The Evolution of Meek Mill

The MMG capo debuts at # 1 plus more career highlights.

Levels to This MC - Meek Mill has earned his title as one of the top new MCs to emerge over the past five years. Chasing his dreams to become one of hip hop's elite, the MMG lyricist brought life back into Philly's music scene and proved that he could stand next to the likes of Rick Ross and his Maybach Music team.Meek also just joined a short list of rappers who scored #1 albums this year as he stands tall with Kendrick, Drake, Wale, A$AP Rocky and Big Sean. While Meek Milli celebrates his latest win, take a look at some of the career highlights of this Self Made man. -Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA)(Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)

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Levels to This MC - Meek Mill has earned his title as one of the top new MCs to emerge over the past five years. Chasing his dreams to become one of hip hop's elite, the MMG lyricist brought life back into Philly's music scene and proved that he could stand next to the likes of Rick Ross and his Maybach Music team.Meek also just joined a short list of rappers who scored #1 albums this year as he stands tall with Kendrick, Drake, Wale, A$AP Rocky and Big Sean. While Meek Milli celebrates his latest win, take a look at some of the career highlights of this Self Made man. -Michael Harris (@IceBlueVA)(Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)

Blood Hound Sniffs for Success - Meek Mill has rapped for years about his involvement in the street life, but he knew at an early age that death and jail were real life consequences he could face. Looking for another way out, Meek put his faith in his lyrical ability and started spitting as part of local Philly rap crew Blood Hounds.The crew flooded the streets with four mixtapes from 2003-2007, proving to be hot enough to get Meek's name ringing.(Photo: Headshot Records)

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Blood Hound Sniffs for Success - Meek Mill has rapped for years about his involvement in the street life, but he knew at an early age that death and jail were real life consequences he could face. Looking for another way out, Meek put his faith in his lyrical ability and started spitting as part of local Philly rap crew Blood Hounds.The crew flooded the streets with four mixtapes from 2003-2007, proving to be hot enough to get Meek's name ringing.(Photo: Headshot Records)

Recognize the Hustle  - By 2008, Meek Mill was going for his and released several solo mixtapes, including The Flamerz series. Meek's name rung so loud that it caught the attention of T.I., who signed him to his Grand Hustle imprint. The deal fell through, however, after Meek caught a case and was forced to do a seven-month jail stint until his release in 2009.(Photo: Headshot Records)

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Recognize the Hustle  - By 2008, Meek Mill was going for his and released several solo mixtapes, including The Flamerz series. Meek's name rung so loud that it caught the attention of T.I., who signed him to his Grand Hustle imprint. The deal fell through, however, after Meek caught a case and was forced to do a seven-month jail stint until his release in 2009.(Photo: Headshot Records)

Meek Mill, Rick Ross

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Meek Mill Meets The Boss  - After his release from jail in 2009, Meek hit the streets even harder. In 2010, he met Rick Ross and signed with Ross's Maybach Music Group in 2011. From there, hits like "I'm A Boss" started to emerge, making Meek a hot commodity on radio and earning him a spot in XXL Magazine's 2011 "Freshman Class."(Photo: Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic)

Meek Mill Fights for Position - Rick Ross assembled his first team with the release of Self Made Vol. 1 and provided the launch pad for Meek Mill and Wale to stand alone and become stars in their own right. Marking his territory and creating his space within the group, Meek fired off hits like "Tupac Back" with Ross, "Pacman" and "By Any Means," making this the first time he was prominently featured on a national release. (Photo: Maybach Music Group)

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Meek Mill Fights for Position - Rick Ross assembled his first team with the release of Self Made Vol. 1 and provided the launch pad for Meek Mill and Wale to stand alone and become stars in their own right. Marking his territory and creating his space within the group, Meek fired off hits like "Tupac Back" with Ross, "Pacman" and "By Any Means," making this the first time he was prominently featured on a national release. (Photo: Maybach Music Group)

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Meek Mill Catches His Dream - After murdering the mixtape scene for a few years and getting his weight up with Rick Ross, Meek Mill finally dropped his debut album, Dreams and Nightmares, on October 30, 2012. The album boasted the hit singles "Amen" with Drake, "Burn" with Big Sean and album favorities like "Tony Story (Part 2) and "Young Kings."(Photo: Maybach Music Group, Warner Bros.)

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Meek Mill Catches His Dream - After murdering the mixtape scene for a few years and getting his weight up with Rick Ross, Meek Mill finally dropped his debut album, Dreams and Nightmares, on October 30, 2012. The album boasted the hit singles "Amen" with Drake, "Burn" with Big Sean and album favorities like "Tony Story (Part 2) and "Young Kings."(Photo: Maybach Music Group, Warner Bros.)

Smile - In a truly candid moment, Meek Mill got caught having a good time with a full smile on, shining brighter than the diamonds around his neck.  (Photo: Moses Robinson/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Meek Mill Launches Dream Chasers Records - In October 2012, Meek Mill launched his own label, Dream Chasers Records. Building up young talent, the label signed young rhymers Louie V Gutta, Lee Mazin, Goldie and Lil Snupe. Unfortunately, Lil Snupe wasn't able to keep chasing his dream after he was murdered on June 20, 2013.(Photo: Moses Robinson/BET/Getty Images for BET)

Brotherly Love - Meek has always given back to the community. The Philadelphia MC and NBA star Lou Williams have hosted yearly coat drives for underprivileged kids in the city. The two famously rented out a party bus and rode through the 'hoods of Philly handing out over 700 coats as well as hats and gloves to needy and deserving youth. Philly gets cold in the winter but that's definitely brotherly love.  (Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

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Brotherly Love - Meek has always given back to the community. The Philadelphia MC and NBA star Lou Williams have hosted yearly coat drives for underprivileged kids in the city. The two famously rented out a party bus and rode through the 'hoods of Philly handing out over 700 coats as well as hats and gloves to needy and deserving youth. Philly gets cold in the winter but that's definitely brotherly love.  (Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

Photo By Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic

Meek Mill, @MeekMill - Tweet: "Ima grind adrien the f--k up when I see him ‪#phillystyle"Boxing fans all over were stunned after 24-year-old welterweight champion Adrien Broner experienced his first L and was stripped of his title by opponent Marcos Maidana in a nasty beat down last Saturday. Although the ex-champ is hollering foul play (the fight is under investigation following footage of Maidana allegedly popping pills ringside), clearly the 12 rounds of head pounds has Meek Mill ready to bash Broner with a few jabs of his own.(Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

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Meek Mill Becomes a Brand Ambassador  - In August 2012, Meek signed on as a new ambassador for Puma. Besides donating product and money to several charities sponsored by Meek, the brand pulled the Philly MC to make appearances at store openings and help promote new products.(Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

Meek Mill Steps Up  - In December 2011, Meek Mill partnered with Reebok to provide his former high school, Strawberry Mansion High, with basketball gear and new shoes. The school had suffered budget cuts that left many of the sports programs in jeopardy.(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

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Meek Mill Steps Up  - In December 2011, Meek Mill partnered with Reebok to provide his former high school, Strawberry Mansion High, with basketball gear and new shoes. The school had suffered budget cuts that left many of the sports programs in jeopardy.(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

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Meek Mill Visits Philly Group Homes - Meek also regulalry visits group homes in Philly, bringing food, clothes and video games and encouraging the youth that they can turn around their lives just like he did.  (Photo: Chris McKay/WireImage)

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Meek Mill Visits Philly Group Homes - Meek also regulalry visits group homes in Philly, bringing food, clothes and video games and encouraging the youth that they can turn around their lives just like he did.  (Photo: Chris McKay/WireImage)

The Inspiration - Meek’s forced vacation also made him take his role model status more serious and he confessed to Angie Martinez that jail slowed him down because he was living reckless. Speaking of his growth he stated, "God is the only one that saved me, I was being caught up in trying to earn respect from people that don't care about me...sitting in the cell, I said to myself I kinda needed this….I'm really touching the people, most celebrities don't want people to come near them...I can't be the same…I can deliver the message to them. Dumb s**t don't make you cool. That ain't what life is about, I thought it was all about the hood. I come from a place where people die for $1,000 and now I'm in a place where people tip $1,000.00.”(Photo: JLN Photography/WENN.com)

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The Inspiration - Meek’s forced vacation also made him take his role model status more serious and he confessed to Angie Martinez that jail slowed him down because he was living reckless. Speaking of his growth he stated, "God is the only one that saved me, I was being caught up in trying to earn respect from people that don't care about me...sitting in the cell, I said to myself I kinda needed this….I'm really touching the people, most celebrities don't want people to come near them...I can't be the same…I can deliver the message to them. Dumb s**t don't make you cool. That ain't what life is about, I thought it was all about the hood. I come from a place where people die for $1,000 and now I'm in a place where people tip $1,000.00.”(Photo: JLN Photography/WENN.com)

Young & Gettin' It - The music business is filled with hardship stories of artists who lost it all and Meek revealed that he's been taking financial lessons and tips from a few hip hop moguls in his quest to keep his millions flipping and stay out that broke lane. The Philly MC explained on "Cold Hearted," "Dediated, de-terminate, and disciplined/ When Diddy, Hova and Baby talk I'm listening."(Photos from Left: Mike Coppola/Getty Images, Mark Davis/BET/Getty Images for BET, Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)

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Young & Gettin' It - The music business is filled with hardship stories of artists who lost it all and Meek revealed that he's been taking financial lessons and tips from a few hip hop moguls in his quest to keep his millions flipping and stay out that broke lane. The Philly MC explained on "Cold Hearted," "Dediated, de-terminate, and disciplined/ When Diddy, Hova and Baby talk I'm listening."(Photos from Left: Mike Coppola/Getty Images, Mark Davis/BET/Getty Images for BET, Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Big Daddy Meek - Kanye and Future may have thought they won but Meek wifed up the baddest trophy in hip hop, Nicki Minaj. The Young Money queen seems to have mellowed out the screaming rapper and he's even revealed that she's showed him new ways to move in his business ventures too.  

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Big Daddy Meek - Kanye and Future may have thought they won but Meek wifed up the baddest trophy in hip hop, Nicki Minaj. The Young Money queen seems to have mellowed out the screaming rapper and he's even revealed that she's showed him new ways to move in his business ventures too.  

I'm A Beast - Meek Mill scored his first #1 album this week as Dreams Worth More Than Money topped the charts, moving nearly 250,000 units. Next stop...platinum.(Photo: Maybach Music Group)

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I'm A Beast - Meek Mill scored his first #1 album this week as Dreams Worth More Than Money topped the charts, moving nearly 250,000 units. Next stop...platinum.(Photo: Maybach Music Group)