Meek Mill

As a kid, he became acquainted with another of his father's brothers, who under the MC name Grandmaster Nell was a pioneering disc jockey (DJ) in the late-1980s Philadelphia hip-hop scene and influenced rap artists Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Meek's interest in hip-hop grew as a result of these early influences.

He was also influenced by the independent hip-hop artists Chic Raw and Vodka, whom he learned to emulate by watching their DVDs.

During his early teenage years, Meek often took part in rap battles under the pseudonym Meek Millz.

He often stayed up well past midnight filling notebooks with phrases and verses that he later drew on.

Later he and three friends formed the rap group The Bloodhoundz.

They bought blank CDs and jewel cases at Kinkos, encouraging friends to burn them with the group's songs and distribute them.

The Bloodhoundz lasted long enough to release four mixtapes.

Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, The Bloodhoundz.

Robert Rihmeek Williams was born on May 6, 1987, in the South Philadelphia area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Kathy Williams.

He has an older sister, Nasheema Williams.

Kathy grew up in poverty and her mother died when she was young.

Meek's father was killed when Meek was five years old, apparently during an attempted robbery.

His uncle, Robert, described Meek Mill's father as a "black sheep of the family".

After her husband's death, Kathy moved with Meek and his sister to North Philadelphia, where they lived in a three-bedroom apartment on Berks Street.

Their financial condition was poor and she started cutting hair, doing other jobs, and shoplifting in order to support her family.

At home, Meek was shy and rarely spoke.

From 2006 to 2008 Mill released three solo mixtapes including The Real Me, The Real Me 2, and Flamers.

He signed with T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records as a solo act in 2008, although he departed by 2011 and released no albums with the label.

In 2009, Mill released his fourth solo mixtape, Flamers 2: Hottest in tha City, which spawned the promotional singles "I'm So Fly," "Prolli," and "Hottest in the City."

Flamers 2 caught the attention of Charles "Charlie Mack" Alston, founder and president of 215 Aphillyated Records.

Mack, who previously represented for other Philadelphians Will Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Boyz II Men and Ms. Jade, was so impressed with Mill that he immediately signed him to his management company.

During that same year, Meek Mill also met the founder and owner of Grand Hustle Records, Atlanta-based rapper and record executive T.I. T.I. was also impressed by Mill and offered him an opportunity to travel, to meet with him and Warner Bros. Records; within a week both record companies offered him a deal.

Although he was offered other record deals, Mill felt collaborating with T.I. was "an opportunity of a lifetime" and thus chose his label.

However, a setback occurred, when Mill was sentenced to a stint in jail for a drug and gun charge.

After being released in 2009, he continued working as an artist under Grand Hustle, Mill formed a work relationship with the label's resident disc jockey, DJ Drama.

Mill and Drama teamed up to release the third edition of Mill's Flamers series.

The mixtape, titled Flamers 3: The Wait Is Over, was released on March 12, 2010, and is helmed as a "Gangsta Grillz mixtape".

The mixtape features his promotional single "Rosé Red", which was later remixed with additional verses from fellow American rappers T.I., Rick Ross and Vado.

Meek Mill then signed with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group (MMG) that same year, and rose to mainstream recognition following his performances on the label's Self Made Vol. 1 (2011) compilation album; his song "Tupac Back" (featuring Rick Ross) served as the album's lead single while its follow up, "Ima Boss" (featuring Rick Ross) entered the Billboard Hot 100.

Meek Mill's debut studio album, Dreams and Nightmares, was released in 2012 through a joint venture with MMG and Warner Bros. Records.

The album, preceded by the lead single "Amen" (featuring Drake), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.

He founded the record label Dream Chasers Records in 2012, which has released his own projects and signed other artists including Yung Bleu, Vory, and Lil Snupe.

His second album, Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015), peaked atop the Billboard 200, while his third album, Wins & Losses (2016), peaked at number three.

In November 2017, Meek Mill was sentenced to two to four years in prison for violating parole, before being released while his trial continues after serving five months.

His fourth album, Championships (2018), debuted atop the chart once more; its lead single, "Going Bad" (featuring Drake), peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest charting song.

His fifth album, Expensive Pain (2021), likewise peaked at number three, and his collaborative album with Rick Ross, Too Good to Be True (2023), peaked at number 23.

In August 2019, a documentary series about his battle with the criminal justice system, Free Meek, was released on Amazon Prime Video.

Jay-Z executive produced the series; he and Meek Mill then co-founded the nonprofit Reform Alliance that same year, which focuses on national prison reform.