MMG rapper Meek Mill and Philadelphia pastor Jomo K. Johnson got into a heated debate on the radio over the pastor calling for a ban of Meek Mill's song Amen off his album Dreamchasers 3.
Earlier this week, the pastor called for a boycott against the hit song until Meek Mill "acknowledges this blatant disrespect," the Philadelphia Daily News reports. Johnson said he "revokes Meek Mill's 'hood pass' until this happens."
Johnson and Mill appeared together on Philly's 107.9, and the rapper fired back at the pastor's claims. He said the outcry seemed suspiciously like a publicity stunt, and that Pastor Johnson's religious rhetoric doesn't necessary speak to the Philly rapper's ideology or to his music.
"From my understanding and my look at it, it's looking like you're trying to get famous or you need some attention because you could've come to me and you could've said anything you wanted to say," Meek Mill said. "If you wanted money for your church, I woulda gave you that money. I mighta even remixed the song with Kirk Franklin. Anything you wanted to do. You went about it like you looking for attention and fame."
"My plea to you is to turn from sin, turn from blasphemy, turn from unrighteousness that you're purporting in your music, Johnson retorted. Turn to Jesus Christ and receive eternal life. It doesn't matter how much money you get, without Jesus Christ you will be lost eternally."
The pastor also noted how he once served time in jail for assaulting a police officer and it was there that he found God.
Meek Mill then told Pastor Johnson that the pastor's criminal record was actually worse than his. Meek still maintained that Johnson just wanted money and publicity and called him out for not being around when the MMG rapper was giving out coats to kids around Philly.
"Where was you at?" Mill asked the pastor.
"I've spent 25 stacks while you're not there," the pastor responded. "I'm on Germantown and Somerset doing ministry when you're not, Mr. Mill!"
Johnson said he recognized that Mill is very talented, but he believes the rapper is using his talents the wrong way. He says Meek Mill uses rap to promote rape and violence.
Mill assured Johnson that he truly cares about today's youth and is watching over them in the streets everyday. He then mentioned violent movies and even rapper Eminem's lyrics as examples of forms of entertainment that promote violence, but noted that pastor Johnson never went after any of them.
The conversation became more and more heated. Meek even mentioned the statistics of rape as far as pastors and rappers are concerned noting that rappers really haven't been known to rape children, but with pastors, it's an entirely different story.
Johnson's response to that was asking Mr. Mill if he's ever raped a woman because according to Johnson, if Meek Mill hasn't raped a woman, his music is a "lie."
The show's host Q-Deezy said he truly hopes the rapper and pastor could eventually come together and settle their differences.
- By Layne Weiss