Features

All Categories

T.I. Plans Return in Final Prison Letter, Talks Nietzsche

WireImage

Weeks before his scheduled release from an Arkansas prison, T.I. has put pen to paper -- not to compose rhymes, but to write an impassioned letter he posted today (Aug. 16) on his website. In what he calls his final dispatch from the Forrest City Federal Correctional Complex, the Atlanta rapper thanks fans for years of support and promises that, come Sept. 29, he's recommitting himself to hip-hop.

"Next time you hear from me I'll be back out there with you," writes the MC born Clifford Harris, Jr., who was sentenced in October to 11 months in prison following a parole-violating drug arrest in Los Angeles. "Doing for those who can't do for themselves and speaking for those whose voices are never heard. When I touch down, I'm going all the way back to square one, like I'm fresh in the game and never sold a record."

While in the clink, T.I. details, he took inspiration from words he thought were Tupac's but later learned had come from the 19th century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: "To live is to suffer and to survive is to find meaning in that suffering."

"When I heard Pac say that it was just some hard s--- to hear your favorite rapper say before he kicked a verse," T.I. writes. "Now that I've gone through it and grown from it those words have a real true meaning to me. I know this won't be my last battle with adversity but it has truly prepared me for whatever else may come in the future."

As fans await the follow-up to T.I.'s last album, 2010's 'No Mercy,' they can check out the single 'We Don't Get Down Like Y'all,' which dropped digitally in June.

CHECK OUT THE CONCERT
N/A N/A
N/A
Starting from N/A
Average Price N/A
SEE MORE TICKETS »
UPCOMING SHOWS IN YOUR AREA
- -
-
- -
-
- -
-

All the info you want to know

  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Events

T.I. Taps Lil Wayne for 'Wit Me'

The Boombox

Kevin Winter, Getty Images T.I. and Lil Wayne are teaming up once again, only this…

T.I., Boston Marathon Tragedy: Rapper…

The Boombox

Ethan Miller, Getty Images As more details emerge about the two suspects who…

T.I. Named in Lawsuit for Smoking Weed,…

The Boombox

Ethan Miller, Getty Images A security guard is suing Universal Music…

See all »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

18 Comments

Filter by:
diggr2

My GOD . Just reading some of these comments humors and angers me at the same time . He's getting out , hopefully he's got his mind right , he's definetly nowhere near indigent . Seems to me that alot of hate is flowing towards him because he's successful at what he does . I pity the people who hate like that . Believe me , it shows what you're made of . one ! P.S R I P tupac !

August 31 2011 at 5:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
prodt4u2

I'll be more happy when I read his obituary along with the rest of the scum like him.

And I'm Black.

August 17 2011 at 1:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to prodt4u2's comment
mbayawatu

Wow, Im not a fan of rap, heavy metal and a few other genre of music out there but I dont think I could be happy to hear about someone's death. You're color does not matter. You dont like his noise just dont listen.
Peace

August 17 2011 at 1:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GOBGOTZ

Dime to a dollar he does the same thing when he gets out.

August 17 2011 at 12:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
commentwhennec

Everyone out there needs to go immediately to your neighborhood record store and buy The Geto Boys(especially alubums, The Resurrection and The Foundation). If you want to get a feel for what being black and being poor in Houston, Texas is like, and the emotions it produces, this is the band for you. You will not be dissapointed. Texas Politicians George Bush and Rick Perry present Texas as blue skies and bliss. The Geto Boys on the other certainly do not. They will teach you something.

August 17 2011 at 11:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ed

Where is the 'nobody's perfect', 'everyone makes mistakes' that is offered to all our other offenders? Our classic 'I accept full responsibility for my conduct' has worked so well for many. They then become our heros.

August 17 2011 at 11:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rebecca

Question: When were prisoners (i.e., felons) allowed to have WEBSITES?!?!?!

August 17 2011 at 10:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gabillyjacks

He needs to stay in there.

August 17 2011 at 9:32 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
bsistahgrace

When rappers are able to humble themselves and admit to their shortcomings our youths can learn more from them than just what they say in their music. Rappers need to pull their pants up and tell our youths that drugs and guns are not the answer. In the end all of them have to stand before the lord and answer to him.

August 17 2011 at 9:30 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
sevnwolves

Kinda shows his immediate level of intelligence if he could mistake the words of one of the world's greatest philosophers for that of a 2-bit ghetto-snipe rapper. Maybe he just needs to stay where he is.

August 17 2011 at 9:01 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to sevnwolves's comment
yogi0421

For those of you sitting around making snarky remarks about him mistaking a Nietzsche quote for a 2Pac (2-bit ghetto snipe rapper) quote, I think you all need to think about what you're saying. Not everyone has read Nietzsche, I know I haven't. I know the name, but in my home schooling we never covered him. But the fact remains that a man is inspired by words that are eternally true written by one man that was passed on to ears that did not know the original author. Is that not the way knowledge has been passed on for millenia? And to sit around and condemn "ghetto" folk is ridiculous, especially if it's someone who's trying to better themselves and uplift the people around him. People in the hood do not have access to the same educational devices that suburban dwellers do, and when they make the best out of it only to be chastized by know-it-alls who look down their nose then how do you expect them to uplift themselves at all? The fact that he thought it was a 2Pac quote does reflect his level of intelligence at all sevnwolves, it only shows that he was not exposed to Nietzsche. maybe the broken school system that he was a part of did not have time or money to teach NIetzsche. Try celebrating newfound knowledge and enlightenment, instead of dogging someone who is trying to do positive things. For the record, I did not know that was a Nietzsche quote either, nor a 2Pac quote....I actually heard T.I. say it in the beginning of a song and thought that he wrote it. I guess that means I belong in prison too? Because there was a quote passed through generations from mouth to ear and I do not know the original source. Try getting off your high-horse and being a human.

August 17 2011 at 9:18 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
ascha79846

Another SOB that should have been shot resisting arrest!

August 17 2011 at 8:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

All the info

  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Events
Listen to Radio
ADVERTISEMENT

AOL Radio

Listen to AOL Radio Now
play arrow
Top Hip-Hop - Hip-hop's greatest
Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, 50 Cent
play arrow
Top Jams - Hip-hop and crossover hits
T-Pain, Mariah Carey, Akon, Lil Wayne
play arrow
Top R&B - Today's top R&B hits
Kelly Rowland, Rihanna, T.I.
Online Radio Guide

Blogroll

Your Settings

{email}

Subscriptions

Weekly Newsletter

The Boombox Music Blog news in your mailbox. Top Articles, reviews, photos & more.

Realtime alerts

Daily alerts


Update
Cancel
;