T.I. continues to put Atlanta at the forefront of economic opportunities on a mission using his powerful platform. However, the systemic issues are a nightmare Black people can’t escape with mass incarceration, racism, police brutality and miseducation dictating the likelihood of the outcomes of Black life.
The Bankhead legend and King of the South sat down with us to discuss how Us or Else Social Justice charity is assisting Florida native Diamonds Ford. Ford, 28, was arrested for shooting a white officer who came in her home unannounced last year during a raid. Injustice is the new justice and Black women aren’t safe anywhere. It bothered T.I. given cases like these are frustrating knowing the system is evil.
“I mean bro. okay so…uh…with Diamond, I heard about it you know through social media…it touched me. She was definitely protecting her home. She has a constitutional right to do and a God given right. A God given right to protect her home against anybody who is a threat to it,” T.I. said. “Just imagine what would’ve happened if she didn’t defend her home? Where would she be at this moment? Would they rather she be in a casket and she be another casualty? Another name on the list?”
Ford is home reunited with her daughter thanks to T.I. and Grand Hustle who raised money to help assist her.
Not only is T.I. striving to help young Black men in Next Level Boys Academy, he became an official real estate developer. Atlanta is a city where people who work are “struggling to live” as T.I. put it.
“We have a real estate development that we…we just closed on. Uh…we doing 143 unit mixed-use community with 75,000 square feet of retail over on Bankhead. One of the parcels that I bought (K-Mart) so we gone turn that into an affordable housing community.”
Outside of the community investments, T.I. doesn’t consider himself an activist but an active member in his community. If T.I. ‘s former and late assistant Philant Johnson who died in May 2006 was alive, he would be proud of the man who takes pride in Black Owned businesses.
Without the Michael Jordan of Trap Music in the 2000s, what would Atlanta be today if T.I. didn’t arise with classic songs like “U Don’t Know Me?” Well we know T.I. also listed in order his greatest albums ranking “The L.I.B.R.A.” No. 1 as his all-time favorite.
In the words of “The Wire” character Omar Little, “You come at the king you best not miss.”
