Comedian Kevin Hart and rappers Big Sean and T.I. are supporting a planned rally set to take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday (13Nov17) to protest Meek Mill's imprisonment.
Meek checked into prison last week (ends12Nov17) after Pennsylvania judge Genece Brinkley handed him a sentence of two to four years behind bars for two arrests that violated his probation from a 2008 drug and gun bust.
The severity of the punishment has sparked outraged protests from fans and hip-hop stars alike, including JAY-Z, and now his supporters have organised the Rally for Meek event, calling on activists to gather outside the Criminal Justice Center in the embattled rapper's native Philadelphia at 5pm on Monday to make their voices heard.
A poster for the protest reads: "Our criminal justice system has failed Meek Mill and millions of others like him. We stand for justice."
Meek's mentor and Maybach Music Group label boss Rick Ross, T.I. and Big Sean all publicised the event by sharing the image on their Instagram pages, with the Bounce Back hitmaker captioning his post, "Way too important!", as producer Swizz Beatz remarked, "Stand for something or fall for anything #freemeekmill".
Fellow proud Philadelphians, The Roots star Black Thought and funnyman Kevin Hart, also commented on the rally via Twitter.
"I stand for @meekmill," Black Thought wrote beside the poster. "I hope my city does the same."
And Kevin added, "Let's go Philadelphia.... #FreeMeekMill".
The news of the protest emerges after Meek's attorney, Joe Tacopina, told TMZ.com his client will be applying to officials at Pennsylvania's Board of Pardons to get him out of jail.
A petition calling for Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to pardon the musician, real name Robert Rihmeek Williams, has also garnered more than 300,000 signatures, although authorities insist Wolf does not have the power to interfere in the case.
