I drive around in Wraith cars like I'm a gangster
Skipped out of school, whipped a deuce to a four
I dropped out of school and made a small amount of drugs into a larger quantity
Chanel on my whore, got the marble on my floor
My female companions wear Chanel and my home has elegant marble floors
Ten year deal just to wear Diadora
I have a ten-year contract to wear the athletic brand Diadora
I secure the bag, first round, that's of course
I always make sure to get the money first, and that's just common sense
Cocaina white inside, that's a Porsche
Offering a car that is white like cocaine in its color, and is a Porsche
Came from the gutter, nigga trapping is a sport
I grew up in poverty, and hustling is just a way of life for me
Young nigga don't spray the drum in the court
Keep your gun violence and aggression off the basketball court (suggests a level of maturity)
That's the Actavis, pop the seal like a cork
Referring to a brand of purple cough syrup (Actavis) and how you open it like a champagne bottle (cork = seal)
They running out of info, making rumours, what's your source?
People are running low on valid information and are now resorting to making up rumors, questioning the source
Friends turned to foes, niggas leavin' me no choice
Former friends have become enemies, leaving me with no option but to defend myself
Hoes gettin' exposed, make a nigga cut them short
Women are being revealed for their deceitful behavior, causing me to distance myself from them
Hit a few licks before I made it out of choice
I decided to turn to illegal means of obtaining money before finding success in the music industry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robert Williams, Nayvadius Wilburn, Nikolas Papamitrou, Alan Hawkshaw
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alain Berrouet
One day, we are going to reflect and have a serious conversation on how many lives Meek Mill has saved with his music including myself. Meek mill is a light that this country and system tried to snuff out and he is shining brighter than they could have ever imagined #MoreThanARapper
Ken Likavz
Word bro. Africa innit 🇰🇪
grovebabyterreo
Anytime it's a Meek Mill and Guordan Banks track, just know you about to get chills
caden
one of the best tracks by meek let’s be real 💯
King Bull
Going thru the toughest patch of my life...Meek gives me hope!
NWF Quez D
This song is so deep. When I heard it in the movie I automatically got goosebumps. Because it's like the song playing while they in the field making dangerous moves. "Only god can touch your soul behind these bars." This so deep, people need to wake up..
Jayb
QUEZ D then future part mess up
Tyrone Sparks
QUEZ D on God
sonti yo
YOU TRIPPIN BRUH HE KILLED THIS SHIT @Jayb
Sara
@sonti yo yeah he def killed it just kinda a diff vibe from the rest of the song