Just a day after his release from prison, Meek Mill gave his first interview to NBC’s Lester Holt for an upcoming Dateline special. In a clip from their talk, Mill says that despite being a free man, he still feels trapped by the system. “I don’t feel free. I ain’t feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19. I’m 30 now,†he says, noting that he is only out on bail, but that the journey to get his original conviction overturned is still a ways ahead. Since his release, Mill also says he hasn’t had a wink of sleep or time to get re-acclimated: “It’s actually like a culture shock coming from a small cell back into the real world, so I think my body has to adjust at this point.â€
In the interview, Mill, Philadelphia’s district attorney, and 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin all discuss how Mill’s fight for justice is greater than just one man, and that he represents all black men swallowed by the prison-industrial complex. “I’ve got a lot of responsibility and important people depending on me,†Mill says. “I’m not talking about public officials, I’m talking about the men depending on me who are going through the same thing I’m going through.â€