Meek Mill released from prison: 'The past five months have been a nightmare'

Meek Mill has been released from prison, five months following his sentence for breaking the terms of his probation.

He had originally been due to serve between two and four years, but was granted bail by a court over "credibility" concerns with a witness.

The 30-year-old, whose real name is Robert Williams, was arrested in August of last year over reckless driving charges, which occurred while he was riding a dirt bike for a New York music video shoot.

Despite the charges later being dropped, a judge ruled that the arrest itself was a violation of his probation, which he'd been on since 2008 after a conviction on drug dealing and gun charges.

His lawyers announced their intent to appeal, claiming he was being unfairly punished and that he had made efforts to turn his life around and become a role model for others in a similar position.

"While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive," the rapper said in a statement.

A court now has 60 days to decide whether Meek Mill will face a new trial or whether prosecutors will choose to drop the charges entirely. Meek Mill said he will now "work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction", alongside returning to his career as a musician.

An extensive campaign against his imprisonment attracted numerous high-profile names including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Kevin Hart.

Hours after his release, he was invited to a basketball game in his home city of Philadelphia, where he was given the honour of ringing the ceremonial Liberty Bell that signals the start of the game.

Co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team Michael Rubin was amongst Meek Mill's supporters, with Kevin Hart also taking to centre court to join in the celebrations.

Others chimed in with their support on social media, including Jay-Z. Meek Mill is signed to the rapper's Roc Nation management group. Meek Mill also took to Twitter to thank his supporters and fans.

Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more.