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Meek Mill 'is a free man’: Jay-Z celebrates rapper’s release from prison after claiming he was 'incarcerated unjustly'

Social Commentator: Jay-Z has criticised the criminal justice system and campaigned for Mill Meek's release: Theo Wargo/Getty
Social Commentator: Jay-Z has criticised the criminal justice system and campaigned for Mill Meek's release: Theo Wargo/Getty

Jay-Z has celebrated the release of Meek Mill from prison, claiming the US rapper was “incarcerated unjustly”.

Rapper Meek Mill was jailed last November for violating the terms of his historic probation when he was arrested for recklessly driving a dirt bike through the streets of New York while filming an Instagram live.

He was first jailed in 2008 for drug dealing and illegal possession of a gun when he was 18 years old and has been caught in the probation system ever since.

Fellow rapper Jay-Z told his 20 million Facebook followers that “today, Meek Mill, a son of Philadelphia, is a free man.”

“He was incarcerated unjustly and caught in a probation trap for years by a broken system,” the rap music heavyweight said. “Now we can celebrate his release. We thank every individual that has supported and fought alongside Meek every step of the way.”

Meek Mill, real name Robert Rihmeek Williams, is signed to Jay-Z’s Roc National management company. The star and his wife Beyoncé have led the campaign to release Mill from prison.

Meek Mill performing on stage (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Meek Mill performing on stage (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

In the same month he returned to prison, Jay-Z penned an opinion piece for the New York Times titled ‘The Criminal Justice System Stalks Black People like Meek Mill’, in which he argued that the US system “harasses hundreds of thousands of black people” and claimed “probation is a trap”.

The rapper himself took to Twitter following the Supreme Court’s decision to thank fans for their “prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies” which “helped [him] stay positive.”

Mill described the past five months as a “nightmare”. He said: “I’d like to thank God, my family, and all m public advocates for their love, support, and encouragement during this difficult time."

The #FreeMeekMill campaign, established in the five months that Mill has been behind bars, is seeking to reform the criminal justice system which he claims threatens to “ruin people’s lives over petty probation and parole infractions.”