There’s been a cold war brewing between Meek Mill and Wale for quite. For those attached to social media, the rift between both of them actually started last year. Mill alleged that Wale wasn’t doing enough to support his then upcoming album Dreams Worth More Than Money (before being incarcerated and push backs) in a series of tweets. Of course the DMV native defended himself before the issues between them were squashed quickly. Fast forward to current events, and Mill and Wale are making more social media exchanges after Wale commented on the Philly native’s defeat at the hands of Drake during an interview with The Breakfast Club. Initially seen as an emotional reaction on social media, the controversy gives a deeper look into the inner relationships of Maybach Music Group and the label’s overall status. With that in mind, Features Editor Andre Grant and Senior Features Writer Ural Garrett look into the current status of MMG.
Should Wale Have Said What He Said?
Ural: One of the most interesting points about Meek Mill’s emotional outburst involved him mentioning Rick Ross possibly not paying artists and Wale being kicked out of MMG. Rozay has to be sweating bullets at the moment. Looking into this year, Wale’s album tanked, Gunplay’s debut didn’t even dent the charts, Stalley’s been fairly silent and Mill got embarrassed by Drake after dropping the pretty well recieved Dreams Worth More Than Money. At least Omarion is doing well. Is MMG in trouble?
Andre: Who’d a thought that on a label with Meek, Wale, Gunplay, Ross, and Stalley that Omarion would have the radio hit? Chalk that up to how nutty it’s been in MMG land. The label that Ross built is crumbling due to incessant infighting, cross town dalliances, unnecessary provocations and shrinking revenues. All that Medusa head stuff is starting to take root. MMG’s downfall mirrors that of Rome’s in real, unavoidable ways. So, yes. That’s the answer. MMG is in trouble. They’re in trouble they way growing cacti is not going to stop the drought in California. Reckless personalities there are at each other’s throats and no one is coming out with new music. Still, Wale should not have gotten at his label mate that way under any circumstances. Sometimes the truth is what you don’t say. And, under duress, a group who’s in it together closes ranks and deals with their issues in house and not on radio shows. So did Wale have a right to say what he said?
Ural: I honestly can’t answer that. On one side, this is another way of Wale not really being absolutely clear on where his allegiances lie. Then again, who can blame him. He told an uncomfortable truth saying what everyone knew in terms of how unprepared Meek was in his lyrical battle with Drake. But, he wasn’t disrespectful. Clearly, he wanted to be honest while defending his MMG brother the best way he could. Hell, Wale has a storied relationship with Drake and so does Ross himself. In Wale’s case, the best thing he could have done was to stay quiet and that would have been better said than done considering it was The Breakfast Club. But, did Mill overreact?
Andre: Listen, Meek Mill overreacts. Do we not understand that by now? He constantly overreacts. He shouts on every track. Even love songs! So, yeah, duh, he overreacted. But, Wale can be completely right and be completely wrong at the same time. He may have not been ready for Drake’s follow-up, but why lend credence to it by cementing it? Is that guy on your team or not? Later on in the interview he mentioned that the team isn’t quite what it once was, but perhaps calling out your labelmate isn’t the way back to glory. And let’s not forget the rest of the interview. Especially the parts where he clowned Black Lives Matter as rebels without a cause and said some slick shit about gay people making him uncomfortable. Isn’t that the guy who made “White Sneakers?” Isn’t he all about live and let live? Apparently not when it’s in the service of getting at the guy that’s on your own label. There’s honesty, you know, and then there’s tact. Plus, after Rick Ross is trying desperately to maintain an image of teamwork and tranquility, why does Wale have to go out and rock the boat?
Ural: That’s because Wale is dealing with the reality that he’s managed to become a failure in the commercial sense. The Album About Nothing and The Gifted before then were essentially flops as both have failed to even reach gold. Hell, his most successful album Ambition hasn’t hit the 500K mark yet despite having some successful singles and being his first number one charting album. Watching Mill surpass him in terms of notoriety has to be infuriating. Doesn’t help that Wale’s attitude is known to be sort-of bad. Add Mill’s hood sensibilities into the mix and the end result is what we have here now. Too bad. Mill, Wale and Ross are barely selling at the moment. Is it time for Ross to re-evaluate the MMG situation?
Andre: Yes. Of course. And he can begin by asking questions to his partners. No one likes to lose, and absolutely no one wants a loss robbed in their face by a teammate. Let’s start there. Then, we can get back to shifting their sound to continue to be the hitmakers that Ross has been in the past. There’s no reason why MMG should not be successful and there’s no reason that Wale shouldn’t be apart of it. But I’m troubled. Meek Mill implied in his Instagram post that Wale is cracking up. Has been talking of taking his own life? Is there something deeper going on with Wale? If that’s the case, then maybe we should be having a whole different conversation. Wale is still one of the most talented emcees in the business. His audience is sprawling and different, and that’s something to be commended. If each stays in their lane then they can all win. Will they? That’s a different matter entirely. P.S: Is it true that Ross owes people money? I guess we’ll have to answer that question next time.
Andre Grant is an NYC native turned L.A. transplant that has contributed to a few different properties on the web and is now the Features Editor for HipHopDX. He’s also trying to live it to the limit and love it a lot. Follow him on Twitter @drejones.
Ural Garrett is a Los Angeles-based journalist and HipHopDX’s Senior Features Writer. When not covering music, video games, films and the community at large, he’s in the kitchen baking like Anita. Follow him on Twitter @Uralg.
Meek Mill is too sensitive to survive in this game
Wale is more versatile than Meek. I liked both of their last projects, but I prefer Wale because his subject matter is more diverse.
i guess it’s time for officer ricky to excercise some leadership. wale talked a lil reckless but he didn’t say anything that isn’t true. at the end of the day niggas ain’t family, they just signed to the same label. they ain’t gotta like each other. when krs one was battling mc shan and sending shots at the whole juice crew, he was still good friends with big daddy kane the whole time. this aint street beef after all. for my money, wale isn’t the typical mc that can be contained within the standard concept of a rap crew. and meek is just plain immature.
Can’t believe we are calling TAAN and The Gifted, commercial flops. Those are Wale’s two best works to date. Sure they didn’t sell insanely well but damn.
Shit TAAN is a better album than DWMTM and I don’t care what anybody says.
Wale spoke the truth on the Breakfast Club and now Meek is in his feelings bitchin on social media. It’s crazy that Meek is the most emotional rapper in the game and he is supposed to be a street nigga.
Your labelmate saying you took an L is supposed to hurt, but it hurts because it’s true, not because Wale called him out or spoke reckless. So Wale should’ve been up there like Ross talking about Meek didn’t take an L?!? Fuck that. It’s not like its an opinion, its a fact that Meek took an L this summer.
And guess what, even though Wale tends to have a shitty attitude sometimes, I’m willing to bet more ppl got their money on Wale because talent will always trump whatever it is Meek Mill got.
I’m sorry, I’m just so disappointed in Meek Mill that I really wish he would either release new music or shut the fuck up and go die in a cave somewhere.
EXACTLY!
The writers of this article just amaze me….truly.
How biased can one be? It’s some sucker shit to even insinuate Wale should have not told the truth. Meek got washed. He got washed so badly, that you’d can’t even compare it to other situations with groups in the past because I can’t recall a situation where one MC got washed so badly and his camp saying he actually WON. They may have stood up for him, but you can’t be mad at Wale for maintaining his integrity by saying what we all know to be a fact. Fuck outta here with the sucka ass article. HipHopDx is trash. I check this site twice a year at best and it’s been downhill for the last 6 years or so.
C’mon yo, be serious.
Every crew, label or movement has it’s rise and fall moment no matter how successful:
Deathrow
No Limit
Ruff Ryders
Cash Money with Hotboyz
Shady Records
Murder Inc
G unit
YMCMB
MMG
Another movement will come, have a good run and fade off. Life goes on. Music still needs to be put out.
Cash money isn’t falling. Weeding out the disloyal members actually makes cash money stronger. Same thing with MMG.
Forgot to add Bad boy and Rockfella. They both had a good run in the mid to late 90’s.
The Gifted is Gold and came out #1 until j cole knocked him down. But album has black pride radio hits people need to listen to fhe album and not just the singles
I don’t know what wale and meek are yapping about but mmg is tighter than ever. I worry they may backstab ross though and go pop.
You are very delusional.
Nah guys we cant always defend Meek cause he “overreacts” its about time he learns from his mistake. what we blame wale for being the first rapper out there for voicing out an HONEST opinion about the outcome, cumon?? I tell you Meek shud v consulted with MMG labelmates before getting at Drake?? plus if we say Meek wasn’t prepared, what does that say for a BATTLE RAPPER. Ross did his duty as a label owner to be neutral cause meek & drake are just commodities on his business shelf. for wale not being honest that would dent his cred. yes for him being neutral would seem he protecting mate but also it can be like he afraid of drake which he aint. meek should just get in the booth and give us something, drake diss tracks would sell more but end of the day we as rap fans compare the content. Blueprint sold way more than Stillmatic but Ether STANDS.
Everybody associated with this trash should be embarrassed. I would say that this is the height of terrible writting, but it’s hiphopDX; so I’m almost positive that it will only get worse. Please proofread before publishing.
Meek Mill is a spoiled little bitch who is killing his career with his antics! If he had a problem with what Wale said, then he should have addressed him personally as a man would, not cry over it in social media like he constantly does! What Meek needs to do is keep his fucking mouth shut and keep his focus on music period! He also needs to get rid of all the yes men on his team which is just about everyone and put level headed cats that would let him know if he is about to make a poor career decision. He also needs to drop Nicki Minaj because ever since they started dating he has become more of a bitch than she is! That man acts like he’s repping the west village instead of Philly smfh….
agree on ” He also needs to drop Nicki Minaj because ever since they started dating he has become more of a bitch than she is!”
Wu-Tang would never EVER bad talk any of their group mates no matter what the situation is. They showed support to each other no matter what…Wale and especially Meek are both little soft pansies
Rae was very vocal about he thought rzas beats were trash just like last year