Meek Mill is asking Twitter for “lawyers ASAP” after a run-in with the hotel staff of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
In videos posted on the rapper’s Twitter and Instagram on Saturday, two apparent hotel staff members tell Meek Mill he could be arrested for trespassing if he enters the hotel.
“We are private property, at this time, with the information we have, we’re refusing to do business with you, we have the right to do that,” one staff member can be heard saying in the video that begins after the conversation has already started.
The rapper said on Twitter: “If you come from our culture you should never step foot in the cosmopolitan hotel they just really racist as hell… something really has to be done in Las Vegas what they doing to black people!”
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas released a statement Monday saying the safety and security of their guests were their top priority.
“The recent situation regarding Meek Mill related to a matter of security, not race, and any reports citing otherwise are false,” the statement read. “We pride ourselves on providing an inclusive environment, with zero tolerance for discrimination. Under different circumstances, Meek Mill would be welcomed to the resort, but not at the compromise of his personal safety and the safety of our guests.”
The hotel added that a club on the premises had reached capacity Saturday in accordance with the Las Vegas Fire Marshal code.
Earlier that day, the hotel said, Las Vegas police had been called to manage a larger-than-usual crowd. In a statement to CNN, the Cosmopolitan said the club knew about the rapper’s arrival in advance and security told the rapper he wouldn’t have access to the club because of capacity issues.
It is unclear whether Meek Mill was trying to enter the club. There was no mention of a facility being at capacity in any of the videos the rapper posted from the incident.
When Meek arrived, the hotel says he was told for a second time that he wouldn’t have access to the club. The hotel said Meek refused to leave and was told any attempt to enter the club would be considered trespassing.
The rapper’s publicist, Didier Morais, provided CNN with a statement on behalf of Meek Mill’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, addressing the hotel’s claim about capacity concerns.
“The assertion that the Cosmopolitan denied Meek because of capacity concerns at Marquee Dayclub is outright false,” Tacopina’s statement read. “In the recorded video, Meek also inquired about getting a meal at one of the hotel’s restaurants, yet their security team continued to deny Meek and said he would be arrested for trespassing regardless of location in the hotel premises. The Cosmopolitan’s conduct continues to be deplorable.”
In a second video posted to Twitter, the staff member tells the rapper and his group he’s not accusing them of doing anything.
“Everyone is trying to chip in and put their two cents in,” the staff member says. “This is way bigger than me … obviously you’re somebody.”
The staff member then asks the person recording to stop recording, to which the recorder says “absolutely not.” The staff member then begins reading Nevada state code to the rapper.
“If you do not leave the premise immediately, you will be subject to arrest for a misdemeanor,” the staff member reads.
“For what?” Meek Mill asks.
Neither video posted by Meek shows hotel staff telling the rapper they are at capacity.
The artist said there’s “a few other hotels” that are also “doing this to black entertainers because they don’t want too many blacks on they property.”
“Vegas notorious for this too it’s not just me!!!!!” he said.
The rapper’s statements sparked responses and questions from hundreds of fans.
“It’s tough to be black, man,” wrote Wosny Lambre, a staff writer at The Athletic.
Meek Mill responded to the comment saying, “and they wonder why some of us lose our cool so quick… we be tired of being treated this way.”
