The Latest on rapper Meek Mill’s release from prison while he appeals drug and gun convictions (all times local):

6:25 p.m.

Rapper Meek Mill says he believes a lot of important people are depending on him now that he’s out of prison.

Mill is telling Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News in an interview being broadcast Wednesday those are the people ”going through the same thing I’m going through.”

Mill’s lawyers spent months battling to get Mill freed on bail after he was sentenced to prison for probation violations.

He was released Tuesday after Pennsylvania’s highest court ordered the sentencing judge to free him while he appeals decade-old gun and drug convictions likely to get thrown out.

Mill’s lawyers say he never should have been jailed. Criminal justice reform advocates say there are many others like him wrongly behind bars.

The interview will run on both the Nightly News and Dateline NBC.

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12:15 a.m.

Philadelphia-born rapper Meek Mill has attended an NBA playoff game in his first public appearance since being released from prison while he appeals decade-old gun and drug convictions.

Following a five-month campaign by his supporters to get him out [url=http://www.texanscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-jon-weeks-jersey]Jon Weeks Jersey[/url] , the state Supreme Court on Tuesday directed a Philadelphia judge who had jailed him to immediately issue an order releasing him on unsecured bail.

Mill, whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, was sentenced in November to two to four years behind bars for probation violations.

He was taken from the prison in Chester by helicopter to nearby Philadelphia, where he rang the ceremonial bell at the start of Game 5 of the Philadelphia 76ers–Miami Heat playoff series.

The rapper wore a Joel Embiid jersey and sat courtside during the game.

Free agent defensive tackle Beau Allen is eager to make a difference for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The former Philadelphia run-stopper signed a three-year, $15 million contract Thursday and has no qualms about leaving the reigning NFL champion Eagles to join a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in a decade.

Allen said he’s excited about the challenge of doing his part to help the Bucs get better.

”We won the Super Bowl in Philadelphia, but it wasn’t all roses before that. We had tough seasons, too,” the fifth-year pro said.

”I’m not afraid of work at all [url=http://www.cowboyscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-l.-p.-ladouceur-jersey]L. P. Ladouceur Jersey[/url] ,” Allen added. ”That’s why I’m here.”

The 26-year-old tackle comes to the Bucs after spending the first four seasons of his career as part of a strong interior rotation with the Eagles, who led the league in rushing defense in 2017, limiting opponents to 79.2 yards per game on the ground.

The Bucs, by comparison, ranked 23rd against the run, allowing 117.5 yards per game.

”Stopping the run is a huge part of the game, and that’s one thing we did really well in Philadelphia last year,” Allen said.

”We were the No. 1 run defense and I think [url=http://www.coltscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-josh-ferguson-jersey]Josh Ferguson Jersey[/url] , to toot my own horn a little bit, I was a big part of that,” he added. ”We had a lot of good defensive lineman, a lot of good defensive players … so that went into it as well.”

With Tampa Bay, the 6-foot-3, 327-pound Allen fills a need for interior help created by the release of underperforming tackle Chris Baker and loss of veteran Clinton McDonald, who became an unrestricted free agent.

Allen, who is excited about playing alongside six-time Pro Bowl tackle Gerald McCoy [url=http://www.bearscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-cameron-meredith-jersey]Cameron Meredith Jersey[/url] , entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick of the Eagles in 2014. He appeared in 63 games, with eight starts, and had two sacks and 10 tackles for losses over the past four seasons.

”I pride myself on playing a pretty specific brand of football that did well for me in Philadelphia,” he said. ”I consider myself a tough, dependable, consistent guy. I think that’s one thing (Tampa Bay) liked about me, and that’s one thing that’s not going to change.”

The Bucs went 5-11 last season, missing the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.

The Eagles won their first Super Bowl title [url=http://www.ramscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-orlando-pace-jersey]Orlando Pace Jersey[/url] , however Allen hasn’t forgotten what it took to get there.

”Don’t get me wrong, winning isn’t easy in the NFL at all. It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears, a lot of effort and a lot of dirty work that a lot of people don’t really realize,” Allen said.

”I’m excited to be in a place that when you go through those tough times and you work and then you get the rewards in the success of winning, it makes it that much better,” he added. ”I’m not afraid of that. … I’m really excited about the opportunity and the challenge.”

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