Jay-Z calls for criminal justice reform in 'New York Times' op-ed

Disheartened by the treatment of friend and fellow rapper Meek Mill during a recent sentencing, rapper Jay-Z took a hard stance for criminal justice reform in an op-ed published Friday in the New York Times.

His piece comes just 10 days after news that Meek, born Robert Rihmeek Williams, will face two to four years in prison due to parole violations. Per the New York Times, Meek was arrested in 2008 on charges of gun and drug possession and has been on parole in the years since. But despite the outcomes of two recent parole violations – one in which charges were dropped and another in which Meek was asked to attend a driving course – Judge Genece E. Brinkley still sentenced him to more time in prison.

On Nov. 6, the day of Meek's hearing, Jay-Z called the sentence "unjust and heavy handed."

But in his Friday op-ed, Jay went further, highlighting the far reaching consequences of keeping black people on parole.

Meek's case, he wrote, "is just one example of how our criminal justice system entraps and harasses hundreds of thousands of black people every day," a pattern he says he witnessed growing up in New York.

The specifics of Meek’s case inspired me to write this. But it’s time we highlight the random ways people trapped in the criminal justice system are punished every day. The system treats them as a danger to society, consistently monitors and follows them for any minor infraction — with the goal of putting them back in prison.

As of 2015, one-third of the 4.65 million Americans who were on some form of parole or probation were black. Black people are sent to prison for probation and parole violations at much higher rates than white people.

His piece also spotlights the work Color of Change is doing on behalf of Meek and of black people across the country who are either incarcerated or on parole.

A petition from the organization calling for Meek's release reads: "The system is literally following Black people around for years just waiting for the day to justify putting us back in cages."

On Monday, supporters rallied in Philadelphia where Meek Mill is currently incarcerated. Per Complex, celebrities like Rick Ross and members of the Philadelphia Eagles turned out in support.