Meek Mill has taken a surprising move by putting his own twist on Drake’s famous timestamp series with his newly released track, ‘5AM in Philly.’
Released on Friday, the song reveals the South Philadelphia native diving deep into his emotions, using the studio as his therapy room. “Chopper by the bed, glizzy by the door/ How you think I’m supposed to live when the only thing I see is war?” Meek opens up, setting a deeply personal tone.
He continues by addressing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, rapping, “Yesterday was on the ‘Gram, I seen a baby on the floor/ They said they hit him with a bomb, and they killed him with his mom.” The track is a clear nod to Drake’s beloved series, which started with ‘9AM in Dallas’ from his 2010 album ‘Thank Me Later.’
Drake’s timestamp series has since become iconic, including tracks like ‘5AM in Toronto,’ ‘6PM in New York,’ ‘4PM in Calabasas,’ ‘7AM on Bridle Path,’ and his latest, ‘8AM in Charlotte.’ Meek Mill’s decision to join this series is especially interesting given their history of conflict. Their infamous beef in the summer of 2015 resulted in Drake being unwelcome in Meek’s hometown of Philadelphia.
However, the two have buried the hatchet since then. Drake acknowledged their reconciliation last year during a show in Philadelphia, saying, “The last time I was in this building, that man right here, he’s been representing this city since he started in this shit. That man, me and him weren’t getting along at the time, and he’s a real n-gga so he definitely got us up out of Philly real quick. We did not get to stick around and chill. And like I said, I’m a real n-gga so I’ma tell you the truth.”
Drake went on to express how much it meant to him that they could now perform together in Philadelphia, reflecting their growth and friendship. “It means the most to me that I can come back to this city and show the growth as two men, that we can come here tonight and we can represent for muthafucking Philadelphia together,” he added, to loud cheers from the audience. “So I appreciate Meek walking me to the stage tonight. Philly, I appreciate you embracing me with open arms one more time.”
Meek Mill’s ‘5AM in Philly’ is a touching addition to Drake’s iconic timestamp series and a sign of the growth and reconciliation between the two artists.
