Requests roll in for rapper T.I. to speak to groups

If T.I. will speak, people will listen. That was the reasoning behind the U.S. Attorney’s Office plea deal with the enormously popular Atlanta rapper — giving him a reduced prison sentence but making him earn it by spending at least 1,000 hours over the next year preaching nonviolence to “at-risk youth.”

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Less than 24 hours after the highly publicized plea, requests for the rapper to speak have come rolling in, Steve Sadow, one of the rapper’s lawyers, said Friday.

“The idea really is he can get through to kids and fans like nobody else can,” Sadow said. “Why not take advantage of what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., pleaded guilty Thursday to three firearms violations charges. Under the advisory federal sentencing guidelines, Harris faced between 4 years and 9 months and 5 years and 11 months in prison. Instead, when he is sentenced in March 2009, he will be ordered to spend a year and a day in prison as long as he fulfills the obligations of his community service and stays out of trouble.

For community service, Harris will speak out in opposition to drugs, gangs and illegal and reckless gun use. He also must promote respect for law enforcement, according to the plea deal.

Already, local district attorneys, a law enforcement group from Florida and a local NAACP chapter are among those asking for Harris’ time, Sadow said.

The Rev. Daniel L. Edwards III, president of NAACP’s Henry County branch, said he will invite Harris.

“We want to come up with a way to use his celebrity status and use him as a spokesman to reach the masses,” Edwards said. “They need to hear: Gangs are not cool, jails are not cool, guns and violence are not cool.”

According to court records, actress Journee Smollett, who starred in “The Great Debators,” wants Harris to speak to her “Catch Me Before I Fall Initiative,” which taps celebrities to speak about the dangers of gangs and drugs. Harris has also agreed to do public service announcements and teach classes for “It’s Cool To Be Smart,” a component of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, court records said.

U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said prosecutors often give credit to those who cooperate and help convict someone. “If [Harris] can prevent someone from committing a crime and victimizing someone, why isn’t that the same sort of thing we should reward?” he asked.