Meek Mill

Robert “Meek Mill” Williams is a Grammy-nominated recording artist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and criminal justice reform advocate who hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mill began his music career as a battle rapper and quickly evolved from Philadelphia’s hottest underground rapper to one of the world’s preeminent musical artists. He has released a series of successful studio albums, including “Dreams and Nightmares,” “Dreams Worth More Than Money,” “Wins & Losses,” and “Championships,” which all peaked in the top three on the Billboard 200. His latest studio album, "Expensive Pain," was released in 2021. His single successes include “Ima Boss,” “Dreams and Nightmares (Intro),” “All Eyes on You,” and “Whatever You Need,” among many others.

Mill is also the CEO of Dream Chasers, his music label imprint that he launched in 2012, named after his mixtape series. He expanded his influence in the music industry by forming his own label, Dream Chasers Records, and ending his management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Entertainment in 2022. Mill's career also includes acting, with an appearance in the film "Charm City Kings," released in 2020, and an active role in the management of sports apparel retailer Lids, the largest retail seller of hats and licensed sports products in North America.

Until July 2019, Mill had been entrapped in the criminal justice system and shuffled through the prison system over technical probational violations – all despite never committing a crime. His last incarceration in November 2017 spurred the international #FreeMeekMill movement, where artists, athletes, and business leaders like Jay-Z, Michael Rubin, Kevin Hart, and James Harden, publicly advocated on his behalf until he was released on bail in April 2018. Mill's case brought further attention to the criminal justice system, leading to his pardon by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf in January 2023. He has since used his public platform to generate awareness around the problems of the criminal justice system – including excessive probation regulations, the disproportionate bail system, and the lack of rehabilitation programs available – and highlight how they disproportionately affect people of color.

Mill is also the co-chair of the REFORM Alliance, which he co-founded with Jay-Z in 2018 and formally launched in January 2019. The organization aims to advance criminal justice reform and eradicate outdated policies that perpetuate injustice in the United States. Mill is an advocate for criminal justice reform, which was detailed in the 2019 docuseries "Free Meek" on Amazon Prime Video. He has also been involved in philanthropy, including donating 60,000 bottles of water to support the Flint water crisis in 2016 and donating 6,000 backpacks to students in Philadelphia in 2018.