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T.I.: The Farewell Blog

Posted by: TI 5/10/2009 | 13,091 Views

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In a few weeks, I will begin a one-year prison sentence for being in the possession of illegal firearms. Where I come from, having a gun is just part of everyday life. But, through this painful process of going to court and being convicted, I realized that I had to make a change. I made some bad decisions. I broke the law and will accept my punishment. With deep reflection about where my life was headed, I have begun the process of redemption, and decided that before I go to prison, I want to speak to young people about responsibility as a lifestyle. I hope that through my mistakes, young people can begin to learn, as I did, that we have to put our guns down and start to give our guns back. It pains me inside to hear about so many of our people dying because of gun violence. Just in the past weeks, a 13-year old boy was shot in the head in Harlem, a 17 and 19-year old were murdered in a double homicide in Queens and a 15 year old was chased, beaten, shot and burned in Chicago.

We will gather today in Harlem, with many mentors and supporters by my side, including Rev. Al Sharpton, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, Political Swagger, Mobile Regime and the C.H.A.N.G.E. Initiative to share the message that now is the time. Now is the time to speak out against gun violence. Now is the time to take responsibility for our actions. Now is the time to make our communities safer. Now is the time to support good legislation, like the S.N.U.G. bill in NY. Now is the time to give back our guns. Now is the time for me to lead by example.

We can and we will do better.

-T.I.

For more information on the “Responsibility is a Lifestyle: It’s Time to Bury Da Beef” visit: www.TheKINGFoundation.com or text KING to 878787

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62 comments

Why did T.I. wait until he got ARRESTED to start speaking about this? Because the ONLY REASON he is going through this is TO GET OUT OF JAIL!!!

I do not hate or judge anyone; Mr. T.I. put himself forth as a "Thug" and promoted this lifestyle until that lifestyle affected him in a negative way. The damage he has already done can not go away by doing a reality show. All this shows young children is that "You can have whatever you like" and do whatever you want if you have enough money. Is that what you want to teach your children? It is so sad that in this society, (which is promoted by this website, every record company, BET, MTV etc) we applaud some one that should be punished much worse than some one of little or no means. T.I didn't buy these weapons when he was poor; he always already wealthy and famous. He did this out of hubris, without any regard for the law. He reinforced the notion that if you have money, fame, power, "You can have whatever you like"..

james 5/12/2009 | reply
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- Because sometimes it takes something like that to happen to make a person open their eyes and realize the wrongs that they have committed...so should we crucify people for wanting to change based on what motivated the change? or should we just support them no matter what?...I say support the change NO MATTER WHAT. But someone always has a negative to try to break down a positive...
  
  shauna 5/12/2009 | reply
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9-25 I have my FINGERS CROSSED that the JUDGE don't have a grudge and wipe your slate CLEAN..U will be missed. Need U 2 drop something real hot like U did with papertrail..UM so raw and um so rich I'll take ur broad I can dunk your $$tch. 10-16 checkn out

Yulanda 5/12/2009 | reply
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Here's an article that shows that TI is more than just a role model for black youth. http://globalgrind.com/content/539363/Rapper-TI-Role-Model-for-Corporate-Responsibility/?sr=1

www.literarynobody.blogspot.com

TB 5/12/2009 | reply
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I find it very interesting that some folks on here are so bent on criticizing TI for the crime, and his means to do an alternate sentence, rather than adressing the message being put forth. I think it's great that TI has recognized his mistakes and is making a positive change. Rather than serving time and improving only himself, he is actively trying to reach those that might be unreachable. Using the reality show and "publicity stunts" as excuses that he is just trying to save his career is unfair, if I were in a position of power and influence I would try and make a positive difference as well. I could only wish that more celebrities could take negative situations and turn them into positive approaches for the community, because like it or not, they are role models to some young people.

Tabatha 5/12/2009 | reply
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- T.I. is sincere in his attempt to make positive changes out of a really bad mistake that he made. How many of us can say we have done the same with the mistakes that we have made in our lives? I support him 100%. And I wish him well.
  
  Diamond Girl 5/12/2009 | reply
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g dub has to be an undercover family member posing as a blogger!!!!! of course there a lot of things out here but at the end of the day it doesn't help to have one of americas most influentila familiys threwn under da bus cuz of jojo stupid mistakes!!!! any1 else in his position would not b so stupid but thats what happens when keeping it real goes wrong!!! day in court may a** dat kid is guilty as sin! rev run u know this so stop tryna talk about everything other than jojo getting pinched by five-0
remember god don't like ugly!!!

? 5/12/2009 | reply
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TI, for some reason I like you and that is a big step for me because I don't like any of the new school rappers. Continue to keep your head up.

Sidebar: Although he was middle school, I miss Biggie. RIP.

www.charactercorner.blogspot.com

The blog where Hip Hop meets Scripture!!

NoLongerAGrinder 5/12/2009 | reply
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Theres no question God is big enough to change anyones heart including my own and i certainly have no right to judge anyone elses motives, but from the outside looking in TIs actions seem very disinginuine. And the bigger question is how much greater good couldve been done with the multitude of resources available to TI if he had chosen to use wisdom rather than criminal activities.

Gdub 5/12/2009 | reply
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ti is one of most honest brokers for truth on this planet and i know first hand believe it or not .....one thing i like about gg is that we are building a network of followers who for their own sake are open to see god in everyone... thats what gives them their freedom so without first hand info u can see that hes genuine or you can let your heart define him as disingenuine your choice

russell simmons 5/12/2009 | reply
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We don't have to build T.I. up, he does that just fine on his own. He spends millions on legal defense and professional publicity companies. It is obvious to anyone who views this incident objectively that this man is guilty of a crime, he does not want this to negatively impact his precious career so he helps a kid or two... He does not help them in private but put his "charity" and good deeds on display for all the world to see. Hhhhhmmmmm wonder why????? Does anyone honestly believe TI cares about those kids. Only a fool would fall for such asinine trickery. TI care about one thing only...HIMSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gdub 5/12/2009 | reply
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And about JOJO, every man is innocent until proven guilty in the court of law buy a jury of his peers. Just becasue JOJO's family is famous doesnt mean he is automatically guilty. Nor is a man guilty just because the news media creates hype and accusations regardless of the truth. So until JOJO has his day in court the world should back off and allow him to live a normal life without the added pressure of something so insignificant. When one looks at the global picture and sees the hurt and suffering throughout this world, who could possibly give a rats a-- if JOJO or any one else is caught with a small amount of marijuana. There are so many larger issues that need to be addressed... just focus for one second on the millions who are orphaned cause of the horrible disease known as "AIDS" (HIV). How about we focus on finding a cure for this disease that robs children of any hope of a quality future without opportunity to recieve basic needs of life, little alone in education and so many other things that we take for granted on a daily basis. LEAVE JOJO ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gdub 5/11/2009 | reply
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I agree FULLY!!!! With over 42 million orphans suffering unimaginable and indescribable pain and suffering from a daily basis on the continent of Africa alone, it is incomprehensable to understand how any celebrity of TI's status could spend millions to bail or to escape their own problems that were brought on by there own selfish choices. There are foundations and organizations such as (Rafiki-Foundation.org), who could put those dollars to use in a way that would benifit entire nations rather than allowing one man to escape his consequences for the crimes he chose to commit. T.I. and anybody like you, you should be held accountable and you should be personally be ashamed for being a part of a mothers pride and joy being murdered. But instead you add insult to injury by spending millions to prove that the laws of this country do not have to be followed by those who have the resources to buy freedom. We should all remember that freedom is a gift and that not everyone in this world has the opportunity to enjoy such freedom.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have made a mockery not only of our judiciary system but of everything Hip-Hop was meant to encompass.

Gdub 5/11/2009 | reply
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why haven't u guyz covered the story on JOJo getting busted with pot ? nepitizm at it'z finest! no wonder u are on a downward spiral to nowhere!!! u all r going down!!!! God does not like ugly & u know it! anyone else get'z caught u guyz cover it but yo own nefew getz caught & u hear it every where but here! datz wack!!!!! & u know it! datz da type of ish that could bring global grind to a hault! keep it real guyz !!! come on rus u should know better & rev run GOd does not like ugly due to your son's irresponsible actions u r starting to look like a false profit!!! not a good look!!!!!! rev, not a good look!!!!!

? 5/11/2009 | reply
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Hey TI how about you use your "power" to help all those other people in Federal Prison that are serving the MINIMUM MANDATORY sentences that they didn't have the money to get out of?? You have to serve a year right?! I truly hope that you are able to see how many people's lives are destroyed and this opens your eyes and you try and help them change those laws and remove MANDATORY MINIMUMS so that everyone can have an equal chance...whether you have money or not! It is not fair to the other people in there that have to serve their full sentences and can't even get the opportunity to lower their time! I don't know how you did it, but CONGRATULATIONS! You just proved how crooked and how low our system really is! It's UNJUST and there are just too many people serving long sentences now-a-days!!

Please help get these laws changed!!!!

Outraged 5/11/2009 | reply
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Some of us are trying to slay the messenger instead of heeding the message. Yea, people have gotten more time than T.I. for the same crime. But don't you think if any of those people could've payed their way out of their situation, or done something to ease their sentence that they would have? Don't blame that brotha for having the means to when the other cat's didn't. And further, we have to respect the fact that he's using his VOICE to initiate change. He's using the platform of celebrity to reach people that those other people can't reach. We have to give him prop's for at least that. I just hope people listen.

Now the message of putting guns down? Sounds idealistic, but from where I'm from not realistic. It's like having a batch of bad apples, and throwing away the apples instead of uprooting the tree that put forth the apples. Makes no sense because that tree is just gonna sprout forth more bad apples. There was a REASON T.I. attempted to buy those guns, and without addressing the root of the reasons that him and any other youth in this country feel guns are necessary for survival, this entire campaign is an exercise in futility.

giveusfree 5/11/2009 | reply
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I have never understood the life of a "gangsta" or a "thug", and I have never had to walk around my neighborhood w/a gun to protect myself, I was not raised in that type of enviroment. However, after meeting my fiance and learing the way he was raised and the type of enviroment he was in, I slowly began to understand the reason behind the decsions that he made. Although those decisions were wrong, and something that I would never have done myself, that was all he knew. T.I., same situation. I take my hat off to T.I. for stepping up on dealing w/his situation publically and passing on knowledge to the young people around the world. I read an article that quoted T.I. saying "You can't put someone in the jungle all their lives and then when they get an opportunity to get our, your critiquing them for acting like their from the jungle." Carrying a gun, fighting, whatever, that was the way of life for T.I. and he made a bad decision, but he his correcting his wrong and for that I love him and I think he is a huge assest to the hip hop community and to the youth of today!!!

texasgirl806 5/11/2009 | reply
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