Meek Mill, who is gearing up to drop his fourth studio album Championships this Friday (Nov. 30), has a lot to say. More specifically, the Philadelphia rapper is experiencing a newfound purpose behind his music with its messaging being mirrored in his daily activism efforts.
In a new op-ed for The New York Times, Meek reaches out to those who are incarcerated by speaking eloquently about his past experiences with the criminal justice system and reminding those currently going through it that they are not forgotten.
During the piece, he touches on how he was a “victim of a miscarriage of justice,” referencing the Philadelphia-based judge who made the decision to send him back behind bars in a controversial sentencing stemming from a probation violation.
While he doesn’t refer to Judge Genece Brinkley by name, he does go on to explain how even though he served a five-month sentence over the ordeal, he feels he’s the “exception to the rule” and therefore is dedicating his time to fighting for the rights of those still caught up unjustly in the system.
“It’s clearer than ever that a disproportionate number of men and women of color are treated unfairly by a broken criminal justice system,” Meek writes. “The system causes a vicious cycle, feeding upon itself — sons and daughters grow up with their parents in and out of prison, and then become far more likely to become tied up in the arrest-jail-probation cycle. This is bad for families and our society as a whole.”
He then details how he has been meeting with various lawmakers, such as Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, in hopes to help make a real change in the future.
“Above all, we need to make sure punishments actually fit crimes,” Meek concludes the passionate and informed editorial. “Mine certainly didn’t. But I am choosing to see my situation in a different light, to see that I’m incredibly fortunate. A higher power has put me in a position to help fix this — to help clean up this persistent stain on our society.”
In addition to calling for prison reform and announcing a new foundation that he started that’s dedicated to the very cause, Meek also confirmed that he will be embarking on a new tour, dubbed “The Motivation Tour,” in early 2019. The tour will mark his first since being released from prison earlier this year. It will take him to cities across the U.S. beginning on February 19 and concluding on March 24.
Read Meek Mill’s new op-ed in full here and see his upcoming tour dates below.
Meek Mill Tour Dates
February 19 – Miami, FL @ The Fillmore
February 22 – Dallas, TX @South Side Ballroom
February 23 – Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
February 26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
February 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
March 1 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
March 5 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
March 8 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
March 9 – Detroit, MI @ The Fox Theatre
March 12 – New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
March 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ The MET
March 19 – Hartford, CT @ XFINITY Theatre
March 20 – Lowell, MA @ Tsongas Center
March 21 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
March 23 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
March 24 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy