(Photo by Chris McKay/WireImage)

“Hold up wait a minute, ya’ll thought I was finished?”

In the mid-2000s, a video surfaced of a  young, scrawny, dread-headed man rapping on an overcast day in the streets of Philadelphia. In an oversized black hoodie, an entourage surrounds him in anticipation of a freestyle. A tight shot from a hand-held camera moves with the rapper as he bounces up and down emphasizing each bar. Blunt smoke catches the wind and passes over his face, but his concentration doesn’t waiver. Unbeknownst to him, the surrounding people bounce in unison. His flow is contagious. His bars are gritty. The energy echoes that of Biggie’s iconic 1989 freestyle outside the Brooklyn bodega, where he too, captivates a crowd in the middle of the afternoon. 

Meek has always rapped with a chip on his shoulder. His aggressive flow is what makes him authentic Philadelphia. Since the release of his wrongful imprisonment, Meek has acquired a new chip on his shoulder. However, rather than act out against the system that wronged him, he has chosen to use his popularity to advocate for sweeping reform of America’s justice system. 

Meek is far from finished and we are happy to share New York’s biggest stage with him.