Meek’s determined to improve on his own childhood
Meek Mill knows what it is to not take things for granted. The Philadelphia rapper is prepping his sophomore album, Dreams Worth More Than Money, for (allegedly) a summer release, and his rise the elite ranks of the rap game over the past 5 years has been inspiring to watch. In a short span of time, he went from promoting his mixtapes on the streets of Philly to tracks with Nas, Jay Z, and sold-out shows at the 76ers arena in his hometown. In the midst of all this, he was slapped with a 6-month jail bid after a “probation violation,” which temporarily stuck a wedge in the momentum of his career.
In honor of Father’s Day weekend, Meek–real name Robert Williams–penned a letter for TIME, detailing his plans to give his son a life better than the one he had, which includes being the father he never had. An excerpt is below, and you can read the full letter here at TIME.
With my career and my crazy schedule, sometimes it’s tough to be able to spend the amount of time with him that I want and that he deserves. After spending time away from him, one of my favorite things to do is get on my four wheeler with my little man in tow. Picture us riding around my neighborhood waving at all my neighbors. My son is fearless on his bike. Those are the moments I think about when I’m on the road.
Before I leave, I always explain to him that everything I do, I do for him. All the shows, all the nights in the studio, I do with my son in mind. It doesn’t make it any easier, but I’m blessed to be in the financial situation that I’m in. I’m grateful I don’t have to think twice about whether there is going to be food on his table. My son doesn’t have to worry about that the way that I did—nor does the rest of my family. I’m not just a father to my son, but a provider to my whole family. I provide for them not because I have to, but because I want to. They have all been there for me through my highs and lows. They’ve always made sure I was taken care of, and now it’s my turn to take care of them.
