Philadelphia native Meek Mill found himself in the social media hot seat once again. This time, the 36-year-old entertainer caught heat for showing love to convicted felon Tory Lanez during a performance.
A California jury found Tory Lanez (born Daystar Peterson) guilty of assault with a semiautomatic handgun, having a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and gross negligence in discharging his firearm. Peterson faces over 22 years in state prison.
The case centered around a July 2020 shooting that caused injuries to Hip Hop star Megan Thee Stallion’s feet. Despite Lanez being found guilty, some Hip Hop figures still question whether the Canadian singer actually pulled the trigger that night.
“Free Tory Lanez,” proclaimed Meek Mill after performing the Lanez-assisted “Litty” at Rolling Loud Portugal earlier this month. Those remarks led to condemnation from many people online.
Critics accused Meek of supporting violence against women. Some detractors even brought up allegations of violent domestic abuse leveled against the Expensive Pain album creator in the past.
Meek Mill Compares Tory Lanez & Other Rappers To Mumia Abu-Jamal?
Following the backlash, Meek Mill took to the new social media app Threads to respond. The Dream Chasers frontman suggested criticism over his support for Black men in legal trouble is akin to a smear campaign.
“I say free Young Thug… free [YFN Lucci]… free [YNW Melly]. I don’t even know why y’all start dealing with us if yall gone try to smear us… That’s why I stick to the trenches,” wrote Meek Mill on the Meta-owned platform.
He added, “Narrative control starts every Monday lol. Nobody gives a f### what these people talking, [we’re] making real-life change out here every day! If I said free [Mumia Abu-Jamal] a. [I’m] gonna be shamed! He’s allegedly guilty for killing a few male [cops]! I grew up to the Black nation screaming that! Why do y’all think y’all can control us? We got millions and real man influence, not internet tricks!”
Then Meek Mill warned that his upcoming project will have even more controversial takes on it. The former Rick Ross protégé also posted, “I’m talking [worse] on my album y’all [might] need to cancel me before this s### come out… ain’t no filter on this s###!!!”
Meek Mill pushing the “Free Tory” campaign comes after he publicly blasted Tory Lanez two years ago. In a highly publicizing social media spat, Meek told Lanez, “You know for a fact I don’t f### [with] you right now.”
