Rappers T.I. and Ja Rule Walk to End Gun Violence

From Contact Music:

Rappers T.I. and Ja Rule joined forces on Monday (5/11) for a New York Peace Walk, to honour two teenagers who were gunned down at the weekend. The MCs were joined at the Harlem rally by Reverend Al Sharpton, where they honoured the memories of 13-year-old Christopher Owen and 17-year-old Cory Squires. The artists and their followers then led the march up to 141st Street, where Squires was killed.

T.I., 28, has become an advocate for ending inner city violence since pleading guilty in March (09) to federal charges of possession of illegal firearms. He was arrested in October 2007 when he gave his bodyguard $12,000 to buy machine guns and silencers from undercover federal agents. And the rapper, who is due to turn himself in for a year-long federal prison stint on May 19 (09), took the opportunity to urge youths not to pull a gun to settle their differences.

He said: “I carried guns and swung dope as a 13-year-old. I had my best friend taken away from me through guns. I was so hurt from the loss of his life, I didn’t take notice to the knowledge that I still had mine… you’re not just killing a man, you’re killing a family.”


After the march, T.I., right, posed with (l to r) Ja Rule and Kevin Liles, Executive VP of Warner Music Group


T.I. being interviewed by Lisa Evers of NY’s FOX 5 news. Lisa was an original member of the Guardian Angels in NYC, and she’s a loyal reader of Sandrarose.com. I know this because she emailed me last month and told me so.

Photos: Wireimage/Getty


  • pointhimout

    and to think the rest of opted years ago to not advocate violence in any form. rappers do it and traffic stops. us civilized folks have been tru to dis, they’re the ones new to it. lame. NEXT

  • pointhimout

    rest of ***us***

  • keely107

    My story is not yours, some of us have to go through experiences in order to shape them into the tools God uses. Good look TI and Ja Rule, you are doing it NOW, thats all that matters.

  • Kymystry

    it’s the march of the lil short men

  • Mspeng

    Kym…I was just gonna say you know TI is short when JA Rule looks taller than him. Wow.

    But I’m glad for the positivity. I wish other entertainers would get involved too.

  • Daisy

    ^5 Keely!

    Thanks Sandra you know I was waiting on pics since I read the story yesterday! My baby looks cute as usual! Doing good in the HOOD!

    Volunteer/Mentor/give money we ALL must do our part to help our communities. When you sit and point the finger you have THREE coming back at cha! Toodles

  • Anna

    I am sure it’s no coiencence that there is an ad for firearms training next to this post. I will add what Keely is saying. Some are never going to listen and have to bump their own heads or until it hits too close for comfort to do the right thing and leave the “thug life” behind.

  • ReadTheBlog

    I’m tired of marches. It’s time to do stuff, now. Seriously, that’s whta my parents and grandparents did to get us to the point to where we can do more.

    By the way, what’s up with Al, he’s been looking bad lately, to the point to where his suits are hanging off of him. He must got ‘the sugar’.

  • ReadTheBlog

    Oh, and I do not believe TI has changed, BTW…

  • http://myspace.com/rayne215 spongebobfan

    *yawn* stop teh violance get rid of guns blah blah blah all talk no action, i dont blame these guys its the youths mentality, i dont know whats it gonna take for them to wake up, but if TI wont rap about guns anymore, 99 rappers will

  • PAGESINADIARY

    THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT?

    SNITCHING AZZ T.I. WALKING TO END GUN VIOLENCE?

    LMFAO

  • mizzdallas

    I dont think TI neither RTB I think this is all for show

  • anti-PC

    Ja Rule is marching against gun violence?? Are you serious?

    I understand T.I. because he is probably fulfilling some type of community service, but Ja Rule???

  • Anna

    ReadTheBlog Says:

    Oh, and I do not believe TI has changed, BTW…

    ~~~~~~~~
    Me either and if he wants to be such an example he would have married Tiny by now.

  • teecee

    it was the march of the midgets or what they call them midgets in the wizard of oz ?

  • carmelita79

    now he is marching against gun violence? negro please. If these people dont see thru this crap i will be upset. you mean to tell me TI and jarule didnt know it was wrong to carry guns around WHEN THEY HAVE BODYGUARDS THAT CAN DO IT FOR THEM? they need to sit down. they are just as fake as rick ross

  • rochele08

    ^@15
    they were called munchkins…y’all are so wrong. lol

  • masonmom

    hey-hey now…leave my boo rick ross out of this mane! i still love ja rule, his pain is love album is such a classic!! 50 cent did take the rug from up under him! so sad.

  • Naima

    Ja Rule actually supports a youth program out in Queens, so he has been in the anti violence activists for a few years now. TI see’s finally see’s the light now that he is facing jail time. And should kids be marching with them and not 40 and 50 year olds? I mean who are they trying to reach with this?

    And if Lisa is reading this, hey girl!

  • goat76

    Thats what is all about Keely……..

  • Kat

    is t.i. putting on a little weight? and isn’t he 5’9?

  • Naima

    TI 5’9, yeah right maybe 4’9

  • candycane

    I am really feeling TI more and more with his new drive to help troubled youth, but WHEN THE HELL IS THIS NUCCA GOING TO JAIL. Shiiit!

  • candycane

    oh, Ja is lookin a lil thick, and Uncle Rev Al sure is getting on in age

  • candycane

    masonmom Says:

    hey-hey now…leave my boo rick ross out of this mane! i still love ja rule, his pain is love album is such a classic!!
    ********************
    I LOVE LOVE that CD, my favorite song is Never Again and the Ms Cleo call me now skit is hilarious

  • kwallace577

    where the hail jeffrey been?

  • pointhimout

    my ass. my story is not your story. we all have a story to tell only mine never ended with me bringing harm or disrupting someones life for my own selfish gain.

    march for an end to gun violence, like this shit wasn’t an issue a decade ago. T.I.’s hamming it up, I swear. Had his runt ass not been busted, he would not be out here. Negros prolly got guns on them as theyre marching. please knock it off with this nonsense.

  • pointhimout

    whos the dude jamie foxx and all these other fools were marching for? he was on death row days away from being executed. dude was vicious gang leader, killed all kinda people. he comes up years later and starts writing childrens books and now he’s turned over a new leaf? as that may be true, you’ve ruined or changed the lives for way too many people. ya ass is dying tonight. r.i.p. whoever u were.

    i’m not gonna commend ur change. i’m gonna commend the work of the people who didn’t see a need to resort to the ignorance, despite the same effin whoas we all face, be it in the community, ur job, or whatever else you have going on.

  • PAHairston

    Hello All. I ain’t trying to knock anything positive that the hip/hop community is trying to do, especially when it comes to saving young lives. Will we ever, ever, ever, as a race, be on one accord? I’ll bet if I were standing on some corner in the hood giving out money, food stamps, weave, or a free date to get yo nails done, we would be on one. Hell, I’m just saying. Peaceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.