T.I.: Happiest I have ever been
In his first appearance since serving a one year, one day sentence for federal weapons charges, Atlanta-based rapper T.I. spoke with CNN's Larry King Thursday night about the series of events that landed him in prison.
“My judgment was clouded,” he told King.
T.I., aka Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr., was arrested Oct. 13, 2007, as he attempted to purchase unregistered machine guns and silencers.
He felt the need for the high-powered weapons after his best friend and personal assistant, Philant Johnson, was killed in a shootout in Cincinnati following a performance.
“The guns that were used that night are some of the same guns I was attempting to purchase,” he told King. “At the time, I never took into consideration the legalities, I only took into consideration the safety of my life and my family’s life.”
The Grammy-award winning rapper said drugs and guns are a part of his past life.
“This is the most severe encounter with the law I have ever experienced,” he said.
He told King he wanted to keep some of the slices of his life personal, including when he and his fiancé Tameka “Tiny” Cottle plan to marry.
“In my eyes I am already married,” he said, adding that he does plan on marrying officially. “I am the happiest I have ever been.”
