“I seen my mom and dad separate, ain’t talkin’ divorce (Talkin’ divorce) / Said daddy was livin’ by the fire, and he died by the torch…” Clearly, Grammy-nominated rapper Meek Mill saw his fair share of things as a child that no one should have to. His experiences don’t stop there on his ferocious single, “Otherside of America,” but those two lines allow the listener to get a picture of the adversity and difficult experiences he’s faced. While Meek makes these experiences personal to him, they are NOT necessarily exclusive. You see, “Otherside of America” seeks to atone and give voice to a whole group of people, who lack privilege, and far too often suffer from inequality and disenfranchisement.
Interestingly, a sample from an infamous Donald Trump speech commences the record and definitely fires up Meek Mill. In the 2016 speech, Trump urges African Americans to vote for him because of how bad things are, which was exaggerated, of course, and used as a fear tactic. Meek Mill takes it, and runs with it, speaking about how dangerous and difficult his own life has been, including the aforementioned lyrics about the death of his father. The thing is, rather than wallow in the horrible situations, he uses his experiences to make progress where it’s clearly needed. A prime example is when he raps, “I’m in my cell like, ‘When I get out, I’m makin’ a movie, no Cinemax.’” As the saying goes, ‘Actions speak louder than words.’
Furthermore, Meek Mill also makes sure he touts his accomplishments. This isn’t for the sake of bragging, but to make sure that the world knows you can become a success story despite your circumstances. He went from “Stomach growlin’ like a AMG, goin’ to bed…hungry” to having a “Closet bigger than [his] old house.” That shouldn’t be his trajectory, should it? There’s so much to take away from this rap banger, and perhaps only a fraction of it touches upon the knocking beat and dark, yet gorgeous minor-key backdrop. Meek Mill masterfully protests injustices and inequalities, while also showing the possibilities for those who comprise “the other side of America.”
You can learn more about Meek Mill here:
About The Curator - Brent Faulkner
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype (https://themusicalhype.com). When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event.
