T.I.'s publicists may find themselves working on a statement of apology after the Atlanta rapper told a popular hip-hop publication that gays need to get a sense of humor.
'C'mon man, I think gay people are too sensitive," T.I. is quoted in the Dec. 6 issue of Vibe magazine. He was referring to last summer's controversy involving comedian Tracy Morgan, who unleashed a torrent of hateful remarks toward gays during a club appearance in Nashville. The "30 Rock" star said he would "stab his son to death if he said he was gay."
Morgan later apologized, saying the joke "went too far and was not funny in any context."
T.I. said many in the gay community don't respect the First Amendment when it comes to the views of their opponents. "That's not American," he said.
"They’re like, ‘If you have an opinion against us, we’re gonna shut you down,' " the Grammy-winning artist told Vibe. "If you’re gay you should have the right to be gay in peace, and if you’re against it you should have the right to be against it in peace."
T.I., born Clifford Harris, was released from a halfway house in September following one year in custody for his arrest in September 2010 in Los Angeles on drug charges. He was sentenced to 11 months for violating terms of a previous supervised released after being convicted of federal firearms charges.
Harris remains under supervised release until Sept. 2012 and is required to participate in a drug/alcohol testing and treatment program.
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