After much speculation Philly’s own Meek Mill debuted a new single, “Stay Woke,” at the 2018 BET Awards.
Mill was introduced by a group of Philly-natives: Black Thought, Questlove, Lil Uzi Vert, along with the 76ers Markelle Fultz, and Kevin Hart. The group started by sharing damning statistics, which were also included in an Instagram video teased by the rapper this week. But, most importantly, the gentlemen welcomed Meek back into the public eye. Musically, that is.
Clad in a XXX Tentacion hoodie, the 31-year-old Meek Mill took the BET audience to the streets of Philly. Like literally, the stage was transformed into a Philadelphia street corner. It was as though Meek was narrating a story of his life, and the life of many black and brown men who live in an American system that profits off of their imprisonment.
Joined by crooner Miguel, Meek rapped “How can I pledge allegiance to the flag, when they killing all our sons all our dads.”
As the scene on stage evolved, suddenly the bystanders (on stage) were being attacked by police. And you can guess what happened next: A black person is shot. Police placed an American flag over the dead body. The irony.
While the 2018 BET Awards is over, Meek’s fight for justice continues. Welcome back, Meek.
