American rapper Meek Mill has been freed from Prison after a long legal battle and campaign to free the rap-star.
The rapper was freed in the late hours of yesterday and he was immediately taken to the Philadelphia 76ers‘ playoff game.
ESPN reports that Meek entered the arena about 45 minutes before tipoff and greeted some Sixers players in the home locker room. The Philadelphia-born rapper rang the ceremonial Liberty Bell before tipoff of Game 5 to a hearty applause from the crowd.
“I’d like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans.
“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time,” Meek said in a statement released to Billboard.
“While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive.
“To the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, I’m grateful for your commitment to justice — not only for my case, but for others that have been wrongfully jailed due to police misconduct,” Meek Mill said.
Recall that the rapper whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams had been fighting for his release while appealing a two- to four-year sentence for a probation violation.
His incarceration drew major reactions in the United States. And yesterday, after spending nearly five months in prison for violating probation, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered his immediate release, directing the judge to release him on “unsecured bail.”
Meek Mill then went further to say that he is going to use his privilege as a musician to fight the injustice in the society:
“Although I’m blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of color across the country don’t have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues.
In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career.”
