Meek Mill returned to the stage Saturday night with a surprise appearance at Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival, the rapper’s first concert since his release from prison in April.
“It feels good to be back and free in front of the motherfucking people,” Meek Mill told the crowd during his unannounced 20-minute set. “Thank you to everybody that supported me. They tried to take my freedom. They tried to crush my dreams. But now we’re in Miami glowing the fuck up. Let’s get it!”
Meek Mill’s set featured a medley of the rapper’s hits, including “On the Regular,” “Issues,” “We Ball” and “Dreams and Nightmares”; Meek Mill’s Dreamchaser Records provided on-the-stage video of the latter track’s performance. Tory Lanez, Gunna and Lil Baby were among the rapper’s guests, Complex reports.
Before Meek Mill took the stage for the surprise set, DJ Khaled told the crowd they were about to witness something “historic.”
“Some people are chosen to go through storms, to overcome storms, to help other people in situations,” Khaled said. “Some people have dreams, some people have nightmares, some people just got to go through a lot of shit. But the key is to overcome. It’s about overcoming, moving forward, and representing love.”
Meek Mill had been in jail from November 2017 until his April release for violating probation stemming from a 2008 conviction on drug and gun counts. The rapper’s prison sentence sparked a conversation about wrongful convictions, race and sentencing, alleged police misconduct and other ethical issues within the judiciary system, with Jay-Z among the many who lobbied for the Meek Mill’s release.
“Although I’m blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of color across the country don’t have that luxury,” the rapper said in a post-release statement. “I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues … I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career.”
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