Free Meek (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript
Badly beaten after his arrest, Meek spends his first night in jail. It takes his family many months to raise his bail money. Once released and awaiting trial, Meek spends his time in the ...
(dramatic music)
- You know what this is.
2204 South Hemberger Street,
where everything took place at.
Beating of, Meek Mill.
- January 24, two
thousand what, seven?
- 2007.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, that was the day
when everything happened.
I was coming to my house,
went into my residence.
Said hi to all my cousins.
Meek was coming
out to the store.
There was a silver Charger
turning the corner.
Stopped in between right there,
and about five cops
poured out of it.
At least five.
They claimed Meek
came out the house
and automatically
drawed a weapon on them.
Which was false.
Because if they claim
he pointed a gun,
I'm be honest with you,
he should have been dead.
I was at the door, looking
out this window right here.
They was trying to subdue Meek.
Grabbing him, and
tossing him around.
Bringing him in the door,
they used his head
as a battering ram.
- So when he came in, he
hit his face on the TV,
but he handcuffed so you
can't catch your balance.
So when he hit the
TV, he stumbled,
and hit the dining room
table where it was metal,
and he hit his eye.
Cause once he got
up, and looked up,
his whole face was just--
- Bloody.
- Was bloody.
This was his mugshot.
When I look at this
photo, I see pain.
(pummeling, grunting)
See strength.
Determination.
(pummeling, grunting)
- Definitely determination.
Just was the beginning.
(dramatic music)
(people chattering)
- After I got arrested,
I'm in county jail
waiting to go to trial.
I'm 19 years old.
It was traumatic,
just sleeping in a room
with some people you don't
know, like first night.
I was in a cell with
some Spanish guys.
They wasn't even
talking English.
They were smoking
PCP in the cell.
One of 'em had a big
ass knife on him.
I'm locked in, the CO is
like a fucking 100 feet away.
If something happened in here,
they wouldn't be
able to save me.
So I'm like, damn,
this shit dangerous.
I'm ready to do anything
to survive in this room.
I'm calling home
and I'm like, Mom!
Come get me out, come get me!
My bail is $5,000.
I'm like, call everybody!
We can find 8, 10
people that got $500.
My mom told me one day, like
the second or third day,
"I'm gonna bring you some
boxers and some socks."
That right there kicked
right in my head,
said, "Uh oh,
I'm staying here.
This is for real."
(cell door slamming)
- The cash bail
system disenfranchises
black and brown people, and
poor people particularly.
I mean you hear too
many stories of folks
whose bail is
something outrageous.
Something that they
can't afford to pay.
People can't come up with
$1,000 to pay their rent.
(somber music)
- It also is a vehicle to force
plea deals and plea offers.
People find themselves
in situations where
they can't afford
to get out of jail,
but they're willing to take
a deal to get on probation,
just to resume
back to their life
before they lose everything.
- The people who get
ground under the worst,
are the ones who have
no money, no lawyer,
wrong zip code,
wrong skin tone.
And they're done.
Frankly, you have a system
where it's better to be
rich and guilty, than
poor and innocent.
- My mom and my sister
did everything they could
to raise up money
to get me bail.
Cooking dinner, putting
'em in containers,
and selling them
in the neighborhood
to family members and friends.
- My son Robert had never
been away from me that long
that I couldn't see
him or deal with him.
The whole time I was
trying to raise money,
whatever I had to do to
try to get my son out.
♪ A way out ♪
- After seven months in jail,
they came up with the money.
My family came up
with the money.
(jazzy hip hop music)
I got out at the age
of 19 after my bail.
I was living back with my mom,
and I didn't have a job,
I didn't have anything.
I didn't have any money, so
you know I had to find my way.
I'm about to go to trial.
I could go to jail for a minute.
- Meek was looking at 19 counts.
Two of the most serious
are possession with intent
to distribute crack cocaine,
which the arresting officers
claimed to have recovered.
And simple assault, because
Meek allegedly pointed a gun
at Philadelphia police officers.
If convicted, Meek was
looking at potentially
upwards of a decade in prison.
- I felt like my whole
life was on the line,
so I started recording
like extra hard.
I started pursuing my
career even harder,
just throwing myself.
I spent a lot of time really
dedicating my life to music.
♪ Red horse on my shirt,
red stripes on my kicks ♪
♪ Put that Porsche thing to
work, Boxster pop a slip ♪
♪ Slide through your hood
like hi hater what's good ♪
♪ I'm so fly, I be looking like
money every time I ride by ♪
You recording?
- Yeah.
- When I caught my case,
I really needed a lawyer
and my family didn't
have any money.
- That'll be 15 grand.
- If it wasn't for
income tax time,
Meek wouldn't even had a lawyer.
I just received my
income tax refund,
so I was able to utilize
$1,500 of my money
to put down on Meek's lawyer.
- I wanted to sit
down with my lawyer
and really go over my case,
but I couldn't
really talk to him
and they know these young kids
coming up in them places,
we don't know how to
handle no fucking lawyer.
We don't know nothing
about the criminal system,
nothing about lawyers,
so we're being
outsmarted on many levels
where they just
getting their check
and keeping it going.
(dramatic music)
So now I got to court.
I'm nervous, I don't even know
what I'm getting myself into.
I'm being accused of
pointing a gun at a cop,
selling crack cocaine.
I had a gun, but I ain't
point no gun at no cops
and I didn't sell
no crack cocaine.
(somber music)
- All rise for the honorable
judge, Genece Brinkley.
(somber music)
- Genece Brinkley, she end
up being my trial judge,
and when I seen her I'm
thinking like yeah, damn.
A black judge,
I got a black lady.
Where I come from,
you really gotta worry
about the white judge.
When you get a black
male or female judge,
some of 'em can comb
through the scenarios
because they come from
the places we come,
and they can see all right,
that's bullshit.
He pointed a gun at a cop?
Let me check his
medical records.
Does this guy ever had
any record of being crazy?
- At his trial, there was
one witness for the state.
The arresting officer.
His name is Reggie Graham.
With Meek's freedom
on the line,
Reggie Graham gets
on the stand.
- The defendant,
Mr. Robert Williams
was coming out of that property,
coming down the steps.
- I remember the judge just
being into the cop's testimony.
Like she was real
into it and like,
attests to what he was saying
as far as body language.
- During that time,
we were walking
in the direction
of Mr. Williams.
And observed Mr. Williams pull
the gun from his waistband.
He pointed the gun
in our direction.
(emotional music)
- Officer Graham said I
pointed the gun at him.
I was getting dizzy.
I'm like I'm caught up
in the middle of a movie.
I'm looking at him
like, you really in here
lying on another black kid?
That shit really hurt
me just as a black kid
to see another black man
do some shit like that.
Like for that level of badge,
is this upgrading your status?
Will you get paid more at home?
Will your check be bigger
when you go home at
night for your children?
And then to see that
was just like, terrible.
- It was Meek, a poor
kid from North Philly,
against the word of a veteran
Philadelphia police officer.
- So I'm like, I
gotta do something.
I gotta try some shit.
So I'm thinking from a black
male, to a black female judge.
Man, let me just go up here
and tell this lady the truth.
- Mr. Williams,
first of all, on the 24th
when you were arrested,
did you have a gun on you?
- Yes.
I'm thinking she gonna be like,
this kid just came up here
and really told the truth
about really what happened.
And when he screamed police.
- Police!
- I turned back and put
the gun on the ground,
and I came back
up, and I laid down
on the back of the
car just like this.
She kind of looked at me like
I was a liar, I was lying.
I could see how,
because I was nervous.
I'm up here stuttering.
I'm on the stand in a courtroom.
I never been in a
courtroom on no stand.
Kind of felt that she
didn't really care
about what I was saying.
She wasn't really
trying to hear it.
- The evidence against Meek
was a significant amount
of crack cocaine
allegedly discovered
inside the house at 2204
South Hemberger Street,
and Reggie Graham's
testimony that Meek
drew down on Philadelphia
police officers.
- And after about an hour and
a half, two hours, she said.
- I find the defendant
Williams guilty.
(somber music)
- I ain't show no reaction.
I felt crazy, just
knowing I got found guilty
of some shit I ain't do.
They talking about I'm facing
up to five to 10
years mandatory,
so that was the biggest
thing on my mind.
Like damn, 19 years old.
I'd be 24 or 25
when I get out.
That shit crazy,
that's what I was thinking.
- My sentence is as follows.
11 1/2 to 23 months in jail,
plus 10 years probation.
(emotional music)
- When the judge sentenced me
to 11 1/2 to 23 and
10 years of probation,
the sad part about it,
I actually was grateful
for that.
- To get 11 1/2 to 23 for
being convicted of gun toting
and doing some other stuff,
back then that would
be considered a break.
- This sentence will allow you
to get yourself back
on the right track.
So I need you to understand
that I'm not going to forget
the break I've given you.
- Meek appears to get
a break from this judge
in the hopes that he would
make a success of himself.
- You see somebody
who has been,
by some accounts, spared
and given 11 1/2 to 23.
You have to also remember 10
years of probation to follow.
That is the setup,
right, that's the setup.
- Here's a dirty secret.
Everybody talks about
mass incarceration,
which is about
2.3 million people.
What they don't talk
about is mass supervision,
which is about five
million people.
That's the folks who
are on probation,
who are on parole, so
they're still not free.
(hip hop music)
- A person is put on
probation, and they are given
a set of conditions, depending
on what your offense was.
And if you don't comply
with the set of conditions,
that is a technical violation.
You can be sent back to jail.
(dramatic music)
In terms of how many
violations that you can commit
before you're sent back to jail,
it really boils
down to the judge.
They are the link
between you staying home,
meaning freedom, and
you going back to jail.
- When we heard 10
years probation,
we didn't look at it
like that would be
something hard to do.
We thought
she did him a favor.
What did you think
probation meant?
- Don't catch a new case.
Yeah that's about it,
don't catch a new case,
don't get high.
(somber music)
After my trial, I did my
time in the county jail.
- Meek had been
credited for time served
at the time of his conviction.
After serving the
rest of his sentence,
he is released to begin
his 10 years of probation.
- When I got out, you know,
I went back home and
started hustling.
(hip hop music)
I'm fresh out of the county.
I just got out last night.
I still got the jail dreads
and all that, man.
Meek Milly is back.
Before I got locked
up, I was like
the popular rapper
from my neighborhood.
So I'm thinking I'm
about to be rich,
I'm about to make
a lot of money.
We in there!
I had a manager helping
orchestrate my music career.
His name was Charlie Mack.
- My name is Charlie Mack,
the big brother of Philadelphia.
- When I hear the name
Charlie Mack, my first impulse
is to say he's the
first out the limo.
♪ He's Charlie Mack and he's
the first out the limo ♪
- He was Will Smith's bodyguard.
Later on in life,
he became a manager.
Charlie Mack can potentially
change your life.
He's tenured in hip hop.
I think he can snap his
fingers, and make things happen.
- Charlie has an endless
amount of friends
and contacts all over the place.
He knows all the right people.
- He had a lot of information
about the music industry.
He knew all the celebrities
and stuff like that.
I was being around him a lot,
and he was working
with me with the music.
- This is official
"Flamers 2," Meek Milly.
♪ Flamers,
Flamers ♪
We came out with a
mixtape called "Flamers 2."
- "Flamers 2" my niggas,
it's only right.
- It dropped when
I was in prison,
and then it
did extremely well.
♪ Jungle beats, holla at me ♪
♪ Meek Milly I'm flaming ♪
♪ Hotter than the
whip I came in ♪
♪ Harder than the pavement,
Dropping on these niggas ♪
- Yo what's up, you wanna
rock with Meek Milly?
♪ Raining 'cause you the
top noodles like ramen ♪
- ♪ Flamers ♪
That's hot.
♪ I'm the hottest in the city,
got them rider niggas with me ♪
This is when the whole city
started listening to my music.
- He was dropping
the "Flamers" mixtapes,
he was just killing it.
He was like nonstop.
Everywhere you go--
♪ Flamers ♪
- Meek was the artist that
people were talking about.
- Make some noise
right now in the crowd.
You ready?
- "Flamers" just showed
how humble he was.
He was doing
really, really good.
Meek was getting shows,
he was making money.
- I had a $22,000
check from iTunes,
and you know
I ain't have money.
I probably only had $15,000
to my name at this time.
I'm like I got a big
check, first big check.
I'm like I'm ready
to get signed.
So a real record label,
if you get signed,
people invest more into you.
They take you out your hood,
you got a better shot at
living, not going to jail,
not getting swallowed
up by the system.
(hip hop music)
- So, even though he is
the hottest thing going
in Philadelphia, Meek is
grinding, grinding, grinding
in the hope that all
of these appearances,
and all of these
mixtapes would ultimately
introduce him to a
national producer,
and a major label.
Within months, he
has his lucky break,
being discovered by Rick Ross.
♪ Valet cars, roll up jars ♪
♪ He bought his girls
ain't nothin' like ours ♪
- Rick Ross, he's a
hit maker, no question.
He has a long
string of classics.
If Rick Ross was from New York,
he'd be regarded universally
as top five dead or alive,
without question, in my opinion.
♪ Diamonds blue, but my
rosé red and my diamonds ♪
- The relationship started
when Ross came to Philly.
♪ Keep a dime chick like ♪
- He wanted to get
Ross on a song,
and he had everybody on
Twitter reach out to Ross.
- I tweeted look, I got the
hardest song out of Philly.
If you think Ross
should get on that, RT
and probably had about
20, 30,000 tweets,
and Ross seen the power
of like the internet.
The power of a
neighborhood rapper
with his whole city
behind him.
♪ Rosé rojo diamonds blanco ♪
- Here is Rick Ross jumping
on one of Meek's local hits
and turning it into a
national hit in "Rosé Red."
♪ Rosé red and my
diamonds blue ♪
♪ Rosé red
and my diamonds blue ♪
I guess he seen what type
of person I was, my talent.
Got a chance to
run over my music.
He was calling me to Miami
probably a few months later.
♪ 'Cause I get get get it,
money I get it ♪
♪ I step up in that club
I be feeling like Mitch ♪
♪ When I be in the hood
I be ballin' with yo bitch ♪
♪ You know she
probably on my dick ♪
♪ Because I'm probably
the shit, I say ♪
- Ross and Meek were
staying in the same house
recording in Miami.
They laughed and joked,
had good times together.
It was like big
brother, little brother.
- In Miami, everyone seems
to be orbiting Rick Ross.
There's Lil Wayne,
there's DJ Khaled,
there's French Montana,
and suddenly Meek
is part of that tribe.
- It was just like all
right, you here now.
You in the room with some
people that's in the business
that you want to be in.
I was just happy to be able
to get ready to take my shot.
I was hungry, I was thirsty.
So that was the only
thing on my mind.
(upbeat synth music)
- Meek is
signed by Rick Ross
to the Maybach
Music Record Label.
Soon after that, he signs
with Roc Nation to manage him.
- Philly, they
breed great rappers,
and great artists, period,
but great rappers
in particular.
You know he comes
from that school.
I just felt like he was
talented, and he had a shot.
- It just changed my whole
direction of my career.
When I did "Ima Boss," I was
thinking like, I'm here.
-♪ Bitch I'm a boss ♪
♪- I'm a boss ♪
-♪ Bitch I'm a boss ♪
-♪ I'm a boss ♪
♪ I plan the shots,
I call the calls ♪
♪ We in this bitch ♪
- "Ima Boss," when
that song came out,
I just knew that he was
on a whole 'nother level,
and he had
the Rick Ross verse.
♪ Got so many shades they
thought I had a lazy eye ♪
- And Rick Ross
is popping at that time.
Everything was put
together nicely.
♪ Maybach Music
Maybach Music ♪
♪ One night I prayed to God ♪
♪ I asked could he please
remove my enemies from my life ♪
♪ And before you know it,
I started losing friends ♪
- Early in 2012, Meek records
"Dreams and Nightmares."
This is his first album
for a major label.
- "Dreams and Nightmares," yo.
Instant classic, he's bringing
that shit back, thank God.
- Meek is now
collaborating with major stars.
Nas, John Legend,
Drake, Mary J. Blige.
He begins pre-touring
before the album release.
(hip hop music)
- I start making 20,000
a show and stuff like that.
There's nothing better
than making 20,000 a show
two or three times a week.
It's so fucking crazy.
I was actually doing things
and making money and
being successful.
This is what we dream from.
I come from poverty,
and not being able to eat
for two days and
stuff like that,
so that's when I'm
thinking I'm here.
I'm able to provide for
my family different.
Me and my friends would
talk about it every night.
Yo, can you believe
this is happening?
This is my first time on a
large, this is a large jet?
- Yeah, heavy jet.
- This is my first
time on a heavy.
- Heavy jet, yeah.
We have the Ferrari
seats printed for you
on the seats.
All hand-stitched
Italian leather.
All hand done, whole
airplane's all hand done.
- Sitting on the jet
with the Ferrari seats.
It felt good, it
just gave me a drive
to keep going and pushing
forward and moving forward.
Once you see you're
winning at something,
and you're getting progress,
it gives you the drive
to just keep going.
♪ Cops try and catch me ♪
♪ Niggas try and clap me ♪
♪ Haters running at me ♪
♪ Know they wanna get at me ♪
♪ And people got the nerve to
ask why I don't look happy ♪
♪ I did it for my niggas
and I did this shit for Kathy ♪
♪ I know I know I know
I know I know I know ♪
- Y'all ready to turn it up?
Let's hear it.
Make some noise right
now in the club.
Ready to turn up!
- In 2012, Meek is trying
to manage the demands
of this onslaught of fame,
and also honor the
terms of his probation.
He is allowed to travel,
as long as he tells
the court his schedule.
(crowd cheering)
However, Meek is in the
most chaotic industry
in the world,
namely hip hop.
If for one reason or another,
he had to alter his schedule
and didn't tell the court,
it would result in a
violation of probation hearing
before his judge,
Genece Brinkley.
(hip hop music)
- October 2012, I'm in New York.
"Dreams and Nightmares"
was dropping there that day.
- Meek lets his
probation officer know
that he will be on the road
doing promotional appearances
beginning in New York City.
- All for your fans,
all for Meek Mill fans,
no, shout out to
the fans out there.
- Meek Mill's "Dreams and
Nightmares" is in stores today.
- He's about to be
the biggest thing in 2012
when two storms hit him.
One is Hurricane Sandy,
the other is
Hurricane Brinkley.
(thunder booms)
(hip hop music)
- The arrival
of Hurricane Sandy
brought wind,
rain, and floods.
The weather system
moved inland,
leaving behind a
darkened New York City.
- Sandy obliterates
New York City.
Everything shuts down.
The airports, the rails.
Meek unfortunately, he's got
an album release party
scheduled in Atlanta.
- Flights couldn't
fly out of New York.
I had to drive back
to Philadelphia
to catch a jet to Atlanta.
- Meek is within a mile
of reaching the airport
when he is pulled over for
excessively tinted windows.
His driver rolls
down the window.
- Cop said he smelled weed,
some dumb shit.
I don't know who made
that law, about that statute
where a cop could just
say he smelled something
and that's rights
to search your car?
- They impound
the car and imprison him.
- They took pictures of me,
put me on Instagram in cuffs.
Just made me look crazy.
Ended up not charging
us with anything,
letting me out nine
in the morning.
- Word gets out
that he was stopped
just north of
Philadelphia, a city
that did not appear on
his travel schedule.
And suddenly he's in
front of Judge Brinkley.
(gavel bangs)
(somber music)
- See the problem
is because he came into town
and he wasn't supposed
to be in town.
This is not being handled
the way I anticipated.
After the 16th of December,
you can't go anywhere
without my
specific permission.
- They say probation is
designed for you to keep a job,
and get a job.
Well I've been having
a job the whole time.
After I had a job, I started
getting in trouble
for going to work.
And now she tightening
my probation up.
(somber music)
- Brinkley refuses to allow him
to leave Philadelphia
city limits for a month
to support his first
and most important album.
- Most artists make most of
their money from touring,
and when you strip
an artist of that,
then you also strip them
of their livelihood.
- My whole career could go
down the drain in a month.
All it takes is 30 days of
not making the right moves
in this music industry, and
your career could be over.
Being on probation, you
working towards your life goals
and something keep
pulling you back.
- I had probation as a
kid, you know what I mean?
It's so many small
little technical ways
they can send you back
to jail, you know?
I'm walking down the street,
just having a conversation
with my neighbor,
and he so happened to be a
felon and we get stopped,
"Ah, you're associating
with a known felon."
Well God damn, I just
walked down the street.
- Right now, we do
this interview early
and I decide I want to
go home with my son,
it's what, seven,
eight o'clock?
Probation is closed.
I can't even go
home with my family
unless I could call
my probation officer
'cause if I go home without
warning my probation officer,
I'm in violation, that's
a technical violation.
Showing up to see your
probation officer late
is a technical violation.
There's so many
different ways.
I couldn't really
understand it,
'cause I'm like, I'm
doing so good for myself.
Why is everything
so high temperature
when I go in the courtroom?
I always felt like the
judge was trying to control
the way she thought I should be.
She put me in etiquette class
'cause I said the word "piss."
It cost me $10,000,
'cause she had to choose
the person I had to go to,
which I thought was a scam.
I used to go to
court, she was like
I ain't like your haircut
and shit like that.
I'm like why are you even
worrying about my life?
I'm in here for five hours
just for a probation hearing.
Not even having a violation,
just to talk about your life.
She was focusing way too
much attention on me.
Eight o'clock at night,
I'm doing community
service on a Saturday.
The judge is at my
community service.
Why are you at my
community service?
- A judge showing up to
your community service,
etiquette class with
a person I know.
When you're a sitting judge,
you just can't do
things like that,
because it looks like you are
overly invested in just Meek.
- I got a lot of
shit going for myself
making music, rapping,
but the judge,
this is just like
yeah I don't feel comfortable
with your management.
- She was trashing Roc Nation.
Roc Nation people
was in the courtroom,
and she said you guys
can't do the books right.
You guys can't get me
the times that he's leaving,
the times that he's coming,
what state he's going
to, trashing 'em.
- As an artist, the dates
are constantly changing,
constantly evolving,
shows are canceled,
money doesn't come in,
you move a date.
I explained this to her
before, after, and during.
Yet it came back up that
Meek somehow violated.
(somber music)
- Now I'm not out
here selling drugs.
I'm not out here hurting nobody.
I'm not posing a threat,
you know what I'm saying?
I talk the way I talk,
I dress the way I dress,
I rap the way I rap,
I'm making good money,
I do charity.
What am I doing
that she don't like?
There was a lot of built
up anger inside me.
I was expressing
it through music.
♪ I go to court for probation
and looking like trial ♪
♪ The DA told me she want
a nigga but right now ♪
♪ I'm living better than
ever, I'm thinkin' like, how ♪
♪ Is it the money,
is it the cars ♪
♪ Is it the way a nigga
living that took me this far ♪
♪ But still they want
me with the sins ♪
♪ And they give me them bars ♪
♪ They lock a nigga in the
dark I still look like a star ♪
♪ I shine, I grind harder,
I'm working my mind smarter ♪
♪ I take care of my grandmama,
mama, my ma's daughter ♪
♪ They telling me I ain't shit,
I made it for my father ♪
♪ I just hope you pray for me,
matter fact sing for me,
Lil Snupe ♪
♪ The great singles
the great singles ♪
-♪ The great singles ♪
♪- Real nigga for life ♪
- It was a lot of
pressure, because we would
have these court
hearings where they'd say
everything you do, you're
threatening somebody
with going to jail for an
extended period of time.
It felt like it was predatory
and very intimidating.
- The idea that at any moment,
you could just be disappeared
back into the system,
is a state of constant anxiety.
That energy then can't go toward
thinking about my career.
That energy can't go toward
thinking about taking
care of my kids.
'Cause you're
constantly anxious about
am I even gonna
be here tomorrow?
- You living in
like fear, really.
It's really fear.
Because mere mistakes
could send you to prison.
I was shooting a music video.
At the end of the video, the
girls walk up to me with guns
and we think they robbing us
and then they squeeze the
guns, water come out of the gun
and shoot us in
the face basically.
We took pictures with
the guns in the video.
Same clothes, same background,
same guns, and then in the
world of being on probation
with Genece Brinkley,
I know the effects
of being a celebrity that
my judge is gonna see this.
So I would never take a
picture with real firearms.
(gavel bangs)
And now she's on the
stand in the courtroom
with power over my freedom.
...or cover is a water gun?
- Yes, does anyone want
to see the video, your honor?
- I don't
want to see the video.
- I just think she wanted him
to be her Cinderella story,
and she said it several times
that he had the opportunity
to be the next Jay-Z.
But he's the current
Meek Mill,
so not everything was
about necessarily him
violating the law, but maybe
violating the vision she had
of what man he would be at
the completion of all of this.
- I find the defendant
in technical violation.
You said you didn't want
to disappoint your fans?
How about me?
After all I've tried to do
for you over all these years
trying to help
you have a career?
- She always used to say like,
if it wasn't for me you
wouldn't be who you are now,
and so she kind of felt
like she was responsible
for my success,
which she wasn't.
I only feel like God,
and myself
was responsible
for my success.
- I have
tried numerous times
not to send you to jail,
but it doesn't work.
So you have to go
to jail this time.
(dramatic music)
My new sentence is three
to six months in the county
with five years
reported probation.
- This is like some
trauma type shit.
It's like you
dizzy at that point
when you about to get locked up.
Your whole career
going down the drain,
your fucking family going
down the drain, you know?
She was saying that she
was trying to help me,
I'm like how can
you try to help me
by putting me in shackles and
taking me away from my family?
I went to prison on the spot.
- Has he been the
most faithful adherent
of the absolute letter
of probation rules?
No.
But he is sent back
to jail for using
phony guns
in his music videos,
and other
technical violations,
which are not crimes
in and of themselves,
but are in the context
of being on probation.
(dramatic music)
- Nobody can
understand why a judge
would go this far
to actually take me
from climbing up this mountain
and putting me under the ground,
you know what I'm saying?
This is mind-blowing.
Nobody can figure
it out, and that's--
Everybody always said what
you think she's doing?
What you think she's thinking?
I don't know.
- It's been my experience,
and the experience of
my brother practitioners,
that African American
judges sometimes
can overcompensate,
quite frankly.
If Meek is given a break,
the perception will be ah,
here we go again. A sister
looking out for a brother.
Here we go again.
- It's a form of self-hate
that's actually tangled up
in the criminal
justice system too
that people are
brainwashed to believe
that they have to go
against they own people
to get like extra stripes
for the criminal justice world,
you know what I'm saying?
That's what I'm thinking
is taking place.
(somber music)
And now I'm locked up.
I ain't write a
single rap in prison.
I felt like I was so overwhelmed
I couldn't even think
to make music or do
anything positive.
(somber music)
- And some of this thing
have reverb, right?
So, so many effects
are irreversible.
He has a son.
What effect would that have
on his son's relationship
with the world?
- They take you far away,
disconnect you from your family.
But my whole objective
is to, no matter
what they try to do
to me, come back out
and come even
stronger than before.
So I won't be able to be put
in these situations anymore.
You know, it was
just like come back
and try to beat 'em again.
(upbeat music)
- That's my dog right there!
Get outta the rain!
Put your shit on,
man, put your shit on.
That's how you earn respect,
you know what I mean?
Know what I mean,
know what I mean?
- Man y'all getting this?
- Yeah I'm getting it.
- Come on, sug.
- All right, land this one.
(laughing)
- You know what I mean?
- We out, let's go on.
- Yeah we going to
the Ritz Carlton.
(phone rings)
Rosé, what's up with you?
(laughing)
Everyone's like you see 'em
grow my shit a little
bit and all that.
- You got
a song right, nigga.
- I look like
a Philly nigga now.
(upbeat music)
(phone rings)
- Salaam-Alaikum.
- Wa-Alaikum-Salaam rock
me little bitch right here.
(laughing)
- What's up bro?
- Hey shit man,
just got in the car.
- Happy
you out, my nigga.
- I'm feeling good,
I'm happy too, French.
I'm happier than
a motherfucker.
Yeah that shit was hell,
like real life hell.
That's the closest
thing to hell.
That shit frustrating
as fuck too.
- Yeah, see look, can
you imagine living
from the lifestyle
you living right now
into being in a cell
23 hours in a day?
Nigga, I was in a
cell with nobody, man.
That shit was,
almost lost it.
- From being around fucking
thousands of people,
hundreds of people on the reg.
- Yeah that shit was like...
the shit they was feeding
us was just crazy.
♪ Sorry your honor
if I was too arrogant ♪
♪ That money was staggering ♪
♪ They locked me
PC with the rats ♪
♪ Man, that shit
was embarrassing ♪
♪ 23 hours a cell
by myself ♪
♪ Man, you couldn't
imagine it ♪
♪ They fed me some shit
I won't feed to my dog ♪
♪ Man, that shit
was the nastiest ♪
♪ Can you imagine
me losing my mind ♪
♪ Doing pushups 52 at a time ♪
♪ Do the whole deck just
to get through the time ♪
♪ To get to my son
and get back to my mom ♪
♪ 'Cause Papi keep
asking me where am I at ♪
♪ I told him in jail,
I said I'll be back ♪
♪ He said when you're back
can you get me from school ♪
♪ Shit like that there
turn boy to a goon ♪
♪ Came in the game,
Philly and shit ♪
♪ Look at these rappers
they silly as shit ♪
♪ I don't know why they
be gassing these niggas ♪
♪ But fuck me 'cause I am
not feeling their shit ♪
♪ Difference between me
and most of these rappers ♪
♪ I'm talking 'bout work
that I really put in ♪
♪ Talking about pistols
I put on my hip ♪
♪ And I'm talking about
foreigns I really could whip ♪
♪ That I really done drove ♪
♪ Really was froze in my hood ♪
♪ And these bitches
I really did hit ♪
♪ I really was chose,
I came up from nothing ♪
♪ And now they like, how
he made millions so quick ♪
♪ Back in the back and
it feel like a sofa ♪
♪ I done seen bitches
I'm fuckin' on Oprah ♪
(laughs)
- Damn.
♪ I'm the messiah
you rappers is liars ♪
♪ I sign up at church
just to rap at the choir ♪
♪ They spit my new verse at
your wake while you're lying ♪
♪ The middle of the church
at your wake, no I'm lying ♪
♪ I just came from jail,
ain't do no crying ♪
♪ They put me through
hell, sharpened my iron ♪
♪ I did my push-ups and
I roared with the lions ♪
♪ Like hold up,
from balling I'm tired ♪
♪ I'm back in this bitch
and I'm back on my shit ♪
♪ Man they tell me be
humble, I'm cocky as hell ♪
♪ Shout-out my bitches
that answered my calls ♪
♪ When I called 'em collect
cause it got me through hell ♪
♪ Shout-out that judge
that denied me my bail ♪
♪ It made me smarter
and made me go harder ♪
♪ They locked me up
and slowed my album up ♪
♪ But I did not give up cause
I knew I would prevail ♪
Put you in a video.
Yo Papi, what's up?
- What's up?
- Can you sit up for me?
- Yeah.
- Come on now.
What you been doing?
You doing good in school?
- Yeah.
You sure?
My relationship
with my son is great.
And I ain't talked to him
about really the justice system
and everything that goes on.
I just really try
to connect with him
and push that stuff to the side.
We're gonna actually change
the whole way of
life of my bloodline.
It's like the way that my
son's son would come up.
The way that my niece's
kids would come up,
you know what I'm saying?
And give 'em a different
type of jumpstart
where they can really
get a fair shot at life.
♪ Bright lights
attracted bad bitches ♪
♪ And attracted to mad niggas,
whoever thought... ♪
So you know, I
always feel pressure
of just making a better
album and staying successful.
"Dreams Worth More Than Money"
on the motherfucking way.
Meek Milly, Philly stand up.
I'm a dig.
- "Dreams Worth More
than Money," that was where
Meek is being fully
embraced by the industry.
- Oh shit, "Dreams
Worth More than Money."
"Dreams Worth More than
Money," drives 'em all.
- He's really going
to the next level
of stardom on that album.
You're seeing people
like Drake on there,
and you're seeing Nicki Minaj.
♪ Lights low and
the show start ♪
♪ And the champagne
spill on your bowtie ♪
- When Meek started
dating Nicki,
I was like how'd that happen?
(laughs)
You have to remember
where Meek came from,
that he's that dude with the
nappy braids on the street
all the way to
getting Nicki Minaj,
who was the queen.
- I'd wake up in my bed
and just look at Nicki
like man, this shit
has gotta be a dream.
- I only have a thing
for one Philly nigga.
Happy birthday baby!
- Make sure it can fit
my wrist though, baby.
- You can't get this
from no regular degular.
You know what I mean?
You ain't fucking with
no average bitch, boy.
Know what I mean?
Don't you ever
motherfuckin' forget it.
(laughing)
- In 2016, Meek and
Nicki are going strong.
Meek is supporting his family.
He's on the precipice of
coming back full strength
when he is summoned back to
court for technical violations,
among them moving a video shoot
from one outdoor
location in Philadelphia
to another outdoor
location in Philadelphia.
When he shows up to
court, he has his family
and Nicki Minaj with him.
- I know he'd been doing
like little ticky tacky stuff
that was going on,
but he's not stupid!
Not gonna do nothing dumb
to jeopardize his freedom.
But nobody judge the judge, so
you can do what you wanna do
when you're in that courtroom.
- The new sentence
is as follows.
Six to 12 months
in the county prison,
six years reported probation.
The defendant is immediately
paroled to house arrest.
The defendant is not
permitted to travel, or work
while on house arrest.
- It wasn't enough merely
to give him house arrest
for a couple months, no.
Now Meek would have his
probation extended by two years.
(somber music)
- After she sentenced
me to house arrest,
she adjourned court and
just said me and Nicki,
told me and Nicki
to come in the back.
- The judge said, "I want to
see you and Nicki in the back."
Damn, what happened?
So now I'm like,
I'm in suspense.
- Meek and Nicki
go back to chambers,
out of earshot of reporters
and all the lawyers.
And at this point,
shit gets interesting.
(dramatic music)
(hip hop music)
- You know what this is.
2204 South Hemberger Street,
where everything took place at.
Beating of, Meek Mill.
- January 24, two
thousand what, seven?
- 2007.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, that was the day
when everything happened.
I was coming to my house,
went into my residence.
Said hi to all my cousins.
Meek was coming
out to the store.
There was a silver Charger
turning the corner.
Stopped in between right there,
and about five cops
poured out of it.
At least five.
They claimed Meek
came out the house
and automatically
drawed a weapon on them.
Which was false.
Because if they claim
he pointed a gun,
I'm be honest with you,
he should have been dead.
I was at the door, looking
out this window right here.
They was trying to subdue Meek.
Grabbing him, and
tossing him around.
Bringing him in the door,
they used his head
as a battering ram.
- So when he came in, he
hit his face on the TV,
but he handcuffed so you
can't catch your balance.
So when he hit the
TV, he stumbled,
and hit the dining room
table where it was metal,
and he hit his eye.
Cause once he got
up, and looked up,
his whole face was just--
- Bloody.
- Was bloody.
This was his mugshot.
When I look at this
photo, I see pain.
(pummeling, grunting)
See strength.
Determination.
(pummeling, grunting)
- Definitely determination.
Just was the beginning.
(dramatic music)
(people chattering)
- After I got arrested,
I'm in county jail
waiting to go to trial.
I'm 19 years old.
It was traumatic,
just sleeping in a room
with some people you don't
know, like first night.
I was in a cell with
some Spanish guys.
They wasn't even
talking English.
They were smoking
PCP in the cell.
One of 'em had a big
ass knife on him.
I'm locked in, the CO is
like a fucking 100 feet away.
If something happened in here,
they wouldn't be
able to save me.
So I'm like, damn,
this shit dangerous.
I'm ready to do anything
to survive in this room.
I'm calling home
and I'm like, Mom!
Come get me out, come get me!
My bail is $5,000.
I'm like, call everybody!
We can find 8, 10
people that got $500.
My mom told me one day, like
the second or third day,
"I'm gonna bring you some
boxers and some socks."
That right there kicked
right in my head,
said, "Uh oh,
I'm staying here.
This is for real."
(cell door slamming)
- The cash bail
system disenfranchises
black and brown people, and
poor people particularly.
I mean you hear too
many stories of folks
whose bail is
something outrageous.
Something that they
can't afford to pay.
People can't come up with
$1,000 to pay their rent.
(somber music)
- It also is a vehicle to force
plea deals and plea offers.
People find themselves
in situations where
they can't afford
to get out of jail,
but they're willing to take
a deal to get on probation,
just to resume
back to their life
before they lose everything.
- The people who get
ground under the worst,
are the ones who have
no money, no lawyer,
wrong zip code,
wrong skin tone.
And they're done.
Frankly, you have a system
where it's better to be
rich and guilty, than
poor and innocent.
- My mom and my sister
did everything they could
to raise up money
to get me bail.
Cooking dinner, putting
'em in containers,
and selling them
in the neighborhood
to family members and friends.
- My son Robert had never
been away from me that long
that I couldn't see
him or deal with him.
The whole time I was
trying to raise money,
whatever I had to do to
try to get my son out.
♪ A way out ♪
- After seven months in jail,
they came up with the money.
My family came up
with the money.
(jazzy hip hop music)
I got out at the age
of 19 after my bail.
I was living back with my mom,
and I didn't have a job,
I didn't have anything.
I didn't have any money, so
you know I had to find my way.
I'm about to go to trial.
I could go to jail for a minute.
- Meek was looking at 19 counts.
Two of the most serious
are possession with intent
to distribute crack cocaine,
which the arresting officers
claimed to have recovered.
And simple assault, because
Meek allegedly pointed a gun
at Philadelphia police officers.
If convicted, Meek was
looking at potentially
upwards of a decade in prison.
- I felt like my whole
life was on the line,
so I started recording
like extra hard.
I started pursuing my
career even harder,
just throwing myself.
I spent a lot of time really
dedicating my life to music.
♪ Red horse on my shirt,
red stripes on my kicks ♪
♪ Put that Porsche thing to
work, Boxster pop a slip ♪
♪ Slide through your hood
like hi hater what's good ♪
♪ I'm so fly, I be looking like
money every time I ride by ♪
You recording?
- Yeah.
- When I caught my case,
I really needed a lawyer
and my family didn't
have any money.
- That'll be 15 grand.
- If it wasn't for
income tax time,
Meek wouldn't even had a lawyer.
I just received my
income tax refund,
so I was able to utilize
$1,500 of my money
to put down on Meek's lawyer.
- I wanted to sit
down with my lawyer
and really go over my case,
but I couldn't
really talk to him
and they know these young kids
coming up in them places,
we don't know how to
handle no fucking lawyer.
We don't know nothing
about the criminal system,
nothing about lawyers,
so we're being
outsmarted on many levels
where they just
getting their check
and keeping it going.
(dramatic music)
So now I got to court.
I'm nervous, I don't even know
what I'm getting myself into.
I'm being accused of
pointing a gun at a cop,
selling crack cocaine.
I had a gun, but I ain't
point no gun at no cops
and I didn't sell
no crack cocaine.
(somber music)
- All rise for the honorable
judge, Genece Brinkley.
(somber music)
- Genece Brinkley, she end
up being my trial judge,
and when I seen her I'm
thinking like yeah, damn.
A black judge,
I got a black lady.
Where I come from,
you really gotta worry
about the white judge.
When you get a black
male or female judge,
some of 'em can comb
through the scenarios
because they come from
the places we come,
and they can see all right,
that's bullshit.
He pointed a gun at a cop?
Let me check his
medical records.
Does this guy ever had
any record of being crazy?
- At his trial, there was
one witness for the state.
The arresting officer.
His name is Reggie Graham.
With Meek's freedom
on the line,
Reggie Graham gets
on the stand.
- The defendant,
Mr. Robert Williams
was coming out of that property,
coming down the steps.
- I remember the judge just
being into the cop's testimony.
Like she was real
into it and like,
attests to what he was saying
as far as body language.
- During that time,
we were walking
in the direction
of Mr. Williams.
And observed Mr. Williams pull
the gun from his waistband.
He pointed the gun
in our direction.
(emotional music)
- Officer Graham said I
pointed the gun at him.
I was getting dizzy.
I'm like I'm caught up
in the middle of a movie.
I'm looking at him
like, you really in here
lying on another black kid?
That shit really hurt
me just as a black kid
to see another black man
do some shit like that.
Like for that level of badge,
is this upgrading your status?
Will you get paid more at home?
Will your check be bigger
when you go home at
night for your children?
And then to see that
was just like, terrible.
- It was Meek, a poor
kid from North Philly,
against the word of a veteran
Philadelphia police officer.
- So I'm like, I
gotta do something.
I gotta try some shit.
So I'm thinking from a black
male, to a black female judge.
Man, let me just go up here
and tell this lady the truth.
- Mr. Williams,
first of all, on the 24th
when you were arrested,
did you have a gun on you?
- Yes.
I'm thinking she gonna be like,
this kid just came up here
and really told the truth
about really what happened.
And when he screamed police.
- Police!
- I turned back and put
the gun on the ground,
and I came back
up, and I laid down
on the back of the
car just like this.
She kind of looked at me like
I was a liar, I was lying.
I could see how,
because I was nervous.
I'm up here stuttering.
I'm on the stand in a courtroom.
I never been in a
courtroom on no stand.
Kind of felt that she
didn't really care
about what I was saying.
She wasn't really
trying to hear it.
- The evidence against Meek
was a significant amount
of crack cocaine
allegedly discovered
inside the house at 2204
South Hemberger Street,
and Reggie Graham's
testimony that Meek
drew down on Philadelphia
police officers.
- And after about an hour and
a half, two hours, she said.
- I find the defendant
Williams guilty.
(somber music)
- I ain't show no reaction.
I felt crazy, just
knowing I got found guilty
of some shit I ain't do.
They talking about I'm facing
up to five to 10
years mandatory,
so that was the biggest
thing on my mind.
Like damn, 19 years old.
I'd be 24 or 25
when I get out.
That shit crazy,
that's what I was thinking.
- My sentence is as follows.
11 1/2 to 23 months in jail,
plus 10 years probation.
(emotional music)
- When the judge sentenced me
to 11 1/2 to 23 and
10 years of probation,
the sad part about it,
I actually was grateful
for that.
- To get 11 1/2 to 23 for
being convicted of gun toting
and doing some other stuff,
back then that would
be considered a break.
- This sentence will allow you
to get yourself back
on the right track.
So I need you to understand
that I'm not going to forget
the break I've given you.
- Meek appears to get
a break from this judge
in the hopes that he would
make a success of himself.
- You see somebody
who has been,
by some accounts, spared
and given 11 1/2 to 23.
You have to also remember 10
years of probation to follow.
That is the setup,
right, that's the setup.
- Here's a dirty secret.
Everybody talks about
mass incarceration,
which is about
2.3 million people.
What they don't talk
about is mass supervision,
which is about five
million people.
That's the folks who
are on probation,
who are on parole, so
they're still not free.
(hip hop music)
- A person is put on
probation, and they are given
a set of conditions, depending
on what your offense was.
And if you don't comply
with the set of conditions,
that is a technical violation.
You can be sent back to jail.
(dramatic music)
In terms of how many
violations that you can commit
before you're sent back to jail,
it really boils
down to the judge.
They are the link
between you staying home,
meaning freedom, and
you going back to jail.
- When we heard 10
years probation,
we didn't look at it
like that would be
something hard to do.
We thought
she did him a favor.
What did you think
probation meant?
- Don't catch a new case.
Yeah that's about it,
don't catch a new case,
don't get high.
(somber music)
After my trial, I did my
time in the county jail.
- Meek had been
credited for time served
at the time of his conviction.
After serving the
rest of his sentence,
he is released to begin
his 10 years of probation.
- When I got out, you know,
I went back home and
started hustling.
(hip hop music)
I'm fresh out of the county.
I just got out last night.
I still got the jail dreads
and all that, man.
Meek Milly is back.
Before I got locked
up, I was like
the popular rapper
from my neighborhood.
So I'm thinking I'm
about to be rich,
I'm about to make
a lot of money.
We in there!
I had a manager helping
orchestrate my music career.
His name was Charlie Mack.
- My name is Charlie Mack,
the big brother of Philadelphia.
- When I hear the name
Charlie Mack, my first impulse
is to say he's the
first out the limo.
♪ He's Charlie Mack and he's
the first out the limo ♪
- He was Will Smith's bodyguard.
Later on in life,
he became a manager.
Charlie Mack can potentially
change your life.
He's tenured in hip hop.
I think he can snap his
fingers, and make things happen.
- Charlie has an endless
amount of friends
and contacts all over the place.
He knows all the right people.
- He had a lot of information
about the music industry.
He knew all the celebrities
and stuff like that.
I was being around him a lot,
and he was working
with me with the music.
- This is official
"Flamers 2," Meek Milly.
♪ Flamers,
Flamers ♪
We came out with a
mixtape called "Flamers 2."
- "Flamers 2" my niggas,
it's only right.
- It dropped when
I was in prison,
and then it
did extremely well.
♪ Jungle beats, holla at me ♪
♪ Meek Milly I'm flaming ♪
♪ Hotter than the
whip I came in ♪
♪ Harder than the pavement,
Dropping on these niggas ♪
- Yo what's up, you wanna
rock with Meek Milly?
♪ Raining 'cause you the
top noodles like ramen ♪
- ♪ Flamers ♪
That's hot.
♪ I'm the hottest in the city,
got them rider niggas with me ♪
This is when the whole city
started listening to my music.
- He was dropping
the "Flamers" mixtapes,
he was just killing it.
He was like nonstop.
Everywhere you go--
♪ Flamers ♪
- Meek was the artist that
people were talking about.
- Make some noise
right now in the crowd.
You ready?
- "Flamers" just showed
how humble he was.
He was doing
really, really good.
Meek was getting shows,
he was making money.
- I had a $22,000
check from iTunes,
and you know
I ain't have money.
I probably only had $15,000
to my name at this time.
I'm like I got a big
check, first big check.
I'm like I'm ready
to get signed.
So a real record label,
if you get signed,
people invest more into you.
They take you out your hood,
you got a better shot at
living, not going to jail,
not getting swallowed
up by the system.
(hip hop music)
- So, even though he is
the hottest thing going
in Philadelphia, Meek is
grinding, grinding, grinding
in the hope that all
of these appearances,
and all of these
mixtapes would ultimately
introduce him to a
national producer,
and a major label.
Within months, he
has his lucky break,
being discovered by Rick Ross.
♪ Valet cars, roll up jars ♪
♪ He bought his girls
ain't nothin' like ours ♪
- Rick Ross, he's a
hit maker, no question.
He has a long
string of classics.
If Rick Ross was from New York,
he'd be regarded universally
as top five dead or alive,
without question, in my opinion.
♪ Diamonds blue, but my
rosé red and my diamonds ♪
- The relationship started
when Ross came to Philly.
♪ Keep a dime chick like ♪
- He wanted to get
Ross on a song,
and he had everybody on
Twitter reach out to Ross.
- I tweeted look, I got the
hardest song out of Philly.
If you think Ross
should get on that, RT
and probably had about
20, 30,000 tweets,
and Ross seen the power
of like the internet.
The power of a
neighborhood rapper
with his whole city
behind him.
♪ Rosé rojo diamonds blanco ♪
- Here is Rick Ross jumping
on one of Meek's local hits
and turning it into a
national hit in "Rosé Red."
♪ Rosé red and my
diamonds blue ♪
♪ Rosé red
and my diamonds blue ♪
I guess he seen what type
of person I was, my talent.
Got a chance to
run over my music.
He was calling me to Miami
probably a few months later.
♪ 'Cause I get get get it,
money I get it ♪
♪ I step up in that club
I be feeling like Mitch ♪
♪ When I be in the hood
I be ballin' with yo bitch ♪
♪ You know she
probably on my dick ♪
♪ Because I'm probably
the shit, I say ♪
- Ross and Meek were
staying in the same house
recording in Miami.
They laughed and joked,
had good times together.
It was like big
brother, little brother.
- In Miami, everyone seems
to be orbiting Rick Ross.
There's Lil Wayne,
there's DJ Khaled,
there's French Montana,
and suddenly Meek
is part of that tribe.
- It was just like all
right, you here now.
You in the room with some
people that's in the business
that you want to be in.
I was just happy to be able
to get ready to take my shot.
I was hungry, I was thirsty.
So that was the only
thing on my mind.
(upbeat synth music)
- Meek is
signed by Rick Ross
to the Maybach
Music Record Label.
Soon after that, he signs
with Roc Nation to manage him.
- Philly, they
breed great rappers,
and great artists, period,
but great rappers
in particular.
You know he comes
from that school.
I just felt like he was
talented, and he had a shot.
- It just changed my whole
direction of my career.
When I did "Ima Boss," I was
thinking like, I'm here.
-♪ Bitch I'm a boss ♪
♪- I'm a boss ♪
-♪ Bitch I'm a boss ♪
-♪ I'm a boss ♪
♪ I plan the shots,
I call the calls ♪
♪ We in this bitch ♪
- "Ima Boss," when
that song came out,
I just knew that he was
on a whole 'nother level,
and he had
the Rick Ross verse.
♪ Got so many shades they
thought I had a lazy eye ♪
- And Rick Ross
is popping at that time.
Everything was put
together nicely.
♪ Maybach Music
Maybach Music ♪
♪ One night I prayed to God ♪
♪ I asked could he please
remove my enemies from my life ♪
♪ And before you know it,
I started losing friends ♪
- Early in 2012, Meek records
"Dreams and Nightmares."
This is his first album
for a major label.
- "Dreams and Nightmares," yo.
Instant classic, he's bringing
that shit back, thank God.
- Meek is now
collaborating with major stars.
Nas, John Legend,
Drake, Mary J. Blige.
He begins pre-touring
before the album release.
(hip hop music)
- I start making 20,000
a show and stuff like that.
There's nothing better
than making 20,000 a show
two or three times a week.
It's so fucking crazy.
I was actually doing things
and making money and
being successful.
This is what we dream from.
I come from poverty,
and not being able to eat
for two days and
stuff like that,
so that's when I'm
thinking I'm here.
I'm able to provide for
my family different.
Me and my friends would
talk about it every night.
Yo, can you believe
this is happening?
This is my first time on a
large, this is a large jet?
- Yeah, heavy jet.
- This is my first
time on a heavy.
- Heavy jet, yeah.
We have the Ferrari
seats printed for you
on the seats.
All hand-stitched
Italian leather.
All hand done, whole
airplane's all hand done.
- Sitting on the jet
with the Ferrari seats.
It felt good, it
just gave me a drive
to keep going and pushing
forward and moving forward.
Once you see you're
winning at something,
and you're getting progress,
it gives you the drive
to just keep going.
♪ Cops try and catch me ♪
♪ Niggas try and clap me ♪
♪ Haters running at me ♪
♪ Know they wanna get at me ♪
♪ And people got the nerve to
ask why I don't look happy ♪
♪ I did it for my niggas
and I did this shit for Kathy ♪
♪ I know I know I know
I know I know I know ♪
- Y'all ready to turn it up?
Let's hear it.
Make some noise right
now in the club.
Ready to turn up!
- In 2012, Meek is trying
to manage the demands
of this onslaught of fame,
and also honor the
terms of his probation.
He is allowed to travel,
as long as he tells
the court his schedule.
(crowd cheering)
However, Meek is in the
most chaotic industry
in the world,
namely hip hop.
If for one reason or another,
he had to alter his schedule
and didn't tell the court,
it would result in a
violation of probation hearing
before his judge,
Genece Brinkley.
(hip hop music)
- October 2012, I'm in New York.
"Dreams and Nightmares"
was dropping there that day.
- Meek lets his
probation officer know
that he will be on the road
doing promotional appearances
beginning in New York City.
- All for your fans,
all for Meek Mill fans,
no, shout out to
the fans out there.
- Meek Mill's "Dreams and
Nightmares" is in stores today.
- He's about to be
the biggest thing in 2012
when two storms hit him.
One is Hurricane Sandy,
the other is
Hurricane Brinkley.
(thunder booms)
(hip hop music)
- The arrival
of Hurricane Sandy
brought wind,
rain, and floods.
The weather system
moved inland,
leaving behind a
darkened New York City.
- Sandy obliterates
New York City.
Everything shuts down.
The airports, the rails.
Meek unfortunately, he's got
an album release party
scheduled in Atlanta.
- Flights couldn't
fly out of New York.
I had to drive back
to Philadelphia
to catch a jet to Atlanta.
- Meek is within a mile
of reaching the airport
when he is pulled over for
excessively tinted windows.
His driver rolls
down the window.
- Cop said he smelled weed,
some dumb shit.
I don't know who made
that law, about that statute
where a cop could just
say he smelled something
and that's rights
to search your car?
- They impound
the car and imprison him.
- They took pictures of me,
put me on Instagram in cuffs.
Just made me look crazy.
Ended up not charging
us with anything,
letting me out nine
in the morning.
- Word gets out
that he was stopped
just north of
Philadelphia, a city
that did not appear on
his travel schedule.
And suddenly he's in
front of Judge Brinkley.
(gavel bangs)
(somber music)
- See the problem
is because he came into town
and he wasn't supposed
to be in town.
This is not being handled
the way I anticipated.
After the 16th of December,
you can't go anywhere
without my
specific permission.
- They say probation is
designed for you to keep a job,
and get a job.
Well I've been having
a job the whole time.
After I had a job, I started
getting in trouble
for going to work.
And now she tightening
my probation up.
(somber music)
- Brinkley refuses to allow him
to leave Philadelphia
city limits for a month
to support his first
and most important album.
- Most artists make most of
their money from touring,
and when you strip
an artist of that,
then you also strip them
of their livelihood.
- My whole career could go
down the drain in a month.
All it takes is 30 days of
not making the right moves
in this music industry, and
your career could be over.
Being on probation, you
working towards your life goals
and something keep
pulling you back.
- I had probation as a
kid, you know what I mean?
It's so many small
little technical ways
they can send you back
to jail, you know?
I'm walking down the street,
just having a conversation
with my neighbor,
and he so happened to be a
felon and we get stopped,
"Ah, you're associating
with a known felon."
Well God damn, I just
walked down the street.
- Right now, we do
this interview early
and I decide I want to
go home with my son,
it's what, seven,
eight o'clock?
Probation is closed.
I can't even go
home with my family
unless I could call
my probation officer
'cause if I go home without
warning my probation officer,
I'm in violation, that's
a technical violation.
Showing up to see your
probation officer late
is a technical violation.
There's so many
different ways.
I couldn't really
understand it,
'cause I'm like, I'm
doing so good for myself.
Why is everything
so high temperature
when I go in the courtroom?
I always felt like the
judge was trying to control
the way she thought I should be.
She put me in etiquette class
'cause I said the word "piss."
It cost me $10,000,
'cause she had to choose
the person I had to go to,
which I thought was a scam.
I used to go to
court, she was like
I ain't like your haircut
and shit like that.
I'm like why are you even
worrying about my life?
I'm in here for five hours
just for a probation hearing.
Not even having a violation,
just to talk about your life.
She was focusing way too
much attention on me.
Eight o'clock at night,
I'm doing community
service on a Saturday.
The judge is at my
community service.
Why are you at my
community service?
- A judge showing up to
your community service,
etiquette class with
a person I know.
When you're a sitting judge,
you just can't do
things like that,
because it looks like you are
overly invested in just Meek.
- I got a lot of
shit going for myself
making music, rapping,
but the judge,
this is just like
yeah I don't feel comfortable
with your management.
- She was trashing Roc Nation.
Roc Nation people
was in the courtroom,
and she said you guys
can't do the books right.
You guys can't get me
the times that he's leaving,
the times that he's coming,
what state he's going
to, trashing 'em.
- As an artist, the dates
are constantly changing,
constantly evolving,
shows are canceled,
money doesn't come in,
you move a date.
I explained this to her
before, after, and during.
Yet it came back up that
Meek somehow violated.
(somber music)
- Now I'm not out
here selling drugs.
I'm not out here hurting nobody.
I'm not posing a threat,
you know what I'm saying?
I talk the way I talk,
I dress the way I dress,
I rap the way I rap,
I'm making good money,
I do charity.
What am I doing
that she don't like?
There was a lot of built
up anger inside me.
I was expressing
it through music.
♪ I go to court for probation
and looking like trial ♪
♪ The DA told me she want
a nigga but right now ♪
♪ I'm living better than
ever, I'm thinkin' like, how ♪
♪ Is it the money,
is it the cars ♪
♪ Is it the way a nigga
living that took me this far ♪
♪ But still they want
me with the sins ♪
♪ And they give me them bars ♪
♪ They lock a nigga in the
dark I still look like a star ♪
♪ I shine, I grind harder,
I'm working my mind smarter ♪
♪ I take care of my grandmama,
mama, my ma's daughter ♪
♪ They telling me I ain't shit,
I made it for my father ♪
♪ I just hope you pray for me,
matter fact sing for me,
Lil Snupe ♪
♪ The great singles
the great singles ♪
-♪ The great singles ♪
♪- Real nigga for life ♪
- It was a lot of
pressure, because we would
have these court
hearings where they'd say
everything you do, you're
threatening somebody
with going to jail for an
extended period of time.
It felt like it was predatory
and very intimidating.
- The idea that at any moment,
you could just be disappeared
back into the system,
is a state of constant anxiety.
That energy then can't go toward
thinking about my career.
That energy can't go toward
thinking about taking
care of my kids.
'Cause you're
constantly anxious about
am I even gonna
be here tomorrow?
- You living in
like fear, really.
It's really fear.
Because mere mistakes
could send you to prison.
I was shooting a music video.
At the end of the video, the
girls walk up to me with guns
and we think they robbing us
and then they squeeze the
guns, water come out of the gun
and shoot us in
the face basically.
We took pictures with
the guns in the video.
Same clothes, same background,
same guns, and then in the
world of being on probation
with Genece Brinkley,
I know the effects
of being a celebrity that
my judge is gonna see this.
So I would never take a
picture with real firearms.
(gavel bangs)
And now she's on the
stand in the courtroom
with power over my freedom.
...or cover is a water gun?
- Yes, does anyone want
to see the video, your honor?
- I don't
want to see the video.
- I just think she wanted him
to be her Cinderella story,
and she said it several times
that he had the opportunity
to be the next Jay-Z.
But he's the current
Meek Mill,
so not everything was
about necessarily him
violating the law, but maybe
violating the vision she had
of what man he would be at
the completion of all of this.
- I find the defendant
in technical violation.
You said you didn't want
to disappoint your fans?
How about me?
After all I've tried to do
for you over all these years
trying to help
you have a career?
- She always used to say like,
if it wasn't for me you
wouldn't be who you are now,
and so she kind of felt
like she was responsible
for my success,
which she wasn't.
I only feel like God,
and myself
was responsible
for my success.
- I have
tried numerous times
not to send you to jail,
but it doesn't work.
So you have to go
to jail this time.
(dramatic music)
My new sentence is three
to six months in the county
with five years
reported probation.
- This is like some
trauma type shit.
It's like you
dizzy at that point
when you about to get locked up.
Your whole career
going down the drain,
your fucking family going
down the drain, you know?
She was saying that she
was trying to help me,
I'm like how can
you try to help me
by putting me in shackles and
taking me away from my family?
I went to prison on the spot.
- Has he been the
most faithful adherent
of the absolute letter
of probation rules?
No.
But he is sent back
to jail for using
phony guns
in his music videos,
and other
technical violations,
which are not crimes
in and of themselves,
but are in the context
of being on probation.
(dramatic music)
- Nobody can
understand why a judge
would go this far
to actually take me
from climbing up this mountain
and putting me under the ground,
you know what I'm saying?
This is mind-blowing.
Nobody can figure
it out, and that's--
Everybody always said what
you think she's doing?
What you think she's thinking?
I don't know.
- It's been my experience,
and the experience of
my brother practitioners,
that African American
judges sometimes
can overcompensate,
quite frankly.
If Meek is given a break,
the perception will be ah,
here we go again. A sister
looking out for a brother.
Here we go again.
- It's a form of self-hate
that's actually tangled up
in the criminal
justice system too
that people are
brainwashed to believe
that they have to go
against they own people
to get like extra stripes
for the criminal justice world,
you know what I'm saying?
That's what I'm thinking
is taking place.
(somber music)
And now I'm locked up.
I ain't write a
single rap in prison.
I felt like I was so overwhelmed
I couldn't even think
to make music or do
anything positive.
(somber music)
- And some of this thing
have reverb, right?
So, so many effects
are irreversible.
He has a son.
What effect would that have
on his son's relationship
with the world?
- They take you far away,
disconnect you from your family.
But my whole objective
is to, no matter
what they try to do
to me, come back out
and come even
stronger than before.
So I won't be able to be put
in these situations anymore.
You know, it was
just like come back
and try to beat 'em again.
(upbeat music)
- That's my dog right there!
Get outta the rain!
Put your shit on,
man, put your shit on.
That's how you earn respect,
you know what I mean?
Know what I mean,
know what I mean?
- Man y'all getting this?
- Yeah I'm getting it.
- Come on, sug.
- All right, land this one.
(laughing)
- You know what I mean?
- We out, let's go on.
- Yeah we going to
the Ritz Carlton.
(phone rings)
Rosé, what's up with you?
(laughing)
Everyone's like you see 'em
grow my shit a little
bit and all that.
- You got
a song right, nigga.
- I look like
a Philly nigga now.
(upbeat music)
(phone rings)
- Salaam-Alaikum.
- Wa-Alaikum-Salaam rock
me little bitch right here.
(laughing)
- What's up bro?
- Hey shit man,
just got in the car.
- Happy
you out, my nigga.
- I'm feeling good,
I'm happy too, French.
I'm happier than
a motherfucker.
Yeah that shit was hell,
like real life hell.
That's the closest
thing to hell.
That shit frustrating
as fuck too.
- Yeah, see look, can
you imagine living
from the lifestyle
you living right now
into being in a cell
23 hours in a day?
Nigga, I was in a
cell with nobody, man.
That shit was,
almost lost it.
- From being around fucking
thousands of people,
hundreds of people on the reg.
- Yeah that shit was like...
the shit they was feeding
us was just crazy.
♪ Sorry your honor
if I was too arrogant ♪
♪ That money was staggering ♪
♪ They locked me
PC with the rats ♪
♪ Man, that shit
was embarrassing ♪
♪ 23 hours a cell
by myself ♪
♪ Man, you couldn't
imagine it ♪
♪ They fed me some shit
I won't feed to my dog ♪
♪ Man, that shit
was the nastiest ♪
♪ Can you imagine
me losing my mind ♪
♪ Doing pushups 52 at a time ♪
♪ Do the whole deck just
to get through the time ♪
♪ To get to my son
and get back to my mom ♪
♪ 'Cause Papi keep
asking me where am I at ♪
♪ I told him in jail,
I said I'll be back ♪
♪ He said when you're back
can you get me from school ♪
♪ Shit like that there
turn boy to a goon ♪
♪ Came in the game,
Philly and shit ♪
♪ Look at these rappers
they silly as shit ♪
♪ I don't know why they
be gassing these niggas ♪
♪ But fuck me 'cause I am
not feeling their shit ♪
♪ Difference between me
and most of these rappers ♪
♪ I'm talking 'bout work
that I really put in ♪
♪ Talking about pistols
I put on my hip ♪
♪ And I'm talking about
foreigns I really could whip ♪
♪ That I really done drove ♪
♪ Really was froze in my hood ♪
♪ And these bitches
I really did hit ♪
♪ I really was chose,
I came up from nothing ♪
♪ And now they like, how
he made millions so quick ♪
♪ Back in the back and
it feel like a sofa ♪
♪ I done seen bitches
I'm fuckin' on Oprah ♪
(laughs)
- Damn.
♪ I'm the messiah
you rappers is liars ♪
♪ I sign up at church
just to rap at the choir ♪
♪ They spit my new verse at
your wake while you're lying ♪
♪ The middle of the church
at your wake, no I'm lying ♪
♪ I just came from jail,
ain't do no crying ♪
♪ They put me through
hell, sharpened my iron ♪
♪ I did my push-ups and
I roared with the lions ♪
♪ Like hold up,
from balling I'm tired ♪
♪ I'm back in this bitch
and I'm back on my shit ♪
♪ Man they tell me be
humble, I'm cocky as hell ♪
♪ Shout-out my bitches
that answered my calls ♪
♪ When I called 'em collect
cause it got me through hell ♪
♪ Shout-out that judge
that denied me my bail ♪
♪ It made me smarter
and made me go harder ♪
♪ They locked me up
and slowed my album up ♪
♪ But I did not give up cause
I knew I would prevail ♪
Put you in a video.
Yo Papi, what's up?
- What's up?
- Can you sit up for me?
- Yeah.
- Come on now.
What you been doing?
You doing good in school?
- Yeah.
You sure?
My relationship
with my son is great.
And I ain't talked to him
about really the justice system
and everything that goes on.
I just really try
to connect with him
and push that stuff to the side.
We're gonna actually change
the whole way of
life of my bloodline.
It's like the way that my
son's son would come up.
The way that my niece's
kids would come up,
you know what I'm saying?
And give 'em a different
type of jumpstart
where they can really
get a fair shot at life.
♪ Bright lights
attracted bad bitches ♪
♪ And attracted to mad niggas,
whoever thought... ♪
So you know, I
always feel pressure
of just making a better
album and staying successful.
"Dreams Worth More Than Money"
on the motherfucking way.
Meek Milly, Philly stand up.
I'm a dig.
- "Dreams Worth More
than Money," that was where
Meek is being fully
embraced by the industry.
- Oh shit, "Dreams
Worth More than Money."
"Dreams Worth More than
Money," drives 'em all.
- He's really going
to the next level
of stardom on that album.
You're seeing people
like Drake on there,
and you're seeing Nicki Minaj.
♪ Lights low and
the show start ♪
♪ And the champagne
spill on your bowtie ♪
- When Meek started
dating Nicki,
I was like how'd that happen?
(laughs)
You have to remember
where Meek came from,
that he's that dude with the
nappy braids on the street
all the way to
getting Nicki Minaj,
who was the queen.
- I'd wake up in my bed
and just look at Nicki
like man, this shit
has gotta be a dream.
- I only have a thing
for one Philly nigga.
Happy birthday baby!
- Make sure it can fit
my wrist though, baby.
- You can't get this
from no regular degular.
You know what I mean?
You ain't fucking with
no average bitch, boy.
Know what I mean?
Don't you ever
motherfuckin' forget it.
(laughing)
- In 2016, Meek and
Nicki are going strong.
Meek is supporting his family.
He's on the precipice of
coming back full strength
when he is summoned back to
court for technical violations,
among them moving a video shoot
from one outdoor
location in Philadelphia
to another outdoor
location in Philadelphia.
When he shows up to
court, he has his family
and Nicki Minaj with him.
- I know he'd been doing
like little ticky tacky stuff
that was going on,
but he's not stupid!
Not gonna do nothing dumb
to jeopardize his freedom.
But nobody judge the judge, so
you can do what you wanna do
when you're in that courtroom.
- The new sentence
is as follows.
Six to 12 months
in the county prison,
six years reported probation.
The defendant is immediately
paroled to house arrest.
The defendant is not
permitted to travel, or work
while on house arrest.
- It wasn't enough merely
to give him house arrest
for a couple months, no.
Now Meek would have his
probation extended by two years.
(somber music)
- After she sentenced
me to house arrest,
she adjourned court and
just said me and Nicki,
told me and Nicki
to come in the back.
- The judge said, "I want to
see you and Nicki in the back."
Damn, what happened?
So now I'm like,
I'm in suspense.
- Meek and Nicki
go back to chambers,
out of earshot of reporters
and all the lawyers.
And at this point,
shit gets interesting.
(dramatic music)
(hip hop music)