'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks talks about 'dark' childhood with heroin-addicted mom and rapist-murderer dad: 'I was a heroin baby'
In a rare tell-all with businesswoman Chelsea Grayson for her 'What's Your Water' podcast/video series, Jeremy Meeks opened up about his childhood, his heroin-addicted mother, his convicted father, and his path to becoming a model following his stint in prison.
A former member of the Californian Crips gang, Meeks became famous after police uploaded his mugshot on Facebook which went viral because of his looks.
Upon his release in March 2016, Meeks began his modeling career and made his runway debut at the New York Fashion Week on February 2017.
In the interview, Meeks spoke about being born in Washington in the 80s during the crack cocaine epidemic. He said, "Both of my parents were heroin addicts. I was a heroin baby", meaning that he was born dependant on heroin as his mother was using while she was pregnant with him.
He continued, "Growing up in a heroin household is really hard. You have to grow up really fast, and feed for yourself, and bring something to the table so that everyone can eat".
Jeremy was looked after by his older sister who left to join the military when she was 18 years old. She returned two years later and legally adopted him and their brother.
He spoke of his father, saying, "My dad committed a murder when I was nine months old and killed my mum's best friend. Because he was looking for us and she was the only one who knew where we were at."
During the interview, Meeks revealed that having grown up and experienced crime, he believed he was susceptible to the gang life when he moved to Los Angeles from Washington State in the sixth grade.
"Bad decision" along with a learning disability led him to join the Crips gang. He explains, "Next you know I’m fighting and fighting and fighting, and I had to learn really fast about colors, and gangs, and neighborhoods, and sets".
He continues, "At a really young age, I got put on to the hood, and from there, I moved out of the house at 15 and was in the streets."
Meeks says he spent 10-and-a-half years in jail and claims he was a target due to his mixed-race and his looks, saying, "For most light-skinned people, you're not black enough and you're not white".
Meeks revealed he received 300 letters a day from fans, including money hidden inside books after his photo went viral. A judge sentenced Meeks to 27 months instead of the recommended 63 months so he could take advantage of his viral fame.
Meeks said during the interview, "The only thing that saved me, which was such a blessing, was my judge. He helped me in so many ways."
Meeks says his mother is now doing "really well" and that she has been clean of hard drugs for years, "although she does smoke a ton of weed".
Meeks has two sons, one with ex-wife Melissa Meeks (whom he was married from 2008 to 2018) and one with Topshop heiress Chloe Green.
Meeks hopes to begin a career in music in the future and also hopes for a daughter. He said, "When I do music I want to make sure it's a positive message, but still street, without the killing and the drugs and the bad message."