Prior to his tour announcement earlier this morning, Meek Mill penned a powerful op-ed in today’s New York Times, urging for criminal justice reform and reassessment of the current set of prisoner rights. The Philadelphia rapper spoke from a place of first-hand mistreatment, shedding light on what he endured and the strong bias the criminal justice system currently thrives on. “Like many who are currently incarcerated, I was the victim of a miscarriage of justice — carried out by an untruthful officer…and an unfair judge,” Meek writes.
Meek also used the op-ed to advocate for "stronger prison rehabilitation programs, updated probation policies... an improved bail system and balanced sentencing structures," as well as pressuring politicians who support the current system. “We all need to hold our lawmakers accountable for supporting unfair or inhumane policies and all practices that perpetuate injustice, especially for the blacks and Latinos who fall prey to them most frequently,” he added.
In addition to his publication, Meek also shared a 2-minute clip talking further on criminal justice and how the police and laws were made to protect us, but don’t. “The criminal justice system has a set of rights created to protect you. But do you think it’s really protecting us?” Meek says in the video. “You have the right the remain silent. What that really means — you have the right to be silenced. Doubt it. Interrogate it. Suspect it. The color of your skin can and will be used against you in the court of law.”
The op-ed also announced a new advocacy group pushing for criminal justice reform called "ReformNow." Meek says that the initiative will launch “soon.”
Read Meek’s full op-ed in The New York Times RIGHT HERE, and peep the clip (below).