Meek Mill Apologizes for Filming Music Video in Ghanaian Presidential Palace
Following backlash against his music video filmed at the Jubilee House government building in Ghana, Meek Mill issued a heartfelt apology on Twitter.
“To the people of Ghana no video I drop is ever meant to disrespect the people of Ghana …. The fastest way to make connection is thru music and I wanted to do that with displaying art,” his initial tweet reads.
He went on to “take responsibility for [his] mistake” and expressed his desire to “make the connection between black people in America and Africa.”
The criticisms arrived full-steam Monday morning (Jan. 9) when Ghana’s former deputy education minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa tweeted screenshots of the music video, expressing his outrage.
“All those responsible for this despicable desecration of the Jubilee House by Meek Mill must be fired immediately,” wrote Ablakwa. “How do those explicit lyrics from the president’s lectern project Ghana positively? Is Ghana’s seat of government no longer a high security installation?”
Many Ghanaians chimed in, with some assigning blame to the country’s government rather than Meek. The 35-year-old rapper rushed to Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo’s defense, adding, “I don’t think they knew it was video footage when we asked to shoot. Its a small camera and one kid … in America we didn’t know this existed and [I] was excited to show [it] because they don’t show Ghana on our media much.”
Meek expressed that he had no ill intention and continues to support positive community efforts both within his hometown of Philadelphia and in Ghana, where the rapper recently found out he has heritage.
Neena Rouhani
Billboard
