Meek Mill and Killer Mike are amongst a number of rappers and athletes that are joining forces to call on President Joe Biden for marijuana reform.
The letter signed by a group of more than 150 celebrities, athletes, politicians, law enforcement professionals and academic leaders was delivered to President Joe Biden on Tuesday, demanding him to issue a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” to all people with non-violent federal marijuana convictions.
Led by Utah prison reform activist Weldon Angelos, included signatures from Meek Mill, Killer Mike, Quavo, Drake, Kodak Black, Dave East, Kevin Garnett, Deion Sanders, Julio Jones and more. In the delivered letter it states that the war on drugs, “has crushed many souls and countless futures, while spreading intolerable levels of mistrust and dysfunction between minority communities and those sworn to protect them.”
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“The harms of incarceration are obvious, but the pains of federal marijuana convictions transcend prison walls, making it more difficult for someone to get a job, access affordable housing, and receive an education,” it continues. “A conviction can forever limit an individual’s constitutional rights and can put the American dream further out of reach for an entire family.”
It also references Biden’s comments on the campaign trail supporting cannabis decriminalization and committing to expunge marijuana convictions.
The news comes as Rapper Ralo, who is serving an 8 year sentence for a non-violent marijuana offense, is among the people that the letter signers say is deserving of relief.
In a press release, Ralo thanked the Hip-Hop community “for supporting my clemency because it’s just not right that corporations are allowed to violate federal law and become millionaires while people like myself go to prison for years.”
“This is hypocrisy,” he said. “But I am hopeful that Joe Biden will honor his campaign promise and grant us clemency, without delay, so that we can return home to our families and communities.”
This comes as the administration is actively encouraging about 1,000 people who were temporarily placed on home confinement for federal drug offenses to fill out clemency application forms.
