Meek Mill is back in the spotlight after two unreleased tracks surfaced online — and instead of letting the leaks circulate without his involvement, the Philly rapper appears to have taken matters into his own hands.
Over the weekend, two Meek Mill tracks, “Am I Wrong” and “Philly Heathens,” began circulating online as leaks. Shortly after, Meek made the tracks available on YouTube, releasing them in music-video form.
“Am I Wrong” has quickly become one of the more talked-about songs of the two, largely because of its unexpected sound and its connection to a familiar record.
The song features an interpolation of Nico & Vinz’s 2014 hit “Am I Wrong,” but Meek puts his own spin on the melody by placing it over a drill-influenced production.
While some listeners have embraced the unusual direction, others have been much more critical of the record.
A number of reactions online have focused on Meek’s vocals during the hook, with some listeners questioning the creative direction of the song. Others have pointed out that because the track was leaked, it could potentially be an older recording that was never intended to receive an official release in its current form.
That possibility is important because “Am I Wrong” does not appear to have been presented as a traditional new single from Meek Mill. Instead, the song surfaced through the leak and was subsequently uploaded to YouTube alongside “Philly Heathens.”
And “Philly Heathens” has received a noticeably different reaction.
That track focuses heavily on Philadelphia street culture, violence and the consequences that come with life in the streets. Meek appears to reflect on young people losing their lives and the impact those losses have on families and the community.
Meanwhile, “Am I Wrong” takes a completely different musical approach.
The interpolation immediately makes the song recognizable to anyone familiar with Nico & Vinz’s massive 2014 record. However, Meek’s version transforms the familiar melody into something much darker and more street-oriented.
The unexpected combination has sparked plenty of discussion among hip-hop listeners, with fans debating whether the record should be viewed as an experimental throwaway, an older song finally seeing the light of day, or something Meek could potentially revisit and officially release.
As of now, there is no confirmed indication that “Am I Wrong” is part of an upcoming official project, and it remains unclear whether the version currently circulating is the final version Meek intended for release.
For now, Meek has made sure fans can hear the record directly from his YouTube presence after it initially leaked.
And considering how quickly leaked music can spread across social media, it looks like Meek decided he might as well let the people hear it from him.
Listen to “Am I Wrong” below and let us know what you think — is Meek Mill onto something with this one, or should this track have stayed in the vault?