| Dreams and Nightmares | ||||
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| Released | October 30, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | January – September 2012 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop[1] | |||
| Length | 56:36 | |||
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| Meek Mill chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Dreams and Nightmares | ||||
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Dreams and Nightmares is the debut studio album by American rapper Meek Mill, released on October 30, 2012, by Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records. Mill intended for it to be authentic and more cohesive than his mixtapes, having a stronger connection through both vocals and beats. The album features guest appearances from Kirko Bangz, Rick Ross, Nas, John Legend, Drake, Wale, and Mary J. Blige, among others. Production was primarily handled by Jahlil Beats and Boi-1da, alongside the likes of Tone the Beat Bully and Key Wane. The recording took place from January to September 2012, including sessions in a studio bus on the Club Paradise Tour. Sessions were also held in Los Angeles and Miami, and multiple recordings were included on Mill's ninth mixtape, Dreamchasers 2 (2012). The dreams represent Mill making money as a performer, while the nightmares are based on coming up from his neighbourhood.
"Amen" was released as the lead single in June 2012, followed by "Burn" and "Young & Gettin' It" later that year, before "Believe It" in early 2013. Music videos were produced for all of the releases, while the lead single and "Young & Gettin' It" both charted on the US Billboard Hot 100. Mill embarked on the Dreamchasers Tour for further promotion in August 2012, performing at 16 cities in the United States. Dreams and Nightmares received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly commended Mill's development into mainstream rap. Some praised his rapping, while a few critics highlighted the dreams theme. The album was named to 2012 year-end lists by multiple publications, including Rap Radar and The Source.
Dreams and Nightmares debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in the first week in the US. It has since been certified gold in the country by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album reached numbers six and five on the Canadian Albums and UK R&B Albums charts, respectively. In November 2022, Mill held a 10th anniversary concert at the Wells Fargo Center, beginning with footage throughout his career and featuring appearances from the likes of Fabulous, Fivio Foreign, and Rick Ross.