Meek Mill's 'Championships' Review

Zoe Taylor · Dec 03, 2018

Meek Mill's highly anticipated album 'Championships' dropped on Friday night, being the first project dropped since his release from prison in April. This album sees Mill maturing, going from the underdog with all the hardships he has experienced in his life to the undisputed champ. The 18-tracks featuring some of hip-hops greatest cover many topics such as prison reform, black oppression and injustices against the marginalised - Meek is not afraid to open up and let us in while still rapping with his iconic fervour that defines him as one of the best.

The Album

From party anthems to humble confessionals over tight production, this album shows that Meek is angry but he is expressing himself well. He is emotional, discussing how prison has left a dark mark on him. He shows us his demons through the cohesive project, admitting his passion for doing right to his hometown, Philadelphia, and all those who support him.

In 'Trauma', the opening track, we hear the bars: “My mama used to pray that she'd see me in Yale/ It's fucked up she gotta see me in jail...And even worst, my judge black don't wanna see me do well/ It's either that or black people for sale/ Gave me two to four years like, ‘Fuck your life, meet me in hell."

This, his fourth studio album, is like a homecoming for Mill. “Gotta take advantage for all them cold nights I've been thru,” Meek said. “While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive".

There's something more mature about Mill's sound on 'Championships', something more focused and pragmatic about the content he is creating. He is now not just a rapper, he is an activist and a man who stands up for what he believes in and uses his platform to express his opinions. Although there are definitely tracks within the album that are "classic rap", all about money, women and cars, the themes that run through the project are more mature than what we expected from him.

Standout Tracks

'On Me', featuring Cardi B, is a show-stealing song from Cardi. As she heads the female rap game, this track with her nemesis' ex is one for the books.

'Going Bad' is a classic flexing rap song, but importantly it features Drake after they ended their beef officially in September. They have a lot of fun in this one, talking money, sex and fancy cars. It's nice to see them come through their issues.