The Unlikely and Extraordinary Freedom of Meek Mill

Meek Mill was released on bail after 10 years of legal turmoil. He was convicted of gun and drug charges in 2008. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered his release on a case involving his arresting officer. For rappers, the post-prison publicity blitz is a common ritual. In the 1990s, Snoop Dogg and 2Pac incorporated their high-profile legal peril into their music and mythology. Gucci Mane went free in May 2016. His fans have sustained years-long hashtag emancipation campaigns in support of their favorite rappers.

Meek Mill is a former prisoner who is now a prominent activist. He has been supported by Robert Kraft and other powerful figures. Meek is free from prison but still under the watchful eyes of powerful people. For more than a quarter century, young, black musicians have turned to hip-hop as a professional recourse from an otherwise bleak outlook. The genre also serves as seductive political channel. It is difficult to imagine any NFL owners rallying around Meck Mill. They might exploit his credibility and cheapen his cause. For example, at Rolling Loud, Mek performed his signature record, the tumultuous “Dreams and Nightmares”.