Meek Mill accused a Las Vegas hotel of being “racist as hell” for barring the rapper from the property and threatening to have him arrested for trespassing.
In a series of tweets and videos, Meek Mill documented his encounter with the security team at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. According to TMZ, the rapper visited the hotel Saturday afternoon in order to attend a DJ Mustard day concert there, but security staff would not allow him the building.
“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,” Meek Mill tweeted.
“They telling black rappers they are banned from properties they own without incident … they just told me I was trespassing and I will be arrested I stepped in that hotel once at a [Jay-Z] party without incident!”
Arrested for what????? #Cosmopolitanvegss pic.twitter.com/5OvmGBrXKv
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) May 26, 2019
In the video, the security guard says that the decision to bar the rapper is “way bigger than me,” and then threatens to have him arrested for trespassing if he entered hotel property. “I’m gonna be arrested for what? Being a rapper?” Meek Mill asked.
Meek Mill also tweeted, “The cosmopolitan hotel …. and it’s a few other hotels that be doing this to black entertainers because they don’t want too many blacks on they property! Vegas notorious for this too its not just me!!!”
The cosmopolitan hotel …. and it’s a few other hotels that be doing this to black entertainers because they don’t want too many blacks on they property! Vegas notorious for this too its not just me!!!! pic.twitter.com/HPySp2nh8h
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) May 25, 2019
The Cosmopolitan said in a statement to 3 News Las Vegas, “As a matter of company policy, we do not comment on legal matters. Our guests’ safety and security always remains our top priority.”
Meek Mill’s lawyer Joe Tacopina later wrote in a demand letter given to TMZ, “We have learned that the Cosmopolitan maintains a list of African American recording artists who should be denied access for no other reason than than their culture and skin color. Such course of conduct constitutes discrimination per se, in violation of state and federal law, and exposes you to significant monetary damages.”
The letter also warned the Cosmopolitan, “We urge you to promptly issue an apology to Mr. Williams and grant him immediate access. In the event you fail to heed this one and only warning, we intend to pursue all legal recourse against you.”