Outside of his honors as a hip-hop artist, Meek Mill is known for his status as a humanitarian. A prestigious title that even the walls of a prison cell couldn’t stop him from adding to as Colin Kaepernick announced today that the Philadelphia philanthropist has participated in his 10k campaign.
Following in the suit of his announcements of previous donations, Kaepernick took to social media with a video detailing how the “Amen” rapper has joined the likes of Joey Bada$$ and Nick Cannon by donating $10,000 to a charity of his choice.
Despite my brother @meekmill’s current circumstances, he continues to stay connected in the community of Philly. He pledged to go #10for10 on my #MillionDollarPledge. We’re both donating $10k for a combined $20k to Youth Service Inc. Keep staying strong Meek, we love you brother! pic.twitter.com/ZCbecqtPF6
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) January 29, 2018
“When I mentioned this opportunity, (Meek) immediately wanted to be involved,” Kaepernick explained.
Mill’s donation to the Youth Services, Inc. – an organization that works with at-risk teens, children, and their families – comes off a TMZ report that a court clerk asked Mill to pay her son’s college tuition during a hearing associated with his well-documented prison sentence. But, instead of reducing himself to a court official’s meal ticket, the 30-year-old decided to give his efforts to a more worthy cause.
“He wanted to help uplift our communities so he matched my $10,000 for a total of $20,000,” Kaepernick said.
This charitable act speaks to what many artists feel is the actual message behind Mill’s career and kindness that his recent prison sentence has hindered.
In an interview with CNN, Mill’s mentor and friend, JAY-Z, described the artist as a “vessel” for the injustices in America, while even friend-turned-foe-turned-friend, Drake, has spoken out against the sentencing.
The justice system "needs to be reworked," hip hop star Jay-Z tells @VanJones68 during discussion about probation and bail reform #VanJonesShow https://t.co/RcMFYI2eRh
— CNN (@CNN) January 28, 2018
However, by not conceding to the walls that confine him and continuing to empower the impoverished, Mill has seemed to be standing on the notion that any pure message cannot be silenced.