The POTUS
The editorial independence of a newspaper is thus always subject to the interests of someone, whether owners, advertisers, or a...
top of page
Meek Mill was born Robert Rihmeek Williams[2] on May 6, 1987[1] in South Philadelphia, the son of Kathy Williams.
He has an older sister, Nasheema Williams. Kathy grew up in poverty and her mother died when she was young. Meek's father was killed when
Meek was five years old, apparently during an attempted robbery.
His uncle, Robert, described Meek Mill's father as a "black sheep of the family". After her husband's death, Kathy moved with Meek and his sister to North Philadelphia, where they lived in a three-bedroom apartment on Berks Street. Their financial condition was poor and she started cutting hair and doing other jobs to support the family. She also sometimes stole products from supermarkets and sold them. At home, Meek Mill was shy and rarely spoke.
As a kid, he became acquainted with another of his dad’s brothers, Grandmaster Nell, who was a pioneering disc jockey (DJ) in the late-1980s Philadelphia hip-hop scene and influenced Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Meek's interest in hip-hop grew. He was also influenced by the independent hip-hop artists Chic Raw and Vodka, whom he used to emulate by watching their DVDs.[3][4]
During his early teenage years, Meek Mill often took part in rap battles, under the pseudonym Meek Millz. He’d often stay up well past midnight filling notebooks with phrases and verses that he’d later draw on.
Later he and three friends formed the rap group, The Bloodhoundz. They bought blank CDs and jewel cases at Kinko's, encouraging friends to burn them with the group's songs and distribute them. When he was 18, while walking to a corner store armed, Meek Mill was arrested for illegally possessing a firearm and was beaten up by the police. Because of the beating, his lips and both eyes became swollen and one of his braids was ripped out. He was charged with assaulting the police after two black cops gave a statement against him in the case, saying he chased them down with a gun and tried to kill them. He was then put on probation.
[3][4][5]
Music career
2003–10: Career beginnings
The Bloodhoundz lasted long enough to release four mixtapes.[6] In 2008, Mill released his fourth solo mixtape, Flamers 2: Hottest in tha City, which spawned the promotional singles "I'm So Fly," "Prolli," and "Hottest in the City." Flamers 2 caught the attention of Charlie Mack, founder and President of 215 Aphillyated Records.
Mack was so impressed with Mill that he immediately signed him to his management company. During that same year, Meek Mill also met the founder and owner of Grand Hustle Records, Atlanta-based rapper and record executive T.I.
[7] T.I. was also impressed by Mill and offered him an opportunity to travel, to meet with him and Warner Bros. Records; within a week both record companies offered him a deal. Although he was offered other record deals, Mill felt collaborating with T.I. was "an opportunity of a lifetime" and thus chose his label. However, a setback occurred: Mill was arrested, charged with gun and drug possession, and ordered to serve seven months in prison. He was released in early 2009.
[6]
Under Grand Hustle, Mill formed a work relationship with the label's resident disc jockey, DJ Drama. Mill and Drama teamed up to release the third edition of Mill's Flamers series.
The mixtape, titled Flamers 3: The Wait Is Over, was released on March 12, 2010 and is helmed as a "Gangsta Grillz mixtape".[8][9][10] The mixtape features his promotional single "Rosé Red", which was later remixed with additional verses from fellow American rappers T.I., Rick Ross and Vado.[8] Rick Ross contributed his verse after he was visiting Philadelphia and asked his Twitter followers who he should collaborate with; Meek Mill was the overwhelming response.
[8] The remix was included on Mill's following mixtape, Mr. Philadelphia.[11] Due to Mill's and Grand Hustle label-boss T.I.'s respective legal troubles, Mill was never able to release an official album under Grand Hustle and they parted ways in 2010.[12]
2011–12: Dreams & Nightmares
In February 2011, Rick Ross announced the signing of Mill along with fellow American rapper Wale to his Maybach Music Group (MMG) label.
In March 2011, Mill was included in XXL's "Freshman Class of 2011".[13] Later that year, he released his debut single, "Tupac Back", featuring Rick Ross, from his label's compilation album Self Made Vol. 1 (2011). That same year he released his second single, "Ima Boss", also take from the compilation and featuring Ross. The song was later remixed, featuring T.I., Birdman, Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz and Rick Ross.
The remix charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #51, becoming Mill's most successful single at that time. In August 2011, Mill released Dreamchasers, a well received mixtape featuring his urban hit "House Party" and guest appearances from Rick Ross, Yo Gotti and Beanie Siegel among others.
In February 2012, MTV listed Meek Mill as the "#7 hottest MC" in their annual "Hottest MCs in the Game" list.[14] On May 7, 2012 Mill released the second installment to his Dreamchasers series.[15] Within six hours of its release on mixtape website DatPiff.com, Dreamchasers 2 was downloaded 1.5 million times.[16] On May 10, it was announced Meek Mill signed with Roc Nation management.[17]
On June 19, 2012, "Amen" - originally included on Dreamchasers 2, was released as the lead single from Mill's debut studio album. Before releasing his debut studio album Dreams & Nightmares, Mill received co-signs from both Mariah Carey and Nas, with him appearing on Carey's 2012 single "Triumphant (Get 'Em)" and the latter stating, "I got my eyes on him. He's the next one to take this shit over."
His uncle, Robert, described Meek Mill's father as a "black sheep of the family". After her husband's death, Kathy moved with Meek and his sister to North Philadelphia, where they lived in a three-bedroom apartment on Berks Street. Their financial condition was poor and she started cutting hair and doing other jobs to support the family. She also sometimes stole products from supermarkets and sold them. At home, Meek Mill was shy and rarely spoke.
As a kid, he became acquainted with another of his dad’s brothers, Grandmaster Nell, who was a pioneering disc jockey (DJ) in the late-1980s Philadelphia hip-hop scene and influenced Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Meek's interest in hip-hop grew. He was also influenced by the independent hip-hop artists Chic Raw and Vodka, whom he used to emulate by watching their DVDs.[3][4]
During his early teenage years, Meek Mill often took part in rap battles, under the pseudonym Meek Millz. He’d often stay up well past midnight filling notebooks with phrases and verses that he’d later draw on.
Meek Mill was born Robert Rihmeek Williams[2] on May 6, 1987[1] in South Philadelphia, the son of Kathy Williams. He has an older sister, Nasheema Williams. Kathy grew up in poverty and her mother died when she was young. Meek's father was killed when
Meek was five years
His uncle, Robert, described Meek Mill's father as a "black sheep of the family". After her husband's death, Kathy moved with Meek and his sister to North Philadelphia, where they lived in a three-bedroom apartment on Berks Street. Their financial condition was poor and she started cutting hair and doing other jobs to support the family. She also sometimes stole products from supermarkets and sold them. At home, Meek Mill was shy and rarely spoke.
As a kid, he became acquainted with another of his dad’s brothers, Grandmaster Nell, who was a pioneering disc jockey (DJ) in the late-1980s Philadelphia hip-hop scene and influenced Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Meek's interest in hip-hop grew. He was also influenced by the independent hip-hop artists Chic Raw and Vodka, whom he used to emulate by watching their DVDs.[3][4]
During his early teenage years, Meek Mill often took part in rap battles, under the pseudonym Meek Millz. He’d often stay up well past midnight filling notebooks with phrases and verses that he’d later draw on.
His uncle, Robert, described Meek Mill's father as a "black sheep of the family". After her husband's death, Kathy moved with Meek and his sister to North Philadelphia, where they lived in a three-bedroom apartment on Berks Street. Their financial condition was poor and she started cutting hair and doing other jobs to support the family. She also sometimes stole products from supermarkets and sold them. At home, Meek Mill was shy and rarely spoke.
As a kid, he became acquainted with another of his dad’s brothers, Grandmaster Nell, who was a pioneering disc jockey (DJ) in the late-1980s Philadelphia hip-hop scene and influenced Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Meek's interest in hip-hop grew. He was also influenced by the independent hip-hop artists Chic Raw and Vodka, whom he used to emulate by watching their DVDs.[3][4]
During his early teenage years, Meek Mill often took part in rap battles, under the pseudonym Meek Millz. He’d often stay up well past midnight filling notebooks with phrases and verses that he’d later draw on.
THE
TEAM
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.
bottom of page