The Rolls Royce was the real first car. It wasn't the first new car I got, but it was the first real car I bought that's like, 'Wow, I got this.'
— Meek Mill
Every time I bought someone's album, it was about the connection. I was loving everything, from their raps to their style. I wanted to meet them.
My talent is my talent. I ain't really tripping off no ego; I just like to make good music with good people.
Work harder than anybody you've ever seen. That's what I believe.
Jail was terrible. It was a nightmare.
I know all I really wanna do is get money and take care of my family.
I'm scared to be political. You get too powerful, and more people try to take you out.
Philly ain't a good environment for you when you headed in a different direction. Bad things happen left and right. You might walk up the street, make a wrong turn, and your whole life could flip.
You could be Top 5 on iTunes, but for people to buy an album, they've got to have a connection with an artist. Every time I bought someone's album, it was about the connection. I was loving everything, from their raps to their style. I wanted to meet them.
If you don't have your friends and your family, what do you really have? You can have all the money in the world, but with no friends and no family, it's no good.
I don't want to just be fully rapping my whole life.
I don't rely on catchphrases or really like sing-along. I just do whatever I feel. Whatever the beat makes me say, I do that and I run with that. It's been working for me, so I'd be cool with that.
I think everybody from Philadelphia been shot at before.
I always wanted to be one of the hottest rappers.
I don't think I would change really anything about rap. Rap don't have no limits to it, and I like it like that.
I have a fan base worldwide, man. I think they're really down for me. That's how I got signed - 30,000 fans retweeting Rick Ross.
If I was to get money, that's the first thing you would get: a '96 Impala.
My first songs were energetic because I liked their energy. When I used to battle people every day, I had to go hard. If someone went harder than me, they left with the win. I haven't lost since I was 12 years old.
I don't like a girl on social media, when you have an open inbox, answering questions from dudes left and right every day. What's the point? It's like having your number all out. Everybody think they're famous when they get 100,000 followers on Instagram and 5,000 on Twitter.
I don't know what type of music my son will want. By the time he starts listening to music, really, at like, 15, 16, I'll probably have 10 albums out by that time.
If you say I just yell on records, that means you ain't a real fan of me, and I would never even give your comment the time of day.
My homies hold me down, really. I talk to Baby, Jeezy, Rozay, Nicki, everybody, from jail. Just call once in a while and holla at people like, 'Yo what's up? What's life like out there?' for people to give me a report of what's going on.
When my girl do better than me, I still win. When I do better than her, she still wins.
I need, sometimes, individuals to spark an idea so that I can take off running.
Philly gave me my ambition and drive to get more. It's a reminder to stay on top of my game. That's not a place I want to go back to.
I don't wear the see-through shirts or anything too glittery. I come from that '90s school of rap. Fitted caps, because I got a big head, so snapbacks don't fit me right.
Just build your brand from day one, man. Your brand is your name, basically. A lot of people don't know that they need to build their brand, your brand is what keeps you moving.
Meek Mill - my homies used to call me 'Meek Millions,' and at the time I didn't have no millions, so I ain't really want to be called 'Millions,' so I just shortened it down to Meek Mill. 'Meek Milli,' my friends used to call me.
It's cool when people know you more, but I like people to treat me regular when they see me. I take pictures. I don't really be big on people looking at me.
I've always been rapping before I was making money off of it. Before I made a profit, I had always been rapping.
Everybody think they're famous when they get 100,000 followers on Instagram and 5,000 on Twitter.
Jay-Z ain't a manager; he owns a management company. He been through this; he been through the game for a long time, so he knows tactics in taking artists in certain directions we need to go in.
I always had pressure on myself through my life. I put pressure on myself and not from other people. I always wanted to be one of the hottest rappers. So the pressure comes from myself.
Your brand is your name, basically. A lot of people don't know that they need to build their brand; your brand is what keeps you moving.
I gotta keep hustling. I know when it comes to the Internet, we move units. I grew up on the Internet.
It's always dope being able to perform with your girlfriend and get money with your girlfriend.
I ain't drop an album since I was 25. I rap way better. I've experienced way more.
Being that I went to jail and came back, I went through a whole new experience in life. I went from being at the top to back down at the bottom again. In jail, you get stripped of your freedom and everything, so I experienced different things, learned more.
I'm not the best person at putting words together. I can't give you the melody. But I might inspire somebody.
I work hard. I focus on myself and putting food on my dinner table before anything else. I don't worry about other artists. Worrying about the next person in a negative way is the wrong way to be.
When I'm not in the booth, I'm one of the most laid-back guys. But growing up, I liked DMX, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and T.I. - dudes that went all out on the track. My first songs were energetic because I liked their energy.
I'm into all types of stuff. I might have on Pumas one day, Givenchy the next. I'd wear this John Elliott sweat suit to the club.
I'm always gonna be all over my CD the most, of course. My talent is my talent. I ain't really tripping off no ego; I just like to make good music with good people.
People say money ain't nothing; money is basically everything.
I'm not gone remix a record I don't got no love for.
I think it's way harder when you have success, 'cause people tend to not treat you the same or look at you the same because they see the success or the money you make.
I watch my YouTube videos over and over.
If you don't know where you make your mistakes, that's your worst mistake: not knowing where your mistakes are at.
