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In a few weeks, I will begin a one-year prison sentence for being in the possession of illegal firearms. Where I come from, having a gun is just part of everyday life. But, through this painful process of going to court and being convicted, I realized that I had to make a change. I made some bad decisions. I broke the law and will accept my punishment. With deep reflection about where my life was headed, I have begun the process of redemption, and decided that before I go to prison, I want to speak to young people about responsibility as a lifestyle.

I hope that through my mistakes, young people can begin to learn, as I did, that we have to put our guns down and start to give our guns back. It pains me inside to hear about so many of our people dying because of gun violence. Just in the past weeks, a 13-year old boy was shot in the head in Harlem, a 17- and a 19-year old were murdered in a double homicide in Queens and a 15-year-old was chased, beaten, shot and burned in Chicago.

We will gather today in Harlem, with many mentors and supporters by my side, including Rev. Al Sharpton, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, GlobalGrind.com, Political Swagger, Mobile Regime and the C.H.A.N.G.E. Initiative to share the message that now is the time. Now is the time to speak out against gun violence. Now is the time to take responsibility for our actions. Now is the time to make our communities safer. Now is the time to support good legislation, like the S.N.U.G. bill in NY. Now is the time to give back our guns. Now is the time for me to lead by example.

We can and we will do better.

– T.I.

Tags: Guns, T.I.
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Fyne_706_Papi/ Fyne_706_Papi

    its not gon change…too many ppl wanna rob and try to be hard

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Stan_Vinyl/ Stan_Vinyl

    Thank God someone of influence had the NUTZ to say whats real!!!

    IF YOU NEED A GUN TO START TROUBLE YOU’Z DEFINITELY A PUNK A$$ NIGGA’!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/P-TownFinest/ P-TownFinest

    I aint mad at what T.I saying but I’m way to intelligent to know why are u just now saying something like this T.I u’ve never talked about it before..Hmmmmmm maybe it’s because u’ve got a year?? How about u open up a center for kids through out different states to keep the ones that want to stay out of trouble out of trouble..America is no different from any other country…killings will continue to go on over here to…U can only help those that want to be help..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/danieldeamor/ danieldeamor

    this no gonna change ,cos many ppl has been doin this so no one is gonna put his or her gun down lol!!!!hahaha

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mstanmi/ mstanmi

    IF IT TOOK HIM GOING TO JAIL TO REALIZE WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS WRONG, THEN GOOD FOR HIM…ITS TIME FOR SOMEONE TO STAND UP FOR IT..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/FocusedIn07/ FocusedIn07

    I applaud T.I. for making this statement. But, what kind of effect will it really have on teens? Yeah, a lot of them are influenced by what they hear in their music, but so many of them are caught up in the idea of being tough, and think weapons=toughness.

    It’s like trying to bury the N-word…two years later, it’s still used just as often.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DMY19151/ DMY19151

    OK…T.I….I HEAR YOU AND I SEE THE CHANGE…POSITIVE IS ALWAYS NEGATIVE AND THAT LAST ALBUM WAS A CLASSIC…I SEE WHY YOU CALL YOURSELF THE KING….THAT ALBUM IS LYRICAL LIKE LUDACRIS….YALL ARE THE BEST SOLO DUDES IN THE SOUTH…OUTKAST AND GOODIE MOB ARE LEGENDS…..KEEP DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING…YOU GET A PASS FOR THE 800 CRIMESTOPPER COMMERCIAL I SAW….THAT WAS NOT GANGSTA….I DIG YOUR STYLE THOUGH…ORIGINAL

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DMY19151/ DMY19151

    POSITIVE IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN NEGATIVE…THT’S WHAT I MEANT TO WRITE

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/alpha111906/ alpha111906

    shake my head at the “that is not gangsta” comment. Do you know how many people begin to redeem themselves when they are going to jail…or in jail. He is just sad he got caught. It isn’t like it was an accident or a misunderstanding…unfortunately the recidivism rate for alot of cons are high. You are rich…why do you have to break the law. Whites/Jews higher the best lawyers in the world when they have money to make it hard for the law to win…hide behind your lawyers…ask your lawyers if what you are doing is illegal…that’s what you do when you have money…don’t listen to your ignorant good for nothing so called homeboys…that ain’t gangsta..in the end..they will snitch on you to keep from doing time because they can’t afford to do time for someone who got money. STay away from the guns…they are keeping guns in the street so you so called ignorant nigga gangstas can keep killing yourselves…go ahead…kill yourselves…it will relieve us of the slave mentality…since you don’t want to listen to people that told you many times to do right..you chose to do wrong…suffer first..then come back and begin the process of redemption.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/alpha111906/ alpha111906

    highered = hired…wow a college degree and my spelling is off when I am angry…geez.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pausitive/ pausitive

    U dont gotta keep it gangsta unless ur in a gang. Just keep it trill. Too real for someone else doesnt mean unreal. People used to want to do better, then it got to the point that every one wanted to be worst. Guns are just instant gratification in that. Even though I’m against violence and all in my old age, I’d still say forget who’s bigger. Let’s see who has more heart and knuckle up. Life’s too sacred to play with like that if you truly value the fact that we’re all links in a chain. Before you threaten someone else life, you better be able to fill his/her shoes and complete the path that their life intended for them. Everyone is a blessing, and unfortunately, this is how we lose so many.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/G-WIN/ G-WIN

    T.I. Says Put Your Guns Down
    no you should of put it down
    (them guns) b4 you got busted
    you stupit wack rap nigga

    talk bout the slow
    oh yeah you no king
    jay z no hova, nas no God’s
    Son

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/G-WIN/ G-WIN

    T.I. Says Put Your Guns Down
    no he should of put the pen and
    paper down cause that nigga
    lyrics is so weak just like
    nerds at a computer convention
    or weak just like alarm speakers and also he so wack and lame

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pausitive/ pausitive

    Eminem sing for the moment:
    Entertainment is danger
    intertwine it with gangstas
    in the land of the killers a sinners mind is a sanctum
    Holy or unholy
    only have one homey
    only this gun lonely cuz dont anyone know me…..
    couple of bars later…
    all these jits do
    is hear about us totin pistols
    and they wanna get one
    cuz they think the shi+s cool
    Not knowin we really just protectin ourselves
    we entertainers
    Of course the shi+s affecting our sells …U ignoramus

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pausitive/ pausitive

    G-win has angry black man syndrome.grrrrrrrrrrr

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/pausitive/ pausitive

    Lets try Andre Been-Jammin from a minute ago on “Throw yo hands in the Air”, if that’s the name of the song…
    How’d he end his verse…

    Put my glock away
    I got a stronger weapon that never runs out of ammunition so I’m ready for war
    okay

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/lavallemcarson/ lavallemcarson

    Yall niggas who leave comments be sayin the dumbest s**t ever. The two post ahead of me makes me realize how many haters there are in the hood if them niggas are in the hood? s**t idk

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Babydoll_412/ Babydoll_412

    He wouldnt be sayin that s**t if he hadnt got caught wit his guns someone probably would be dead hes a loser

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_Lee_/ _Lee_

    T.i. = no respect f**k him, how the f**k you get caught wit heat because of a ho ass nigga in ya squad and expect me to turn my s**t it… the f**k.. GHANDI ASS NIGGA f**k dat

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Kountry_Mayne/ Kountry_Mayne

    Lead by example? how long is your criminal record? You have no lead way when it comes to the media only that you make great music

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR/ DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR

    PUT MY GUNS DOWN? F**K NAW, ARE YOU CRAZY NIGGA? UGH, NEW WORLD ORDER? I KNEW YO ASS WAS WIT THE ILLUMINATI! HERE’S AN OFFICIAL “F**K YOU T.I.” FROM ME! ANYBODY THINKIN OF SAYIN SUM BOUT IT…TWO “F**K YOU JABS” REAL QUICK! POW POW!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/prettybrownthang69/ prettybrownthang69

    Ignorance of a black man on so many damn levels! Grow up! That’s why we can’t get far as apeople! That’s what u teaching yo sons empower yoself with a gun and not knowledge! Just ignorant! What a turnoff!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR/ DA_GEORGETOWN_MAYOR

    LOL WE GONE SEE IF “KNOWLEGE” CAN SAVE YO ASS ONCE PEOPLE TRY TO KILL YO ASS OVER THIS FOOD SHORTAGE THATS C**MIN! POW! LEFT HOOK!

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