T.I.’s message to at-risk youth

Photo by Freddyo Exclusively for Sandrarose.com

As you know, rapper T.I., has been ordered to complete 1000 hours of community service speaking to troubled youth on the dangers of drugs, gangs and guns. On Monday, T.I., real name Clifford Harris, visited the Inner Harbour for Children and Families and the Carver Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta.

T.I.’s new platform for at risk boys is called “Stop Teen on Teen Violence” which is overseen by It’s Cool To Be Smart in collaboration with the Music Education Group.

While at the Inner Harbour facility, Mr. Harris spoke to the kids on topics concerning managing their anger and walking away from negative influences and environments. Here’s part of what he said,

“what you see in videos and what you listen to is just entertainment but what I am talking to you about today about gang prevention, positive reintegration into the community and school, establishing a positive pattern of behavior, and allowing yourself to trust positive people is real!”

Not to be funny, but those are pretty big words to throw at troubled kids who may not have the capacity to understand. What T.I. is doing is great but it doesn’t benefit the kids if the message is lost on them.

In my opinion, T.I. should throw away the speeches prepared by well-meaning publicists, and talk to those kids from his heart by drawing from his own experiences.

MAJAHINEVERYWAY

While I’ve heard some people say that he is not the best role model to speak to kids, I disagree. Who better to get through to the youth? Kids will listen to someone they deem “gangster” and who they know is speaking from experience. Unfortunately, they will listen to him quicker than they listen to their own parents. I believe this will also help TIP heal himself. He has a great deal to lose and I believe he realizes this now. Many blessing to you TIP!
MAJAHINEVERYWAY

Sandra, I do agree with you too though. Just speak straight from the heart and get rid of the pre-written speaches. Again, kids know the difference. He should just be himself in this whole experience that was court mandated. It can help a great deal of kids.
Doganr

My only question is whether teens really want to hear what T.I has to say…I mean really? Would T.I be talking to teens if he wasnt being forced to? Does T.i really believe in what he is trying to tell the kids? What would of happened if T.I was caught with all those guns? I really think this whole idea is a lost cause. It is like a parent telling a child do as I say not as I do…
http://www.weneedtostop.com 2Unruly

It is nice to see he is going to be delivering positive messages, and I hope others follow suit. This should be done without court orders. This guy is going to evolve to go on to do greater things. I can just sense it.
mizzdallas

You cant teach and old dog new tricks but you can teach the puppies. And T.I is the best person to speak amongst these young kids that gang-bangin, drug-selling etc., get you no-where in life.
http://www.myspace.com/sweetpea_337 pyt_504

Sandra said:
T.I. should throw away the speeches prepared by well-meaning publicists, and talk to those kids from his heart by drawing from his own experiences.
====================================================

Honey you said a mouth full on that one. i couldnt agree with you more!
uptopgrl

I agree with mizzdallas but we better hurry and get the puppies because they are starting young. Did you hear about the 3rd graders that brought duck tape and knives to school because the teacher but someone in time out Lord help us these kids need their ass whip. What happen to good old fashion parenting.
Sharonda

T.I. should only be a role model to his kids.I don’t think he is the best role model, but to be talking to kids about what he has done is cool, I guess.Parents need to be talking to their kids about it.Even though some parents haven’t experience gang-banging per se they need to tell their child these kind of things.It’s like Tookie turning to God after going to prison.Or anybody going to prison they want to act like they have some sense once they go in.People want to switch they style up once their lifestyle catches up to them.He had chance(s) to turn his life around and now he want to go talking to the kids.He wasn’t thinking that with his kids with those weapons in the house.

Good for him though.Negative people will always hold you back.
spraggaswifey

mizzdallas & uptopgirl—agree…and he should speak from the heart so he does not come off as fake…
youths these days are becoming parents earlier in their lives and they are not grown as yet…i personally don’t consider t.i. a “gangster rapper” but hey the youths today might….regardless what made him start doing this the point is he’s doing it…i agree that this could be the start of alot of positive things for this man….bless him and his family….;)……
http://notenoughrealmen.blogspot.com 2thick4u

I’m glad that he is talking to children that are straying away from a positive future. I hope that he can really make a difference in at least one of their lives.

I hope that he is speaking from the heart!!!
aqtpie

I agree with Sandra nothing is like speaking from/on your own personal experiences!!!
Mz_Magnificent1

Truestory Sandra…Tip should just keep it 100% with these kids.

He knows what is really happening in these communities…not to mention he has been to hell and back! He knows how the kids talk…and they respect him. Tip keep it real…give it to them like the G that you are.
Anti-believer

I like T.I. but he sounds hypocritical to me. “Don’t what i do but do what I say”

If you had a “hard life” and you make it successfully why keep reliving the ghetto life? T.I. is doing it.
kitty4shigady

I agree with everybody else speak from the heart
shunda

@ Sharonda

Please do not take this as an insult. Do you have kids? They generally think of their parents as corny. When I want my kids to actually get the message I could have someone else tell them the exact same thing I told them and they will get it. There is something about thinking your parents don’t have a clue. I know I can speak for a lot of people who thought this way growing up.
Sharonda

@ Shunda
I don’t usually take anything as insults because either way people have their opinions on various things itself and at the end of the day I can’t change what they say or think.But no I do not have kids.I’m a young adult; I think I’m to young to have kids.Personally, I don’t want kids until I know I’m able to hold off my own and married; I’m almost there but I want to live my life before I settle down.If kids think whatever coming from their parents is corny than whatever the case let it be, but the child will remember somewhat what they said to them because it came out corny.Being corny to me is just not an excuse to me.I understand that some kids parent’s are not there.I’m blessed, but listening to someone who had chances to change their life and is bless to take care of his family is like a blur to me.Why would people take what he says seriously?If kids really want to look up to somebody they would have to be a positive.
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shunda

@
Sharonda

I agree with you that kids will remember. I also think it is great to wait until you have lived life some to have kids. I can’t say that I lived my life a lot because I am considered young but I was married so just be careful with that too. Enough about us lol! I just think that kids can learn from the mistakes of others this should have been done before the court order heck he has other felonies he could of talked about.
Krysi – yes the same one

Recess after TI’s speech:

2 bad azz kids on the playground

Rayshawd: aye shawty u heard bout dem guns TIP had in the house when 5-0 rolled up

Quan: Yea I heard bout dat sh*t, my n*gga had army guns dawg he da hardest rapper on da streets. I wanna be just like dat n*gga

Rayshawd: Yea, I heard he ah snitch doe.

Quan: naw folk n*ggahs from bankhead don’t snitch

Reyshawd: yea u right, I wonder why he told us everythang in da videos ain real?

Quan: cause, dawg he gotta do community service, 5-0 made him say dat, he just doing what he gotta do…don’t you read sandrarose?
mizzdallas

Re: uptopgrl Says:

Did you hear about the 3rd graders that brought duck tape and knives to school.

I heard the news this morning on the Steve Hervey show Im sorry but I would have gotten my shoe (stilleto) and beat the crap out of those kids.
mizzdallas

Sandra how come you block the word s h o e s
Maxdan

HAHAHAHAHA, I agree with Krysi (19). That’s real talk, children ARE NOT dumb.

Those written words don’t seem like anything that would come from T.I. on accident or on purpose.
Krysi – yes the same one

@maxdan

exactly!
teecee

its a bunch of bull crap. its like asking a guy who just got out of rehab to speak to guys in rehab about life. the words mean nothing if you havent lived them.

our inner city kids need prevention and solutions. they have the problems and are living those problems, they have no answers or solutions. when i speak to inner city kids i speak from the point of prevention and solutions. if you dont want a drug habit dont do drugs. if you got addicts in your family, the propensity of you becoming a drug addict is high. dont have un protected sex if you don’t want a kid or hiv. dont participate in illegal activity if you dont want to go to jail. jail aint fun, the food is bad, you have to worry about fighting gettin killed and raped. kids know packaged prepared crap. when kids ask me how do you go out to a party or some place and not drink or do drugs they want the truth and realistic answers from someone who lived it.
MIZZ.I_REP_ATL

Sandra said…
“Not to be funny, but those are pretty big words to throw at troubled kids who may not have the capacity to understand. What T.I. is doing is great but it doesn’t benefit the kids if the message is lost on them.
In my opinion, T.I. should throw away the speeches prepared by well-meaning publicists, and talk to those kids from his heart by drawing from his own experiences.”
—
LOL….That is so TRUE! He most definitely needs too “talk to those kids from his heart by drawing from his own experiences.” The man has been in trouble with the law b 4 the entire world got to know him as TI. So he has plenty of examples to lead these kids by. SMH, this is sad, ’cause just knowing it is mandatory of him to do this, after this, will he finally practice what he preaches to these kids. “Cause these kids now and days try to live by the things they say and do in their music.
Krysi – yes the same one

He should start by saying

“Look, I can’t lie to yall, I’m a hardhead. I’ve been stubborn and hardheaded since I was sitting in a classroom just like yours, going to a school just like this. I made some bad decisions, I’ve hurt people who loved me and wanted to see me do well, and I’ve carried a lot of guilt because of it. Just because ya living a hard life doesn’t mean you have to act that way. Most of the stuff I did, was for all the wrong reasons, I thought it was cool, I thought it was what gave me street credit amoungst my friends, I thought it made me a man, but all it did was make my life HARDER. I go back and think about what would have happened differently had I graduated from highschool and went to the studio….I would probably be in an even better situation that im in now, only I wouldv’e made smarter decisions. Its cool being the King of the South shawty, but I could’ve been the King of America who know LOL! All I’m saying don’t cut ya blessing short trying to fit in, trying to be like ya friends, or trying to be like me and all these other rappers. Be YOU shawty, take the easy way out and stay smart, cause being dumb is a waist of time. All that time I’ve spent in jail, going to court, selling drugs, and running the streets i can’t get it back. Do yourself a favor and make everyday count doing the RIGHT THING.

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