Meek Mill to Make a Dramatic Return to ‘The Tonight Show’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Jem Aswad

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Just hours after appearing as musical guest on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last August, Meek Mill was arrested for reckless endangerment after police viewed an Instagram post of him riding his dirtbike through New York City streets. The incident led to a controversial and unusually harsh sentence for parole violation that saw him serving five months in prison .

On Sept. 4, just over a year later, he will return to the show for both an interview and a musical performance, where he will doubtless be accompanied by fellow Philadelphia natives The Roots.

Mill will have no shortage of subjects to discuss, from his dramatic release from prison — which saw him flown by helicopter directly to the Philadelphia 76ers playoff game, courtesy of team owner Michael Rubin, who will be joining him on the show — and the wave of support he received during his sentence, particularly from Jay-Z, who penned editorials and was outspoken about Mill’s treatment.

Earlier this year Mill announced a deal with Amazon and Jay’s Roc Nation for a documentary series examining his odyssey through the criminal justice system over the past decade and his long battle with Philadelphia judge Genece Brinkley, as well as the larger issue of high incarceration rates for people of color.

Mill will also perform at the Made in America festival in Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend — his first hometown performance since he was released from prison in April.