Meek Mill
Biography
Robert Rihmeek Williams, known professionally as Meek Mill, was born on May 6, 1987, in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was killed during an attempted robbery when he was five years old. Following his father's death, his mother, Kathy Williams, moved with Meek and his older sister, Nasheema, to North Philadelphia, where they lived in poverty. Influenced by the Philadelphia hip-hop scene, he began his career as a battle rapper. He later formed the rap group The Bloodhoundz, which released four mixtapes.
Career Beginnings and Mixtapes
In the late 2000s, Meek Mill released a series of solo mixtapes, including "The Real Me," "The Real Me 2," and "Flamers," which gained him local recognition. In 2008, he signed with T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records, though he never released an official album under the label due to legal issues. After parting ways with Grand Hustle, he caught the attention of Rick Ross and signed with his Maybach Music Group (MMG) in 2011. That same year, he was featured in XXL's "Freshman Class." His singles "Tupac Back" and "Ima Boss" from the MMG compilation album "Self Made Vol. 1" brought him mainstream attention.
Studio Albums
Meek Mill's debut studio album, "Dreams and Nightmares," was released in 2012 and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. His second album, "Dreams Worth More Than Money" (2015), and his fourth album, "Championships" (2018), both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. "Championships" featured the high-charting single "Going Bad" featuring Drake. His other studio albums include "Wins & Losses" (2017) and "Expensive Pain" (2021), both of which also performed well on the charts.
Legal Issues and Advocacy
Meek Mill's career has been significantly impacted by his long-standing battle with the criminal justice system. In 2008, he was convicted on drug and gun charges and sentenced to prison, followed by a lengthy probation. A series of parole violations led to further incarceration, most notably a controversial two-to-four-year sentence in 2017 for minor infractions. This sentence sparked the #FreeMeekMill movement, which gained widespread support and highlighted issues of systemic racism and unjust sentencing. After his release in 2018, he became a prominent advocate for criminal justice reform. In 2019, he co-founded the REFORM Alliance with Jay-Z, an organization dedicated to transforming probation and parole laws. In August 2019, his decadelong legal case officially ended when he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor firearm charge, with all other charges being dropped.
Business Ventures
In 2012, Meek Mill launched his own record label, Dream Chasers Records. He also holds a co-owner stake in the sports apparel retailer Lids and serves as the president of his record label.