Robert Rihmeek Williams was born on May 6, 1987, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His stage name, Meek Mill, came from his friends calling him Meek Millions, a play on making millions, because of his middle name.
Meek got his start in rap by participating in rap battles and rapping in a group called The Bloodhoundz. His solo career began with his two mixtapes The Real Me and The Real Me 2. His next mixtape Flamers, caught the attention of Atlanta rapper and Grand Hustle boss T.I. who hosted his following tape Flamers 2: Hottest In Tha City. T.I. intended to sign Meek to his label, but both rappers found themselves in legal trouble delaying the deal which ultimately came to pass. His following tapes, Flamers 2.5: The Preview and Flamers 3: The Wait is Over, produced the hits “Rosé Red” and “Make ‘Em Say” which gave Meek his first major mainstream success. In 2010, he released his seventh mixtape, Mr. Philadephia.
In 2011, Meek signed to Rick Ross‘ Maybach Music Group, where he released two singles, “Ima Boss” and “Tupac Back,” for the group’s Self Made Vol. 1. He went on to appear on the album nine times. The label released two more compilation albums, Self Made Vol. 2 in 2012 and Self Made Vol. 3 in 2013, with Meek appearing four and six times respectively.