Also showing support for Mill, other fellow rappers, including Jay-Z, have spoken up against the 'heavy-handed' prison sentence given by Common Pleas Court Judge Genece E. Brinkley.
- Nov 14, 2017
AceShowbiz - Rick Ross, Eagles players and basketball legend Julius Erving a.k.a. Dr. J were among those rallying in Philadelphia Monday, November 13 in protest of a judge's "unjust" prison sentence in Meek Mill's probation violation case. They joined hundreds of Mill's fans, as seen in photos and videos taken from the rally that circulated online later in the evening.
"I'm here to support my brother Meek Mill," said Ross, who is Mill's Maybach Music Group label boss. "I want y'all to understand that if it take Meek Mill to draw this attention, we gonna use Meek Mill to draw this attention that is gonna speak for so many others," the 41-year-old hip-hop star continued telling the crowd.
Rick Ross in Philly protesting the sentencing of Meek Mill pic.twitter.com/v7EW7oAsVw
— DJ Akademiks (@IamAkademiks) November 13, 2017
Malcolm Jenkins, Torrey Smith, Wendell Smallwood and Jalen Mills were among the Phildelphia Eagles teammates attending the rally. Mills took to his Twitter account that evening to share a photo of him holding a sign that read, "We support you Meek."
#Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins, Torrey Smith, Wendell Smallwood and Malcolm Jenkins are here at a rally for rapper Meek Mill. pic.twitter.com/3tSlJfkHS2
— Aaron Kasinitz (@AaronKazreports) November 13, 2017
@MeekMill ❗️ pic.twitter.com/GiziHMxn0I
— Jalen Mills (@greengoblin) November 13, 2017
Mill's supporters could be heard chanting "Free Meek Mill" and singing the rapper's "Dreams and Nightmares" intro together at the rally, which started in front of Philadelphia's Criminal Justice Center at 5 P.M.
A poster at the event read, "Our criminal justice system has failed Meek Mill and millions of others like him. We stand for justice," along with hashtags #justice4meek and #freemeekmill.
Watch the crowd sing “Dreams and Nightmares Intro” at the Meek Mill rally in Philadelphia. https://t.co/gfvoxTvlWA pic.twitter.com/hIF4HeEa94
— The FADER (@thefader) November 13, 2017
An artist named Billy Joe Michel brought a painting at the rally called "Black in the Box." She started painting the piece of art after Mill was sent back to prison. She said it's "a commentary on the judicial system" that pictures Mill being chained and behind bars.
Artist Billy Joe Michel brought a piece of art she started painting called "Black in the Box" after Meek Mill was sent back to prison. She said it's a commentary on the judicial system. pic.twitter.com/3NG4zG5ler
— Daniel Gallen (@danieljtgallen) November 13, 2017
The protest comes shortly after Governor Tom Wolf launched a petition in order to have Mill's "unjust prison sentence remedied." Mill's fellow rapper Jay-Z, who has previously spoken up about the "heavy-handed" and "wrongful" jail sentence, has also tweeted, "Due to an enormously grave miscarriage of justice, we ask you to read and sign the petition for Meek Mill on Change.org."
Due to an enormously grave miscarriage of justice, we ask you to read and sign the petition for @MeekMill on @Change.org: https://t.co/6002Oldkg5 #FreeMeekMill #Justice4Meek pic.twitter.com/umSPBLk8nq
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) November 9, 2017
Mill was given two to four years in prison for violating his probation in a 2008 gun and drugs case. The rapper's attorney, Joseph Tacopina, is filing a motion for Common Pleas Court Judge Genece E. Brinkley to remove herself from the case, as well as an official complaint with the judicial conduct board over the judge's sentence for Mill.
