Video: Meek Mill feat. The-Dream - 'Young Black America'
In the midst of controversy over his alleged involvement in Safaree Samuels’ recent altercation, Meek Mill unleashes “Young Black America,” a new single off his forthcoming album, Wins & Losses.
The thought-provoking track features an introspective Meek over an instrumental that’s reminiscent of JAY-Z’s “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me).” “I was on that corner,” he raps. “Trying to get my coins up / Coppers run up on us / And we turning Jackie Joyner / White man kill the black man / They never report us / Black man kill the white man / They gon’ start a war up.”
Directed by Spike Jordan, the powerful video depicts Mill’s conversation with a young dealer, along with vignettes about another young man’s death. It reads like a Nas scene in Belly, which was inspired by Esco’s “One Love.” In it, Nas schools a young man about the perils of the street life before giving him jewelry. Meek does the same here with a Dreamchasers chain.
Aside from depicting men in Ku Klux Klan uniforms, the visual also shows a heavily-criticized speech by President Donald Trump, in which he speaks directly to African-Americans. “You’re living in poverty,” he said. “Your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed.”
“YBA” follows Meek’s previous Wins & Losses cuts, “Glow Up” and “Whatever You Need” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Chris Brown. Up next, Meek and Yo Gotti are heading out on the “Against All Odds Tour,” which launches July 5 in Cleveland.