Grammy-winning rapper T.I. appeared on "Larry King Live" Thursday evening and discussed his controversial 2007 arrest on a federal gun charge and what the future holds for his career.
In his sit-down with famed television host Larry King, Tip talked about being arrested nearly three years ago.
He felt the need for the high-powered weapons after his best friend and personal assistant, Philant Johnson, was killed in a shootout in Cincinnati following a performance. "The guns that were used that night are some of the same guns I was attempting to purchase," he told King. "At the time, I never took into consideration the legalities, I only took into consideration the safety of my life and my family's life." The Grammy-award winning rapper said drugs and guns are a part of his past life. "This is the most severe encounter with the law I have ever experienced," he said.
He also explained what his current goals are in life.
T.I. seemed genuinely focused on his future, working with at-risk youth and mentioned his love for his six children and "special lady" Tameka. He also reiterated his personal responsibility in moving on from the events that led to his incarceration. "The main thing I can do to protect myself in the future is to understand my position," he said. "I can't put myself in an environment where it will require me to have a handgun. I just stay places where I can be cool. I have security now. ... I take full responsibility for everything that happened to me. I'm a full believer that your life is what you make it. Society doesn't owe you anything."
Last year, singer Chris Brown appeared on the program alongside his mother and attorney to discuss the aftermath of his fight with ex-girlfriend/singer Rihanna.
"We have to be like 10 yards away from each other," he says. "When I look at it now, it's just like, wow, like, I can't -- I can't believe that -- that actually happened. On his sentencing, Brown says that "everything comes with consequences. They want me to pick up trash remove graffiti...I'm a hard worker. It's something I'm willing to do." Chris also talks about his life with his abusive father. "I used to be scared to go to bed," he recalls. "Nobody taught us how to love one another. Nobody taught us a book on how to how to control our emotions or our anger...I wish I could have changed that night." "I just need to prove to people I can be a role model," Brown says. "That's not who I am as a person, and that's not who I promise I want to be." Chris says he misses Rihanna and admits he's not sure how to deal with her dating other guys. "I definitely would be affected by it, but, at the end of the day, I mean, we're not together, so, if she's happy, I'm cool...We'll always be friends."
Tip is currently putting together his new album, King Uncaged.
T.I. is setting the bar high for his post-prison album, King Uncaged, comparing it to Tupac's 1996 classic All Eyez on Me, which was released months after 'Pac got out of prison. "This is the most significant return from incarceration that the game has had since then," T.I. says. "Just given the enormous success of that project, everyone's expecting the same results. I just want to meet the expectations, if not surpass them."
Check out a portion of T.I.'s interview below:
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