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Rapper T.I. back behind bars for 11 months
by Natalie James - October 16, 2010 - comments
During the hearing, T.I. pleaded with the judge to lessen his punishment and instead help him with his drug dependency.
A day after saving life of a suicidal man, rapper T.I. lands back in a slammer. The rap superstar faces a new 11-month prison term for breaking the terms of his probation.
Wearing a gray three-piece suit, T.I., born Clifford Harris, headed to court in Atlanta Friday (Oct. 15) to attend a probation hearing, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
A U.S. District Judge has sentenced Tip to serve 11 more months in prison after finding that he had violated the terms of his supervised released, reports The AJC.
The sentence stemmed from the lyricist’s arrest in September on suspicion of possessing ecstasy.
The 30-year-old Grammy Award-winning rapper and his new wife Tameka “Tiny” Cottle were arrested on Sept. 1 on suspicion of drug possession during a traffic stop, as they were driving in a Maybach on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.
The newly married couple was arrested on drug charges after L.A. County Sheriff's deputies smelled alleged marijuana in their car.
A U.S. District Judge has sentenced Tip to serve 11 more months in prison after finding that he had violated the terms of his supervised released, reports The AJC.
The chart-topping rapper-turned-actor was already on probation after a seven-month prison stint for 2008 federal weapons charges.
Back behind bars
On Friday, the U.S. District Court Judge Charles Pannell Jr. sentenced the rap mogul to 11 months behind bars for violating his probation, reports The AJC.
During the hearing, T.I. pleaded with the judge to reduce his punishment and instead help him with his drug dependency.
According to The AJC, he told the court that "I screwed up. I screwed up bigtime, and I'm sorry. I'm truly and sincerely sorry. I don't want and I don't need to use drugs anymore. I want them out of my life."
But, the judge, apparently was not moved, stating, “I think Mr. Harris had had about the limit of second chances.”
Meanwhile, a rep for T.I.’s label, Atlantic Records, released a statement, saying, “T.I. is such an important and valued member of our Atlantic family. We offer to him and his family our continued love and support during this very difficult time.”
The hip-hop star reportedly has two weeks to turn himself in to the authorities.
Rapper’s Good Samaritan move
The sentencing comes hours after T.I. helped police talk a suicidal man down from a skyscraper.
On Wednesday, the suicidal man ascended to the roof of a 22-story Colony Square building on Peachtree Street, threatening to jump to his death from the building, but eventually agreed to come down after the rapper sent a video message to him, persuading him not to commit suicide.
About the multi-talented artist
Born on Sept. 25, 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia, Harris Jr. is best known by the stage name T.I.
A man of many talents, the multiplatinum recording artist has hits such as 'Live Your Life' and 'Whatever You Like.' He made his acting debut in March 2006 in 'ATL,' an American movie that was directed by Chris Robinson with a screenplay by Tina Gordon Chism.
T.I. won two Grammy Awards in 2006 for best rap solo performance and best rap/sung collaboration. Harris released his sixth album 'Paper Trail' on Sept. 30, 2008.
He has had three straight No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, including 'Paper Trail.' Harris will be appearing in the film 'Takers' in February 2010.
He is the key performer in the current top box office movie 'Takers,' which was released in late August.
T.I. wed his longtime sweetheart Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle, a 36-year-old singer with the group Xscape, on July 30 in a secret Miami ceremony. They have two sons together.