TRU TO HIMSELF

Born and raised in Manchester, rapper Meekz  talks to Rolling Stone UK about why his roots mean so much, his new mixtape TRU, and the prospect of removing his mask

- EMMANUEL ONAPA

In a triumphant comeback moment in early April, rapper Meekz orchestrated a surprise Robin Hood-like performance through a community giveback to his fervent following in his home city of Manchester. Perched atop a green container next to the Peel Monument in the city’s Piccadilly Circus, wearing a grey tracksuit as well as his iconic mask, Meekz showered the assembled crowd with Nike Air Max 90 trainers before performing two songs, igniting a frenzy of excitement and anticipation among the fans who gathered.   

“I initially planned to give away some actual clothing, but I didn’t have the chance or the time. Everything was moving that fast,” recalls Meekz. In essence, this community-centric approach was no random act of altruism; it was a ritualistic homage to his origins, a gesture of gratitude to the community that raised him and which continues to nurture his ascent in the scene. Each pair of trainers was a token of appreciation, a silent vow to remain tethered to the streets he grew up on.

“It just made a lot of sense for me to do that. I still got some bits and bobs to give away to the people dem,” he says when we meet for his Rolling Stone UK interview, days after he released his new single, ‘Mini Me’s’, and announced his sophomore mixtape, TRU, set for release on 24 May.

Before going on hiatus, Meekz etched his name in the archives of British rap with a string of noticeable releases that captivated audiences far and wide. From the resounding success of EP Can’t Stop Won’t Stop in 2020 to the seismic impact of his debut mixtape Respect the Come Up in 2022, Meekz emerged as a formidable force, with a sound defined by razor-sharp lyricism and larger-than-life confidence.