On September 30th, 2008, T.I. released his wildly successful ‘Paper Trail’ to overwhelmingly positive reviews. As such hits as ‘Live Your Life’, ‘Whatever You Like’, and ‘Dead and Gone’ followed, the album served to remind us that T.I. was still, without question, one of the most powerful forces in the music industry. But while T.I. used the later half of 2008 to remind us all of his presence in the game, nothing can change the fact that we are now less that two weeks away from TIP’s upcoming incarceration which is set to take place this coming March 28th.
Flashback to October 13th, 2007, and T.I. was arrested just hours before the BET Awards and charged with two felonies; possession of three unregistered machine guns and two silencers, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. After a delayed court appearance that finally took place in February of 2008, T.I. was eventually given one year’s sentence in jail after completing 1,000 hours of community service.
The news was shocking to some for different reasons. Some were initially surprised at the thought of the Atlanta rapper being out of the spotlight for such a long duration while at the peak of his craft while others felt that he was actually given an easy way out and were quick to state that this wasn’t the rapper’s first time being behind bars. Speaking on the matter himself, T.I. told MTV months back that ‘Presumably while I’m there I’ll be able to strategize my comeback’.
The old expression ‘You can forget about your past, but your past won’t forget about you’ seems to ring a bell when looking at this situaiton. Because for all of his recent success associated with the release of Paper Trail, reality is now fresh upon us and like it or not, the game will be without one of it’s most fresh, inovate voices for the next year. It seems to be unquestioned that T.I. will come back from this still very relavent, it just remains to be seen how he will go about his return once being released.
Wanting to get a deeper perspective on the matter, 24 Hour Hip Hop took a look at some of the busiest forums on the net and gathered the thoughts of the everyday public to see what they had to say about T.I.’s impending time behind bars. In their own words, this is what everyone is saying…
Cultfigure @ RapBasement.com…
“He’s an extremely talented dude. I don’t think he snitched on anyone. The fact of the matter is it would be public record and it would finish him. He needs to make music and be what he is, a tax paying millionaire and just take his stories from the streets and stop trying to play in them. Oil and water don’t mix!”
Realtalk @ About.com forums…
“So that pretty much means we’re not going to hear any good music coming from the south for the next year or so.”
What's it to Ya? @ RollingStone.com…
“I love his music and all, but man he’s dumb enough to fuck up that bad….he should probably go to jail for more than a year? Don’t yall agree? Oh no wait your all ignorant and fall for that MTV sympathy bullshit! What if he was some regular dude? You would be saying that he deserves everything that he has coming to him. Quit acting like you know the guy!”
Sunshine @ HipHopRoll.com
“No I don’t think he should have to do all that jail time. They are on him like he killed somebody or something. There are so many people out there that are buying automatic weapons and you don’t see them all over the news. They just want him because he’s a rapper. That’s a damn shame.”
SweetPanties @ RapBasement.com
“I Don't Think He Should Be Going To Prison Really, It’s A Damn Shame You Can't Even Defend Your Damn Self, Why Is It Only Certain People Can Have Guns To Defend Them And Not Others, They Didn't Say Shit About What Happen For That 9/11 Thing Really, And Those People Who Was Supposedly Have Done It Didn't Really Do It But Make It Look Like It Happen That Way And That’s Wrong, So They Are Being Hypocrites!!!
Winb83 @ ProjectCovo.com Forums
“What the hell? They schedule this nigga jail time like it’s a dentist appointment or something.”
Tygur @ TrapMuzik Forums…
“I think he should get off. There are people out there that do a lot worse and they still walking around. Shit there are nigz that take lives, get caught, hit the block a few dayz later. I think he should do a small punishment then keep making music from the booth.”
Nells @ Rolling Stone.com…
“He’s rich, he needs protection. He’s changed, he’ll do the time, come out, and do what he been doin’. Best of luck to T.I. on this one, I’m a T.I. fan and supporter.”
Drastik Da God @ RapWorld Forums…
“There's no way TI is gonna go to a high security prison. Homeboy will be chilling in a white jump suit, watching Judge Mathis while writing a hardcore prison joint for his next album.”
T Page @ TrapMuzik Forums…
“I think he should be given community service. In that service, he should be ordered to continue doing just what he's doing now. Changing lives. He loves that position of being able to help others. I also have traveled that road. I went to prison three times. Now I'm trying to build a future for my son and daughter. Ti doesn’t need to go to jail. He would be more effective in the community. I do have a question for u. How far is he willing to go with this life changing mission? I have something for him that would surely open the world’s eyes. His name is Prettyboybambam. A seven year old Gospel rapper/amatuer boxer/model/actor. He just needs someone with heart and faith to bring him out. Ti is the perfect person for this job. Also the timing is perfect. We are not trying to capitalize off of his position. This is opportunity to show the courts just how much he can help our youth by taking this young talented kid and pushing him to use his talent for good instead of bad while the world watch. Prettyboybambam is working on a song called Feed The Children. If Ti collab with him and put him out, I believe he would set a new mark. When a man leaves his mark, he has made difference weather it be good or bad. You can here Prettyboybambam's first single on iseecolor.com. Just search for prettyboybambam. It's called It's Gonna Get Easier. Or I can send it email if you like. Just send me an email at this email address”
Scotty’s President @ Thisis50.com…
“keep Ya head up tip that shit will be done before u know it”
Joe Johnson @ HipHopRoll.com
“He is lucky as hell IMO. As a felon in MI you would be looking at a minimum of 5 years State time not to mention the Fed stuff with the silencers and all that. Money still talks and he is lucky that he has it. My cousin is doing 5 right now for a little punk ass hand gun just because he is a felon.”
Dee @ Yahoo OMG Forums…
“People have a lot to say but haven’t lived anything close to your life. So until they have they need to just send prayers your way. Because nothing is up to us god has the last say in everything. You better believe he knows what he is doing. So stay real to what you believe in.”
LaffeyTaffey @ MediaTakeout.com…
“It's not like he hasn't been there before. What's the big deal? Everybody going to be on his jock trying to get in good and hopefully get him to listen to their lame ass raps. You know everybody and they momma is a wannabe rapper nowadays.”
PFC Njie @ Thisis50.com…
“Everybody is hatin on this guy its a damn shame, if your read and get the facts then yall would know that he didn’t turn nobody in or snitch, but ignorant people just go with the majority of what the common idiot says.”
Lenora at Yahoo OMG Forums…
“I have not seen the show, but I feel we should not judge him. Sometimes and unfortunately our past surfaces, but the moral of the story is What did I learn from this? And how can I rectify this in a positive matter. I know the soldier will be alight no matter what because of his Faith in GOD. The legal system needs to Go after these child molesters and rapists and leave TI alone!”
Latoya @ Scandalist.com Forums…
“I hope That T.I. move on to bigger and better things. I know it will be hard for him when he has to leave his family but things happen for a reason this is GOD’S way of showing him nothing last forever not even life T.I. should have known that one day this would catch up with him. Best wishes to him Tiny and their families.”
That Nigga B @ Thisis50.com…
“People acting like its a big deal that he gettin locked up, this nigga been locked up before, he gon be back and all them hatin ass fuck niggas gon be back at the stores buying his shit, going to jail is a part of being from the hood its what you do when you get out that determine whether you survived or not, G's up haters down, FREE TIP.......”
Lulu @ Scandalist forums…
“TI’s going to jail soon and we hope for the best and we look forward to seeing him get out and do something continue to do good when he get and he sad that he learn his lesson by doing wrong and straighten his life up and that’s a good thing for him and his family his son that going to miss him when he leaf and go to jail his son will miss him very much and I now that he will miss him to best of luck to TI ,and may god bless and keep your head up.”
NOHCP3 @ InsideHoops.com…
“Seeing that he’s been to jail before hell be okay. His career will be fine. For some reason southern rappers get bigger when they get out of jail if their sentence is short. SEE GUCCI MANE…He seems like he’s growing up.. with some of his new songs and the TV show.”
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