Meek Mill Released from Prison; Thanks 76ers Owner Michael Rubin

Rapper Meek Mill was released from prison after the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania overruled a decision by Judge Genece Brinkley to deny bail and keep the artist in prison with a hearing set for 60 days, according to TMZ.

Meek Mill thanked a number of people after the news, including Philadelphia 76ers owner Michael Rubin.

"I'd like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time," he said, per TMZ.

He thanked others on Twitter as well:

Ron Berkowitz of Roc Nation passed along the news as well:

Rachel DeSantis of the New York Daily News provided some of the details of the case, noting Meek Mill had been in prison since November when Brinkley ruled he violated a 2008 probation for popping a wheelie during a music video shoot in New York. The probation was due to a drug and weapons possession conviction.

"Various factors have sparked controversy, including the fact that Brinkley has been accused of having a 'personal vendetta' against the rapper, as well as the recent development that Mill's arresting officer—and the lone witness at his trial—was recently revealed to be on a 'do not testify' list of potentially tainted cops kept by the District Attorney's office," DeSantis wrote.

Meek Mill is a Philadelphia native, and DeAntae Prince of Sports Illustrated noted he has developed a friendship with Rubin as the 76ers owner got to know him and became more familiar with the case.

Rubin is far from the only connection between Meek Mill and the sports world, as the Philadelphia Eagles took the field to one of his songs before their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots in February. They also celebrated after the win with a Meek Mill song playing in the locker room.

The support for Meek Mill extended beyond the Philadelphia teams, as Karl-Anthony Towns wore an Eagles jersey during the Super Bowl that said "Free Meek Mill" on the back. LeBron James and Lonzo Ball were among the athletes who offered their support on Twitter after the Eagles win:

What's more, Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins and Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving were among those who participated in a rally on Meek Mill's behalf at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center in September, per Deena Zaru of CNN.