Following news of Meek Mill’s controversial prison sentence earlier this week, his peers and big brothers in the music industry have voiced their support in the form of #FreeMeekMill campaigns. One ally, in particular, is JAY-Z, who published a previous statement condemning Judge Genece Brinkley’s decision.
The Roc Nation CEO isn’t shy when voicing his views on the criminal justice system, and decided to take his words off of the Internet and into the American Airlines Center. While running the course of his “4:44 Tour” in Dallas, Texas (Nov. 7), the Brooklynite took a minute to express his unfiltered thoughts on Meek’s situation.
“He caught a charge when he was like 19. He’s 30 now, he’s been on probation for 11 years. Fu**ing 11 years,” the “Bam” rapper said. “Judge just violated him, he got to do two to four years because he got arrested for being on a bike, popping a fu**ing wheelie.”
Judge Brinkley’s decision was based on Meek’s alleged dismissal of updating the public official on his travel itinerary and failing a drug test. He was sentenced to two to four years in prison, but his lawyer, Joe Tacopina’s plans to file an appeal “until this gets rectified.”
In an interview with Billboard, Tacopina said the judge’s view of Meek Mill is based on infatuation.
“He’s been on probation for 10 years and he’s had no major violations. No one would survive this level of scrutiny, no one, for 10 years,” he said. “Probation is supposed to be for five years, but she just wants to extend it because it’s her latching on, clearly. For anyone that makes a request for a recording artist mention her in a song when you’re the judge overseeing this person’s liberty, is clearly inappropriate.”