I was a high school teacher for three years. And after that an administrator at a University. And I ran a summer camp one summer. And before any of that happened, I was a school student for 17 years. My point? I know what bullying looks like. I know what it tastes like. (Unseasoned meatloaf.) I know what it smells like. (Chlorine.) I'm an expert in detecting and acknowledging bullying. And what rappers — and rap fans — are doing to Meek Mill right now qualifies as bullying. You all are bullying Meek Mill, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
"So" I hear you saying to yourself in my head right now "how does Meek Mill qualify? He's rich, he's famous, he has a banging girlfriend, and he's homies with Beanie Sigel — qualities that should make him impervious to bullying." And you're right. On paper, Young Rameek is a very unlikely candidate for bullying. But his status hasn't prevented him from falling victim to what bullies do. Even Jewish-Canadian bullies with Carlito Brigante's beard. Which is find a person's sensitive/weak spot, and continue picking at and probing and bringing attention to it. In Meek's case, it's that he's a battle rapper — a guy who made his bones in street freestyle battles in Philadelphia — who's just not good at battle rapping.
It's the cruelest of ironies, really. It's like a kid who got a reputation for being a great boxer. And then you learn that he has no arms. Which makes you wonder how the hell he even got that rep. (Was he just boxing other armless men? Is shoulder boxing a thing in Philly?) But, although he possesses nan arm, he still has that reputation. Which is why it's not considered bullying when bullies like The Game and Drake mess with him. Despite the fact that it's been proven time and time and time and time and time and time and time again that there's absolutely nothing he can do to defend himself. Because listening to a Meek Mill diss track is like watching an armless man fight James Harrison.
So, if you care at all about setting a good example for our children, lets stop the bullying of Meek Mill now. We need to let him know that we're there for him. That we won't stand by and allow this defenseless 29-year-old to be bullied. And that it will get better. (Even though his music won't.)