Meek Mill is urging people to look deeper than race when discussing violence in America. On Tuesday, September 10, the rapper used X to share his thoughts after a deadly shooting in Philadelphia’s City Center that took place just five days earlier.
The tragic incident involved John Kelly, who allegedly opened fire on a woman during a dispute, taking her life in a crowded downtown area. For Meek, the headline is not just about the crime but about what fuels it. “It’s a mental health crisis going on and they making it about race or color… this woman was killed downtown center city by a bum in Philly,” he wrote, making it clear that untreated mental health issues are a major factor behind rising violence nationwide.
Meek also questioned how stories are presented and what narratives dominate the conversation. “Why is the white woman getting stabbed by a black man the only story running heavily .. violence is violence! Rip to them too!” he added, pointing to the selective way certain incidents capture national attention.
His post referenced another tragedy, the August 22 stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. Authorities say 32 year old Decarlos Brown is responsible for that attack and he now faces a first degree murder charge.
For Meek, both tragedies reveal the same truth. Violence is not defined by race but by deeper issues that continue to go untreated.