“I don’t know whether you know it or not, but I am still facing more (jail) time than you may know,” the rapper and actor told FinalCall.com. “I feel blessed you know, I have been through a lot of things throughout my life and I feel that I am blessed to be right here talking to you today. Anybody that thinks that jail is a glamorous place to be—ain’t nothing cool about it. I don’t know nobody who is there that would like to be there.”

And about those who think that jail is “glamorous” because they hear about it on some rap records? T.I. said “if they do they are sadly mistaken.”

T.I. entered a guilty plea to various weapon charges in March 2008 resulting from his arrest in October 2007. The deal worked out by his lawyers allowed his federal incarceration to be delayed for one year. During that year, he has to perform at least 1,000 hours of mandatory community service.

In appearances across the country, such as the “Silence the Violence” forum that recently brought him to Chicago, T.I. is warning youth about the perils and pitfalls of the fast life, while encouraging them to steer clear of criminal activity. If he abides by the rules of the agreement, he could spend less than a year in jail—a light sentence given the severity of the charges. If he does not, he could face more than eight years in prison.

When asked about his current legal problems, T.I. said they have taught him valuable lessons about the company he keeps and the situations he finds himself involved with.

“I don’t want anybody to be in the same position as me, going down the same path as me because everybody don’t make it out with such a positive story. I just want to share whatever light possible. Just use your head. Don’t let your emotions out weigh your intelligence. Don’t let your temporary feelings cause you permanent problems. It took me a long time, millions of dollars and several trips back and forth to jail to realize that. I need you all to realize it without all of that. I need you all to get the picture now! Take it from me because I know.”

T.I had one more thing he wanted to get out to the youth, “Being smart don’t make you soft!”

The Arrest

On Oct. 13 2007 just hours before a scheduled appearance at the BET Hip-Hop awards in Atlanta, Georgia, T.I. (aka Clifford Harris Jr.) was arrested in a federal sting operation in which he was caught obtaining high powered machine guns and silencers from undercover federal agents and being in possession of unregistered firearms.

The events leading up to his arrest were chronicled in the federal affidavit for the case obtained by FinalCall.com. According to the affidavit, on Oct. 10, 2007, T.I., gave his bodyguard $12,000 cash to buy weapons and ammunition. After purchasing the weapons on T.I.’s behalf from an undercover agent of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the bodyguard was arrested. He immediately agreed to cooperate with the ATF. This included wearing a hidden wire, and agreeing to have his telephone calls with T.I. recorded.

The bodyguard arranged to meet T.I. on Oct. 13 in a parking lot in midtown Atlanta. After handing three machine guns and two silencers to T.I., the federal agents moved in and arrested him.

According to the affidavit, a subsequent search of T.I.’s vehicle produced three more firearms including one loaded firearm tucked in between the driver’s seat and the center console.

Using a federal search warrant they had obtained earlier, federal agents searched T.I.’s home located in College Park, a neighboring suburb of Atlanta. During the search, federal agents found more loaded high powered firearms and ammunition.

T.I. was charged with committing the offense of possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d); and of possessing firearms in or affecting interstate commerce, after having been convicted of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g).

Related links:

Hip Hop & The Power of Cultural Expression (FCN Web Video, 2007)

The true value of hip-hop (FCN, 10-31-2007)