Meek Mill’s love for dirtbikes can be heard in his voice. The Philly rapper’s social media is filled with footage of illegal street riders – either on two wheelers or ATV quads – burning rubber by driving donuts, pulling their front wheels up to a near vertical angle and raising their arms from the handle bars while driving at a breakneck speed. A notoriously intense rapper, Meek’s delivery is fuelled by reckless abandon, an impatient thirst for adrenaline and a flagrant disregard for authority. Meek’s second retail album Dreams Worth More Than Money was initially scheduled to be released in 2014, but the promotional campaign was abruptly cut short after he was incarcerated for parole violation.

In keeping with his reputation for creating emotive, exhilaratingly fierce intro tracks, on Lord Knows he yells passionately over a grandiose orchestral beat, and there’s one line in particular which sticks out the most: “Shout out to that judge that denied me my bail / It made me smarter and made me go harder”.

Since being released from prison, Meek has been invited to hip-hop’s top table – partially due to his relationship with Nicki Minaj – and while his more level-headed attitude is undoubtedly good for his personal well-being, the major label rap LP template feels too restrictive. With a predicable cast of A-list guests, Meek is often submerged by his collaborators; Future steals the spotlight on Jump Out The Face, Pullin Up sounds like The Weekend ft. Meek Mill and the sugary Nicki duet All Eyes On You sees Chris Brown fill out the bulk of the track like an overbearing third wheel.

Meek is an incredible rapper, and he’s got enough energy to potentially shake up the game. It’s good to have him back, but let’s hope that an outpour of looser mixtape material allows him to flaunt his raw appeal in the forthcoming months.

Davy Reed