Editorial: Dreams Worth More Than CRWN’s

On Thursday, July 2nd, I had the privilege of being in attendance for the CRWN event with the guest of honor this time being Meek Mill. This CRWN was like no other that I’ve seen before in that the subject matter spoke to me as a human being. I felt this connection because Meek is a young bull from Philly who has been through many highs and lows throughout his life and understands what it takes to chase dreams and make them reality. The conversation was motivational in the fact that Elliott Wilson and Meek deviated from normal topics such as his relationship with Nicki and the album itself to speak on life as well as chasing your dreams. How to visualize your aspirations, to hold them in your hand, and then make them reality. Meek was very humble and laid back; he was keeping it 100 on that stage as he dropped gem after gem. You could tell that he was very comfortable in this setting, which allowed the crowd to interact with the conversation even more than past CRWN’s. He stated that many people think that he stunts on the gram to be braggadocios, but he explained that he just wants to show everyone what he got because not even he believes that he did it. He puts those pictures up there to motivate the public because if he can do it, anyone in any position on any place on earth can get it. You have to encompass this relentless ambition to not settle for less and to sacrifice all u have in order to reach that ultimate goal.

One of the main points in the talk was the repercussions of success. On the track “Cold Hearted” off of DWMTM, Meek and Diddy talk about how money changes the people around you; even those who are closest to you. “Bosses have feelings too”, Meek & Diddy both utter. He commented on the night of his album release when he was casually riding bikes with his people from 10th St. to 55th St. in Manhattan; saying that he likes to do those regular things that we all do. With his current stature those moments may be few and far in between due to a busy travel and work schedule, but he finds little things like that to be therapy for him. And this brings up an interesting point, everyone says they want the money and the fame, but do they really? Are they prepared for the baggage that comes with it? Not being able to live a “normal” life anymore; the loss of privacy. The vultures and problems that come when the money appears. Not being able to see your son as much as you’d like such as Meek’s current situation. It brings a very humanizing feeling to the subject of celebrity and fame. You have to have a strong mindset in order to deal with all the nonsense that comes with success.

Back to the subject of motivation; Meek stated that he sees a Lamborghini the same way that he sees Jordan’s. The crowd immediately exclaimed at this comment, but it makes sense. When you were younger or you don’t have any money and you see those Jordan’s that you always wanted, you’re going to find a way to buy them. By any means necessary, you’re going to put your mind and hustle to the test in order to make that happen. Meek stated that he applies the same mentality to the more lavish, harder to earn things. He aims to heavens rather than the sky, and that’s why he is where he is currently. He wants everyone to see that and understand that vision can be applied at any time, you just have to chase it. One of the main drivers of this sudden burst of motivation for me was the fact that we’ve seen him come from nothing. We can look up YouTube videos of him right now five years ago with nappy braids rapping trying to live the dream. Putting in the work early while dealing with all the nonsense he was going through behind the camera. We can see a visual and audio representation of his growth throughout the years through his catalog. He’s grown up a lot, his demeanor has changed for the better. It’s inspiring to see a young brother come up and still be able to find his soul and touch the people in a way many artists fail to do today.

I went to see this event as a fan of not only Meek and the work of Elliott Wilson, but as a fan of the culture. I can honestly say that I was sitting there and felt a spark of inspiration by just listening to the effortless conversation Meek and Elliott (as well as the crowd) were having. Meek showed another side of himself that I don’t think many demographics have seen before. He was funny, humble, open to the fans, and most of all he was authentic. You believed the things this young man said because he’s been battle tested many times, yet he has come through ans succeeded in every instance. Salute to Meek Mill for continuously overcoming the odds and for inspiring a generation of Dreamchasers. Shoutout to Elliott Wilson, watchLOUD and all those involved with CRWN for allowing artists a platform to be themselves and to interact with the fans in an intimate setting. With the teaser trailer available now, the full interview will be premiered Jult 7th. Be on the look out for that and be prepared to be inspired by the dialogue between these two heavyweights in the game.