Recently, rapper Fat Trel took a moment to bring attention to fellow artist Meek Mill’s tireless work for criminal justice reform. The conversation flowed during an interview pod with BagFuel in which Trel saluted Meek’s advocacy, specifically honing in on the rapper’s work with the REFORM Alliance-a high-powered organization dedicated to restructuring United States probation and parole systems, highly criticized by many. Fat Trel, being someone who has had his own disputes with the law, deeply resonated with Meek’s mission to create real change for such individuals that fall prey to the justice system.
Meek’s fight for justice reform isn’t about the numbers or policies; it’s personal. In 2017, he was right in the middle of a national conversation after being sent to prison for a minor probation violation, considering that his original case dated back to 2008. The movement #FreeMeekMill sparked off with many contending it is proof the system is broken. His work next took him to co-found the REFORM Alliance in 2019 with other crusaders.
Fat Trel also had similar run-ins with the law and some probation issues himself. He feels impressed how Meek has taken this struggle and made it into a platform for change.
“I think what Meek doing is important,”
Trel says.
“Especially with the probation-this is one of those issues that affects Black men disparately.”.
Trel joins the ranks of many who have watched how minor infractions-things like failing to attend a meeting with a probation officer or breaking a curfew rule-can become major ones and send someone back to prison.
That’s precisely what Meek Mill’s efforts with REFORM Alliance aim to do. The organization works to find pathways to success for those being churned inside the vicious cycle of probation and parole violations, placing great emphasis on avoiding unnecessary incarceration for small slip-ups. They are challenging a system that, critics say, seems engineered to keep people trapped rather than provide them with a second chance.
“Probation ain’t supposed to be a setup for failure,”
reflected Fat Trel, just as Meek has said himself, the system needs a holistic rebuild. He is of the view that modifications should be made so as to not let the senseless revolving door into prison take away years of one’s life for minimal mistakes.
Meek Mill’s activism is part of a larger movement to see change across the United States in its justice system. Advocates, including organizations like REFORM Alliance, say the current structure in probation is archaic and does not serve the rehabilitative function it was designed for; instead, it keeps people struck-mostly Black and brown communities are disproportionately affected by policing and harsh sentences.
As Meek Mill has continued to use his voice and platform in this drain toward justice, more and more people are noticing. Celebrities, politicians, and everyday citizens alike are joining the conversation, building momentum. His efforts, put side by side with the REFORM Alliance, instill hope for actual systemic changes that can break down the cycle of mass incarceration and give people the second chances they deserve.
Looking ahead, however, Fat Trel and more show optimism. The more voices like Meek’s and Fat Trel’s speak up, the more meaningful reform seems achievable. There’s still a long way to go, but on the horizon, there is at least a potential for a fairer system in store-a path that actually leads to success, not punishment.
