Over the weekend, Meek Mill released his fifth studio album Expensive Pain (Oct. 1).
As one of hip-hop’s most passionate and explosive artists, the Philly native’s pen game always exudes cleverness and emotion. That is no different on the new project. With the usual mix of powerful, aggressive bangers and contemplative, R&B-infused cuts for a Meek album, Expensive Pain packs a punch of thoughtful lyricism. So, here are our 10 favorite bars from the album:
Rockin’ Dior, I still remember me poor, I’m tryna get more (No cap)
Welcome to Philly where n****s get smoked for real tryna slide to the store (Brrr)
Send ’em with the stick, ghost the minivan stoley, slide with the door (Yeah)
N**** gon’ die in the streets so we can’t even beef, I’ma die on the fours
And the bitch-ass rat keep talkin’ that shit like he can’t get blitzed and die on the tour
Meek Mill on “Intro (Hate On Me)”
From the get-go, Meek lets the listener know what he is about, as well as addressing his momentary beef with 6ix9ine.
Come to my city, we really ride dirty, no lights, and we totin’ them sticks (Brrt)
My dawg got life in the cell (Got life), he know that I’m never gon’ switch (I won’t)
Start ballin’ like I was Joel ’cause I got them Ms and Bs on my list (Yeah)
Meek Mill on “Outside (100 MPH)”
Meek has always proudly represented his hometown, and does so here while shouting out Philadelphia 76ers basketball star Joel Embiid.
If you my opp, my daddy dyin’ to meet you
‘Cause I know the feeling when you fucked up and you lit
And nobody wan’ see you, but when you come up and you rich
Everybody believe you, they use me too, I got useless
Think that’s how I got even
Put my life on the line and sacrifice for my people
Meek Mill on “On My Soul”
The wordplay of tying in his father’s tragic death at a young age to him willing to do the same thing to his enemies is as impressive as it is grim.
This is the same feelin’ that you get like when you a kid on Christmas
I just knocked down a lil’ celeb’ and I was on her hit list
And I ain’t been rappin’, I been trappin’, tryna learn my business
They thought I fell off, but they well off
I gotta keep my name worth more than money and gold
Meek Mill on “Expensive Pain”
If you remember, Meek spit on his 2018 hit with Drake “Going Bad” that famously attractive Lori Harvey was on his Christmas wish list. Now, he is on other celebrity girl’s wish lists, an impressive 180.
Dip with the set like Killa Cam
Hop on a jet and we get a tan
Like Mortal Kombat when she throw it back, her friends like, “Finish him” (Right)
Run up, gon’ flex, huh
It look like I’m looting in my closet, with the baguettes, huh
A$AP Ferg on “Me (FWM)”
Ferg’s energetic guest verse is full of fun shoutouts, such as rap legend Cam’ron of The Diplomats and beloved video game Mortal Kombat.
Keep the Glock when I pray ’cause He won’t save us (Yeah)
They let a rat kill my neighbor
If I had knew you hang with them I would’ve told my dawg do me a favor
We slide, we slide, we slide if it’s slime
Young Thug on “We Slide”
Thugger feels like he can barely trust anybody nowadays, and that includes God.
They know the book Vor’ come with amenities and plenty fees
Your favorite model is not a ten to me, I got ten of these
Your favorite rapper is still feeding off my energy
I just talked to Jeff, I told him strictly pesos
I just talked to Jeff, I told him strictly Bezos
‘Cause I’m too rich to pay hoes
Vory on “Tweaking”
Coming off his breakout performance on Kanye West’s Donda, Vory provides a lavish hook for Meek comparing his riches to near-trillionaire Jeff Bezos.
Neck got expensive chain
He got drug money (Yeah), that’s an expensive game (Yeah)
I got an expensive shooter (Yeah), he got expensive aim (Yeah)
You know it’s Lil Uzi (Yeah), that’s an expensive name (Yeah)
Lil Uzi Vert on “Blue Notes 2”
The bridge provided by Uzi on this track shows that Uzi knows how much clout he has.
Whole lot of stuff been on my shoulders, n****s thought that it was over
I’ve been doin’ my thing all quarantine, tryna clean my soul up
N****s askin’ when I’m droppin’, shit, I was tryna get some closure
I was tryna see who with me in my darkest deepest moments
Meek Mill on “Angels (RIP Lil Snupe)”
As Meek tributes his late friend and rising star rapper Lil Snupe, he discusses how he went through tough times during last year’s quarantine.
All this money and bad bitches, I’m in the matrix
Tryna be successful and still fighting open cases
At times I get angry at God, like, “Why you take Nip?”
Got me losin’ hope in the hood, I’m feelin’ hatrеd
Meek Mill on “Halo”
Meek has always been open about how much Nipsey Hussle’s death affected him, and it can be hard to cope while juggling other issues in life.
Check out Meek Mill’s latest effort Expensive Pain below and decide for yourself your favorite lyrics!
