T.I. Talks Powerful Black Men Being Ridiculed For Speaking On Behalf Of The Community

Clifford “T.I.” Harris was caught in a serious online firestorm a few weeks ago. The 40-year-old rapper/actor and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris were combating allegations of assault and sexual misconduct from a former family friend and other accusers.

After Sabrina Peterson claimed T.I. held a gun to her head at some point in the past, the Hustle Gang leader and Tiny were also accused of being involved in sex trafficking. In an 8-minute Instagram video, T.I. vehemently denied that he or his spouse ever took part in any illegal sex-related activities with women.

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However, those sexual abuse accusations reportedly led to VH1 suspending the production of the T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle reality show. The Shade Room recently spoke to Tip. The celebrity news outlet asked him how does he deal with being a public figure that is often scrutinized by the media.

“Focus on my truth and my purpose. Can’t nobody tell me about me,” T.I. replied. “Your opinion of me will never overrule my opinion of myself. Your fantasy of me will never overrule my fact of myself, the facts that I know about me, about my life. The tail shall never wag the dog.”

The conversation then turned to the impact of online culture. T.I. stated, “One thing social media has shown us, and society at large, is one, that anytime a Black man is in a position of power and he uses his platform to speak on behalf of the community and to help people who need the most help, that’s gonna be objected to, challenged, ridiculed.”

He added, “From Malcolm X to John Africa to anybody. To the Chairman, Fred Hampton, it’s gonna always be challenged as long as you’re trying to be a voice for the voiceless. You just gotta believe enough in your purpose to stand and go on through it. But other people’s fantasies and fiction of me will never overrule the facts I know of myself.”