(AllHipHop News) In the latest edition of VEVO’s “Why I Vote,” series T.I. reflected on how the War on Drugs ravaged urban communities nationwide throughout the late 80s and early 90s.
“My name is Tip Harris, and I vote to change the injustices and to fix the inequality that exists in America today,” the rapper states in the short video clip.
In the video courtesy of Rolling Stone, the rapper explains the inequities of the War on Drugs imposed by Reagan.
To illustrate his point he explains how the war made it mandatory for an individual in possession of 10 grams of crack to be sentenced to the equivalent of someone in possession of a kilo of cocaine.
The launch of the War on Drugs impacted T.I. at a very young age, as his uncle who was one of the primary male figures in his life at the time received a 10-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
“It was unreal to me. That was the only person who took some real time to kind of mold me as a man. When he went away, it was ridiculous,” reflected the MC.
T.I. also goes on to suggest that the War on Drugs was a conspiracy to exploit the impoverished minority community for free labor to the benefit of mass corporations.
“We ain’t no d##n chemists. We didn’t come up with that,” the MC states when speaking of crack’s introduction to the community.
Check out the video below and click here to see Vic Mensa in the first episode of the “Why I Vote,” series.