“Invisible shackles on the king, ’cause shit, I’m on bail/I went from selling out arenas, now shit, I’m on sale,” Meek Mill raps on the track Trauma. His latest album released by Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group last week has sent hip-hop fans into Meekmode. Coming off his latest run as the poster child for Jay-Z’s Criminal Justice Reform campaign, Meek has become one of the most real rappers of his time by simply standing in his truth and highlighting unfairness within our criminal reform systems. Nothing is new.
He has never shied away from the gritty real-life accounts of his childhood and street life but with Championships, we hear a more matured and emotionally open side to his hood tales. “When you bring my name up to the judge, just tell him facts/Tell him how we fundin’ all these kids to go to college/Tell him how we ceasin’ all these wars, stoppin’ violence/Tryna fix the system and the way that they designed it.” A line from the track, What’s Free? Which also features Jay-Z and Rick Ross. A question many Black Americans often struggle with when faced with any type of equity issues such as being hired for a job, finding housing, and mainly interaction with law enforcement agencies. There is a lot to be understood from this rapper who started his career off his rap career as a battle rapper and then launched a group back in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA.
Meek Mill has shown us, similar to Colin Kaepernick, in recent days that the injustices that occur to you might just be the marketing you need to get where you are trying to go. Criminal Justice reform is not an issue that is going away anytime soon in America.
Shoutout to the soldiers fighting from the front lines.
Also Happy Birthday to Jay – Z. Today is his 49th birthday.
Instinct Culture 