T.I.’s home

T.I. was released from jail on a $3 million bond and will be confined to his house until his trial. He’s basically on punishment, Fed-style. Stuck in the house. For a long time. Luckily, folks are saying he’s got an in-house studio so he can record, but what sucks for him is that 1) he’s indebted to his label FOREVER. word has it Atlantic Records big shots personally put up large cash bonds to help him which means that that money will come out of his recording/marketing budgets as long as he’s signed. 2)he cannot tour, which everyone knows is where the real money comes in [hopefully, some Scream checks are still coming in], so it will be harder to get out of debt 3)he can’t promote or film any more movies–which is also good money.

You can read about the details of his confinement as well as check out some flicks here on Missinfo.tv

I got a lot of flack from readers who said that a man formerly in the drug game “needs” to have protection and that I was hating on him and didn’t understand the rules of the “street” [as if any of you readers do.]

I like T.I. and I like his music, but one thing I know, is the rap game. And I’ve been in it longer than a lot of you suckers. Over and over, I have watched countless, talented, charismatic artists get in trouble because of dumb stuff. Avoidable stuff. I was there when Jay-Z got arrested to pulling a knife on Un Rivera, when Puff hit Steve Stoute over the head with a bottle, when Ghostface got locked up, when Latifah, Busta, Cam’ron, DMX, Styles P, all got knocked for guns. The Irv Gotti trial. When Lil Kim went up north on a federal charge. And sure, lots of Americans have guns and it is in our Constitution that we have a right to bear them. But, people, we need to be smart about it. The justice system, and the federal government, if you hadn’t noticed, treats people of color differently. So, sadly, if you are of color, you’re rich, you’re famous and you’re flashy–they are going to get you. Shoot, you don’t even have to be famous. But if you have a felony conviction, if you are open about your ties to dope boys and have no permit to carry a weapon, then you are asking for it.

And when the Feds come knockin’–99% of the time–you will go to jail.