Expensive Pain

Expensive Pain is the fifth studio album by American rapper Meek Mill. It was released on October 1, 2021, through Atlantic Records And Maybach Music Group. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including Boi-1da, Tay Keith, Vinylz, 30 Roc, Cardo and Sevn Thomas among others. The album also features guest appearances from Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Kehlani, ASAP Ferg, Moneybagg Yo, Giggs, Young Thug, Vory, Lil Uzi Vert, and Brent Faiyaz.[1]

Expensive Pain
Studio album by
Meek Mill
ReleasedOctober 1, 2021
Length55:04
Label
Producer
Meek Mill chronology
Quarantine Pack
(2020)		 Expensive Pain
(2021)		 Too Good to Be True
(2023)
Singles from Expensive Pain
  1. "Flamerz Flow"
    Released: June 3, 2021
  2. "Sharing Locations"
    Released: August 27, 2021
  3. "Blue Notes 2"
    Released: September 1, 2021

Expensive Pain was supported by three singles: "Flamerz Flow", "Sharing Locations" and "Blue Notes 2". The album received generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics, and was a commercial success. It debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 95,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[2]

Release and promotion

Meek announced the album, cover art, and release date on September 15, 2021.[3] He revealed the tracklist on September 30, the day before the album was released.[4] The album cover art was made by modern artist Nina Chanel Abney.[5]

Singles

Three singles preceded the album's release. "Flamerz Flow" is a bonus track, and it was released with a music video on May 31, 2021, to his YouTube channel, being officially released three days later.[6] "Sharing Locations" featuring Lil Baby and Lil Durk was released on August 27 with a video as the second single.[7] Then "Blue Notes 2" featuring Lil Uzi Vert was the third single, released with a video five days later and performed live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 21.[8][9]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Clash6/10[12]
NME[13]
Pitchfork6.8/10[14]
Rolling Stone[15]

Expensive Pain was met with generally mixed to positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 64, indicating “generally favorable reviews”, based on six reviews.[10]

A.D. Amorosi of Variety praised Meek's progression with this effort calling "Expensive Pain Mill’s best, most fully rounded recorded effort: an album that finally portrays all sides of the rapper’s rise, fall, struggles and revivals, to say nothing of his skills as a writer and as an aggressive flow-acist." He also prasied Mill's braggadocios approach to many of the songs on the project, saying that "Mill comes out with hope and real brio on his side – a confidence that goes way beyond any mere humble-brag or boast."[16]

Commercial performance

Expensive Pain debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 95,000 album-equivalent units (including 10,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week.[2] This became Meek Mill's fifth US top-ten debut on the chart.[2] The album also accumulated a total of 110.53 million on-demand streams from the songs on the project.[2] In its second week, the album dropped to number four on the chart, earning an additional 46,000 units.[17]

Track listing
Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro (Hate on Me)"
2:55
2."Outside (100 MPH)"
  • R. Williams
  • LaTour
  • Trey Davis
  • Dominik Patrzek
3:19
3."On My Soul"
  • R. Williams
  • Anthony Cruz
  • Eduardo Earle
  • Adi Helic
  • Billy Holmdahl
  • John Lucas
2:22
4."Sharing Locations" (featuring Lil Baby and Lil Durk)
2:41
5."Expensive Pain"
  • R. Williams
  • Cruz
  • Julius Herold
  • Michael Holmes
  • Vianey Mfuamba
3:34
6."Ride for You" (featuring Kehlani)
3:02
7."Me (FMW)" (featuring ASAP Ferg)
3:00
8."Hot" (featuring Moneybagg Yo)
2:31
9."Love Train"
  • R. Williams
  • Cruz
  • Simon Gebrelul
  • Aaron Tesfagiorgis
3:55
10."Northside Southside" (featuring Giggs)
3:03
11."We Slide" (featuring Young Thug)
3:31
12."Tweaking" (featuring Vory)
3:17
13."Love Money"
  • R. Williams
  • Cruz
  • Earle
  • Grant Hewlett
  • David Weiner
3:02
14."Blue Notes 2" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert)
3:50
15."Angels (RIP Lil Snupe)"
3:01
16."Cold Hearted III"
2:48
17."Halo" (featuring Brent Faiyaz)
3:32
Total length:53:23
Bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
18."Flamerz Flow"
1:41
Total length:55:04

Sample credits

Personnel
  • Meek Mill – Vocals (all tracks)
  • Popcaan – Vocals (1)
  • Sadie Kraft – Vocals (2)
  • Lil Baby – Vocals (4)
  • Lil Durk – Vocals (4)
  • Jena Goldsack – Vocals (5)
  • Kehlani – Vocals (6)
  • ASAP Ferg – Vocals (7)
  • Moneybagg Yo – Vocals (8)
  • Giggs – Vocals (10)
  • Young Thug – Vocals (11)
  • Vory – Vocals (12)
  • Lil Uzi Vert – Vocals (14)
  • Brent Faiyaz – Vocals (17)
  • Cardo – Production (1, 2, 10)
  • Nick Papz – Production (4, 8, 14)
  • Xander – Production (4, 8, 14)
  • Austin Powerz – Production (6, 16, 17)
  • Fuse – Production (3, 13)
  • KJ – Production (4, 8)
  • Boi-1da – Production (7, 12)
  • Yung Exclusive – Production (1)
  • Johnny Juliano – Production (1)
  • Deats – Production (2)
  • Yugo Getit – Production (3)
  • Gingr – Production (3)
  • JW Lucas – Production (3)
  • Svdominik – Production (4)
  • DZL – Production (5)
  • Sav – Production (6)
  • Hollywood Cole – Production (7)
  • Jahaan Sweet – Production (7)
  • Eza – Production (8)
  • AT – Production (9)
  • Gebrelul – Production (9)
  • Emkay – Production (10)
  • Tay Keith – Production (11)
  • Denaro Love – Production (11)
  • Minor2Go – Production (11)
  • Maneesh – Production (12)
  • Vinylz – Production (12)
  • Amore – Production (13)
  • Dato – Production (13)
  • Dougie on the Beat – Production (15)
  • Bkorn – Production (16)
  • Brent Faiyaz – Production (17)
  • Sevn Thomas – Production (17)
  • Paperboy Fabe – Production (17)
  • L.3.G.I.O.N. – Production (17)
  • 30 Roc – Production (18)
  • Datboi Squeeze – Production (18)
  • Vianey OJ – Co-production (5)
  • Darko – Co-production (5)

Charts

References
  1. Blistein, Jon (September 15, 2021). "Meek Mill Announces New Album 'Expensive Pain' With Vice-Filled Album Art". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. Keith Caulfield (October 10, 2021). "Taylor Swift's 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  3. Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (September 15, 2021). "Meek Mill Announces New Album Expensive Pain". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  4. Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (September 30, 2021). "Meek Mill shares handwritten 'Expensive Pain' tracklist". Revolt. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  5. Blanchet, Brenton (September 28, 2021). "Meek Mill's 'Expensive Pain' Album Art Takes Over Landmarks, Major Cities Across U.S." Complex Networks. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  6. Su, Sammy (June 2, 2021). "Meek Mill Drops New "Flamerz Flow" Track and Music Video". Hypebeast. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  7. Richards, Will (August 27, 2021). "Meek Mill, Lil Baby, and Lil Durk team up on new song 'Sharing Locations'". NME. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  8. Gallagher, Alex (August 27, 2021). "Meek Mill recruits Lil Uzi Vert for new single 'Blue Notes 2'". NME. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  9. Zemler, Emily (September 21, 2021). "Watch Meek Mill, Lil Uzi Vert Perform 'Blue Notes 2' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  10. "Expensive Pain by Meek Mill Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  11. Kellman, Andy. "Meek Mill - Expensive Pain". AllMusic. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  12. Murray, Robin (October 1, 2021). "Meek Mill - Expensive Pain A mixed return laden with superstar turns..." Clash. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  13. Lavin, Will (October 4, 2021). "Meek Mill – 'Expensive Pain' review: a rushed and haphazard fifth album". NME. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  14. Green, Dylan (October 6, 2021). "Meek Mill – 'Expensive Pain' Pitchfork review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  15. Reeves, Mosi (October 4, 2021). "Meek Mill is Both Dazzling and Disappointing on 'Expensive Pain'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  16. Amorosi, A.D. (October 1, 2021). "Meek Mill Finds a Sweet Spot Between the Serious and Superficial With 'Expensive Pain': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  17. Keith Caulfield (October 17, 2021). "Drake's 'Certified Lover Boy' Bounces Back to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  18. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 11 October 2021". The ARIA Report. No. 1649. Australian Recording Industry Association. October 11, 2021. p. 6.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Meek Mill – Expensive Pain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  20. "Ultratop.be – Meek Mill – Expensive Pain" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  21. "Meek Mill Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Meek Mill – Expensive Pain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  23. "Top Albums (Week 40, 2021)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  24. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  25. "Album 2021 uke 40". VG-lista. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Meek Mill – Expensive Pain". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  27. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  28. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  29. "Meek Mill Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  30. "Meek Mill Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  31. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  32. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
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