T.I is featured on the cover of the December/January edition of VIBE magazine. In the issue the rapper discusses how he developed his addiction to prescription drugs and how he related to Eminem who once suffered from similar problems. Read the details below:
I’ve heard you mention how the good that you’ve done is easily forgotten. Do you feel that you’ve been treated unfairly?
If I place my value in the way humans treat me, then maybe. But they’re human, man―they can’t help themselves. They do that to people they know personally. So how can I expect them to treat me, only knowing me through television? They did that to Jesus. They did that to Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali. They did it to every great person you could possibly think of. When it was all good, they was with them. When things got bad, then they was against them.But in this case things didn’t “get bad.” It’s something you did.
Let me just say this: [he sits up on the couch] If you look at a guy who came up, no pops in the house, moms on welfare, food stamps; started selling dope when he was 12, 13 years old, came up handling guns, being in shoot-outs; started going to jail when he was 15. In all of this chaos and this mischief and lawlessness, the person who was just in jail for machine guns and silencers turns his life around. And now you want to crucify him ―for what? Three pills. I mean, of course it’s wrong and unacceptable and inexcusable. No problem. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s rather petty.It’s rather petty to hold someone’s feet to the fire for something so small when they have overcame things that were so big. All that could have been going wrong―if I was riding with more guns, or if I had gotten into a shoot-out and killed somebody, then I could see that. But just think about it. I’ve gotten it down to this much.
How did you get a drug habit?
I had a lot of work done to my teeth. Oral surgery, extractions, six, seven, eight root canals. Between January to February. As soon as I got out, I had a lot of stuff done. In the joint, you eat shit that is unhealthy for you. I had fillings that fell out and stuff that had to get dealt with. Of course for the pain they gave me oxycontin and hydrocodone. And, mind you, on October 13, 2007, I had cut off everything―weed, alcohol.Then I get these pills and I start taking them for the pain at first. And then I’m like, Wait―this shit makes me feel good. And it’s legal. After the pain went away, I kept taking it. I had like five, six prescriptions. So I had, like 80 pills. Everybody else might have a drink or smoke a blunt, I took a pain pill. Times when I had 18-, 20-hour days, I’d take a pain pill. And eventually I developed―I guess―the beginning stages of dependence.
Have you talked to Eminem about addiction?
Sure. We got a record together, and we talked a lot. I asked him how he knew he was an addict. Basically if you put yourself in harm’s way… if you risk that, you’ve got to assume that there is something fundamentally wrong with your thought process. {Source}
I hope he really gets himself together
cant believe this fool put himself in the same company as jesus and martin luther king?
they were leaders who were presecuted for trying to deliever a message, he was a fool who drew attention to himself while driving and in posssesion of drugs weeks after being released from prison. im so sick of these dumb ass rappers blamming everybody but themselves, it would be different if they were innocent. they always say the law ad police are trying to make examples out of them well they need to stop giving them oppertunities, dumbasses.
I got love for you, T.I, but I’m not here for excuses.
First time, OK. Second time, maybe. Third time – time’s up.
NEXT.
T.I. ? sit your tail down… your plight is not to be compared with jesus and my phrat brother( MLK)…. this men took a stand in times when others were too afraid to do so… what stands have you made other than taking a walk to the trap house. you are hypocrite… how about shutting up and writing some songs for your new release.
*these men*
I’m so TIRED OF THAT DUMBASS !! B**** YOU DESERVE TO HAVE YOUR ASS IN JAIL !! B**** can’t you act like a MEN & FATHER YOU DUMBASS B**** ?? NEEEEEEEEXT !! I wish he FLOPS HARD !!
Im still riding with you T.I. I really dont care what nobody says. I respect TI’s willingness to be so open about what he is going through because he is talking about alot things that he really dont have to be shaing with any of us. He is being 100% straight up honest.
And he has a point. He grew up in a very rough situation that even followed him through the beginning of his career. He over came so much and has done so much to redeem himself and help other people and people are coming down on him so hard. He was on probation so any little thing would have had him sent back to jail because that is how that system is designed.
It is so easy to sit infront of your computer screen and talk s*** about somebody, like alot of you do, but you would never say it to his face.
back to *prison*
@luv-lee i would say it to his face if i had the chance, as i doubt anybody on his payroll are telling him to fix up. for every person like t.i who blames his past for his present, there are peple who have had an equaly rough past but they havn’t let it determine their future.
its too easy to blame your up bringing, but he is no longer a little boy now, he is a grown man with kids and a wife, its time he take responsibility, instead of blamming the past.
I am sick to death of the excuses! This criminal needs to accept responsibility for his actions and deal with the consequences.
so fuckn tired of him.
no one gives a s*** about his weak ass excuses.
root canals? he is a fuckn liar.
i like the cover though, it’s really dope.
Oh well..
No Mercy – Dec 7th!!!!
Oh nice cover…as usual
C***!