A controversial decision hit the Philadelphia courtroom this week as Meek Mill receives a custodial sentence for violating his probation. However, given that the charges for the offences in question were later drop, the harsh penalty has angered many of his friends and fans.

Meek Mill at Rehab Beach Club in Las VegasMeek Mill at Rehab Beach Club in Las Vegas

The 30-year-old rapper - whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams - has been sentenced to 2-4 years in prison for violating the terms of his probation after being arrested for misdemeanor assault in March and reckless driving and reckless endangerment in August. 

The charges were ultimately dropped, which led to a review in court as to whether or not it breached his probation. Fellow rapper Jay-Z is making it clear that he's standing full square behind his friend, describing the sentence as 'heavy handed'.

'The sentence handed down by the Judge - against the recommendation of the Assistant District Attorney and Probation Officer - is unjust and heavy handed', Jay-Z wrote on Facebook yesterday (November 6th 2017). 'We will always stand by and support Meek Mill, both as he attempts to right this wrongful sentence and then in returning to his musical career.'

Meek has been on probation pretty much constantly since he was first arrested for gun possession and assaulting a police officer in 2005. He went to prison for the first time in 2008 for drug dealing and gun possession and was eventually put on parole for five years.

His travel permit was revoked in 2012 after he violated his probation, and he was forced to undertake etiquette classes in 2013 after violating it once again. His probation was revoked in 2014 and he went to prison again. By 2015, he was found guilty once again for parole violation.

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Last year, he was on 90 days' house arrest and ordered to to community service. His house arrest eventually ended in June 2016, but he did end up with another six years of probation. Let's hope a longer spell behind bars will encourage him to go at least a year without breaking the law.