Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill’s “no days off” attitude since his release from prison in April last year after serving 5 months for a minor probation violation stemming from a crime he committed over a decade ago has been yielding positive and commendable results.
To add up to his successes including being recently granted a new trial after his 2008 conviction was thrown out of court meaning he’s no longer on probation and a felon, Meek Mill, on Tuesday officially announced the establishment of his very own record label, Dream Chasers, which is going to be a joint venture with billionaire rapper Jay-Z’s Roc Nation imprint.
Though the Dream Chasers imprint has been around as far back as 2012, the platinum-selling rapper feels this is the right time to solidify the label and apply the experience he has gained from the industry to help recruit and nurture new talent.
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“Creating a record label has always been the next step in my journey as a businessman and I appreciate Roc Nation and JAY-Z’s support on this venture,” Meek Mill said. “I want to take my experiences in the music industry, use them to find young, hungry talent and open doors artists.”
“Creating a record label has always been the next step in my journey as a businessman and I appreciate Roc Nation and JAY-Z’s support on this venture,” Mill said. “I want to take my experiences in the music industry, use them to find young, hungry talent and open doors artists.” pic.twitter.com/9pCgZpkFka
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) July 24, 2019
Revealing the big news together with Jay-Z at Roc Nation’s office in New York, the deal will see the “Championships” rapper head the Dream Chasers label as president overseeing its activities as well as building a staff.
According to Variety, the label will also be in charge of its operations, creative strategy, marketing and business affairs.
“Everything he has done leading up to this point shows he is ready to [lead] the next generation. We look at the big picture — this is way beyond signing artists and having hot records,” Jay-Z said.
This recent deal adds up to a list of fruitful partnership’s Meek Mill has with Jay-Z and it is fair to say he couldn’t have found a better mentor and partner.
“Coming out of prison, I felt I had a responsibility to lead the culture as much as I can,” Meek Mill said. “Jay-Z and others that came before me were like the snow plow that made it easier for me and others. I want to be the snow plow of the next generation, taking on those responsibilities, trying to move forward and push the culture forward.”
Early this year, the duo, together with other influential personalities launched the Reform Alliance, a criminal justice organization aiming at reducing “the number of people who are unjustly under the control of the criminal justice system – starting with probation and parole.”
Also delving into other businesses outside music, Jay-Z couldn’t help but laud the “Going Bad” rapper’s ambition and journey.
“When Meek and I connected, we connected on a level beyond him being a great rapper,” he told Variety. “Just who he is, his honesty, his sense of responsibility. He just came out of a situation and pulled people together. He turned a negative thing into something positive.
“I know he can make music — you’ve heard it. I think he cannot only make music, but make stars. Not only make stars but make films. What we lacked for so long was opportunity. We didn’t own our businesses. We’ve never been in this position before, never had this sort of power. Hip-hop is 40-something years old so we’ve just now gotten to the point where we can really affect change. The music and culture we created — we’ve given it away for so long. It’s understandable. You have to clean the floors before you own the building.”
