Meek Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Meek Mill
|
|
|---|---|
Meek Mill in 2022
|
|
| Born |
Robert Rihmeek Williams
May 6, 1987 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|
| Other names | Meek Millz |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Organization | Reform Alliance |
| Television | Free Meek |
| Partner(s) | Nicki Minaj (2015–2017) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | East Coast hip-hop |
| Labels |
|
| Signature | |
 |
|
Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. He was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He started his music journey as a battle rapper, where people compete by rapping. Later, he formed a rap group called the Bloodhoundz for a short time.
In 2008, he signed with T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records as a solo artist. He later joined Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group (MMG) in 2011. He became well-known after his songs on the MMG album Self Made Vol. 1 (2011). His song "Ima Boss" became his first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Meek Mill's first studio album, Dreams and Nightmares (2012), reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. His second album, Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015), reached the top spot. His fourth album, Championships (2018), also debuted at number one. The song "Going Bad" from this album became his highest-charting song. In 2012, he started his own record label, Dream Chasers Records.
In 2019, a documentary series called Free Meek was released. It was about his experiences with the justice system. That same year, he and Jay-Z started a group called Reform Alliance. This group works to improve the justice system in the United States.
Contents
Early Life and Music Start
Robert Rihmeek Williams was born on May 6, 1987, in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Kathy Williams, raised him and his older sister. Meek's father passed away when Meek was five years old. After this, his mother moved the family to North Philadelphia. They faced financial challenges, and his mother worked hard to support them.
Meek was a quiet child at home. His uncle, Grandmaster Nell, was a well-known disc jockey (DJ) in Philadelphia's hip-hop scene in the 1980s. This influenced Meek's interest in hip-hop. He also learned from independent hip-hop artists by watching their DVDs.
As a teenager, Meek often took part in rap battles. He used the name Meek Millz. He would spend hours writing down rhymes and ideas in notebooks. Later, he and three friends formed a rap group called The Bloodhoundz. They would make their own CDs and share their music with friends.
Music Career Journey
Starting Out in Music (2006–2010)
The Bloodhoundz group released four mixtapes. From 2006 to 2008, Meek Mill released three solo mixtapes, including The Real Me and Flamers. In 2009, his mixtape Flamers 2: Hottest in tha City caught the attention of Charles "Charlie Mack" Alston. Mack, who had worked with famous artists like Will Smith, signed Meek Mill to his management company.
Around the same time, Meek Mill met T.I., a rapper and record executive from Atlanta. T.I. was impressed and offered Meek Mill a chance to sign with his label, Grand Hustle. Meek Mill felt this was a huge opportunity and chose to work with T.I. However, Meek Mill faced some legal issues, which caused a delay in his music releases.
After his release in 2009, he continued working with Grand Hustle. He teamed up with DJ Drama to release Flamers 3: The Wait Is Over in 2010. This mixtape included his song "Rosé Red," which was later remixed with verses from T.I., Rick Ross, and Vado. Because of legal challenges for both Meek Mill and T.I., Meek Mill did not release an official album under Grand Hustle, and they went their separate ways in 2010.
Rising to Fame with Dreams & Nightmares (2011–2012)
In February 2011, Rick Ross announced that he had signed Meek Mill and Wale to his Maybach Music Group (MMG) label. In March 2011, XXL magazine named Meek Mill one of the "Freshman Class of 2011," highlighting him as a rising star.
Later that year, he released his first single, "Tupac Back", featuring Rick Ross. This song was from MMG's album Self Made Vol. 1 (2011). He then released his second single, "Ima Boss", also featuring Rick Ross. A remix of "Ima Boss" included other famous rappers like T.I. and Lil Wayne. This remix became Meek Mill's most successful song at that time. In August 2011, Meek Mill released Dreamchasers, a popular mixtape.
In February 2012, MTV ranked Meek Mill as one of the "Hottest MCs in the Game." On May 7, 2012, he released Dreamchasers 2, the second part of his mixtape series. It was downloaded 1.5 million times in just six hours. Soon after, it was announced that Meek Mill also signed with Roc Nation for management.
His debut studio album, Dreams & Nightmares, was released on October 30, 2012. The album was very successful, reaching number two on the US Billboard 200 chart.
More Albums and Mixtapes (2013–2017)
_(cropped).jpg)
Meek Mill released Dreamchasers 3, the third mixtape in the series, on September 29, 2013. This mixtape featured many guest artists like Rick Ross, Akon, and Future.
In November 2013, Meek Mill shared that he was working on his second studio album. On March 8, 2014, he announced the album would be called Dreams Worth More Than Money. This album was released on June 28, 2015, and it reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
He later released an extended play (EP) called 4/4 in January 2016, followed by 4/4, Pt. 2. On October 28, 2016, Meek Mill released DC4. His third studio album, Wins & Losses, was released on July 21, 2017.
Recent Music and Projects (2018–2021)
On November 16, 2018, Meek Mill announced his fourth album, Championships, which came out on November 30. This album received good reviews and debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart.
In June 2020, Meek Mill released his song "Otherside of America". This song was released during the protests happening at the time.
On November 20, 2020, Meek Mill released a four-track EP called Quarantine Pack. That same month, a film called Charm City Kings was released on HBO Max. Meek Mill starred in this drama about street bikers. The film received positive reviews.
His fifth studio album, Expensive Pain, was released on October 1, 2021. It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. In July 2022, Meek Mill confirmed that he had ended his management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Entertainment. However, he and Jay-Z continue to work together on their justice reform efforts through the REFORM Alliance.
Dream Chasers Records
.png)
On October 26, 2012, Meek Mill announced that he was starting his own record label, Dream Chasers Records. He signed artists like Louie V. Gutta, Lee Mazin, and Goldie.
On July 24, 2019, Meek Mill officially launched Dream Chasers Records as a partnership with Roc Nation. Meek Mill explained that creating a record label was his next step as a businessman. He wanted to use his own experiences in the music industry to find new, talented young artists and help them succeed. As the president of the label, Meek Mill leads a team and helps run a recording studio for the label's artists.
Helping Others and Making a Difference
In 2016, Meek Mill donated 60,000 bottles of water to help people during the Flint water crisis in Michigan. He worked with Big Sean on this effort.
In 2018, after some personal legal challenges, Meek Mill became a strong supporter of criminal justice reform in the United States. He and fellow artist Jay-Z co-founded the Reform Alliance. This organization aims to reduce the number of people unfairly caught in the justice system, especially those on probation and parole. They plan to do this by bringing together leaders from different areas like business, entertainment, and sports. These leaders donate and speak out for justice reform. In August 2018, Meek Mill also donated 6,000 backpacks to students in Philadelphia.
The Reform Alliance has many important partners, including Kraft Group CEO Robert Kraft and Philadelphia 76ers owner Michael G. Rubin. These partners have pledged a total of 50 million dollars to the foundation. Van Jones, a political activist and TV host, was hired to lead the organization.
Personal Life
Meek Mill dated rapper Nicki Minaj from early 2015 until January 2017.
Meek Mill has three children. In 2020, his then-girlfriend Milan "di Rouge" Harris gave birth to his third child on his 33rd birthday.
Music Albums
Studio albums
- Dreams and Nightmares (2012)
- Dreams Worth More Than Money (2015)
- Wins & Losses (2017)
- Championships (2018)
- Expensive Pain (2021)
Collaborative albums
- Too Good to Be True with Rick Ross (2023)
Concert Tours
Headlining Tours
- Dreamchasers Tour (2012)
- Motivation Tour (2019)
- AfroNation Ghana (2022)
Co-headlining Tours
- Legendary Nights Tour (with Future) (2019)
Film Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Streets | Himself | |
| 2020 | Charm City Kings | Blax |
See also
In Spanish: Meek Mill para niños
