Meek Mill has teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in order to create a new record label. The label, Dream Chasers, was made official this past Tuesday (7/23) when the two convened in Roc Nation’s New York City midtown headquarters.
Meek will serve as the president of the label, overseeing the label, building a staff, and signing and developing artists. He has shared that his goal is to sign artists that will have a lasting impact on the music industry, as opposed to those who will create music for social media clout. Jay-Z himself has attested to the fact that Meek has “a super keen eye” when it comes to the music he is considering for the label. Regarding how the deal came about, Meek shared:
“Coming out of prison, I felt I had a responsibility to lead the culture as much as I can. Jay-Z and others that came before me were like the snow plow that made it easier for me and others. I want to be the snow plow of the next generation, taking on those responsibilities, trying to move forward and push the culture forward.”
Jay-Z’s own Roc Nation label is over 11 years old and Meek was previously a management client of theirs. Jay feels that what Meek Mill represents fits right into the vision that he himself had for Roc Nation from the time of its conception. Regarding Meek Mill as an artist, person, and businessman, Jay shared:
“When Meek and I connected, we connected on a level beyond him being a great rapper. Just who he is, his honesty, his sense of responsibility. He just came out of a situation and pulled people together. He turned a negative thing into something positive. I know he can make music — you’ve heard it. I think he cannot only make music, but make stars. Not only make stars but make films. What we lacked for so long was opportunity. We didn’t own our businesses. We’ve never been in this position before, never had this sort of power. Hip-hop is 40-something years old so we’ve just now gotten to the point where we can really affect change. The music and culture we created — we’ve given it away for so long. It’s understandable. You have to clean the floors before you own the building.”
This is not the first time we have seen Jay-Z and Meek Mill collaborate on a big project. The two also worked together on the Free Meek docuseries, which aired on Amazon’s Prime Video. They also created the REFORM Alliance, which seeks to lobby for change in laws and policies concerning parole and probation. Both artists, having been in the prison system at a point, recognize the corruption in the industry and the need for improvement. Meek stated:
“Coming out of prison, I felt I had a responsibility to lead the culture as much as I can. Jay-Z and others that came before me were like the snow plow that made it easier for me and others. I want to be the snow plow of the next generation, taking on those responsibilities, trying to move forward and push the culture forward.”
Meek will continue releasing music under Maybach/Atlantic Records, and Dream Chasers will be considered a joint venture under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. It will definitely be interesting to see what these two will accomplish, individually and as business partners, in the forthcoming years.
