The self-proclaimed King of the South, Clifford “T.I. Tip” Harris, is living up to that name by building his ever-growing empire. Since bouncing back from the federal weapons charges that once threatened his career, along with longevity in the forever-changing rap game, Tip just released his eighth studio album Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head. He’s also growing his clothing line Akoo, and shares his family life on the VH1 reality show T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle; all this amid a blossoming acting career. He mentioned a future movie role when he found time in his busy schedule to speak with us about Trouble Man, being real on reality TV, and his ideas regarding the gun control debates.
On The Upcoming Inauguration: No, not going. I went to the last one, I went to the first Inauguration. But I don’t think it’s a place for me to go hang out and party. I think it’s a place for a person with a purpose. I’m not going to a ball, my background won’t allow me to be cleared to appear at a Presidential Ball, so I’m going to stay put (laughs) and find me something else to do.
On Gun Control: I honestly do not agree with the idea of the notion that firearms should be banned, that second amendment rights should be taken away. I don’t agree with that, cause if you do that, you leave the guns in the hands of the people who are willing to break the law. Take the guns away from the law abiding citizens and only place them in the hands of criminals, eventually. Right now, I don’t have my second amendment rights, my right to bear arms has been taken away. But, if I choose right now to have a firearm, then that means I’m willing to break the law to have one. If today they say everybody has to turn in their firearm, you think I’m ‘gon turn mine in today because they say it’s legal? It’s still legal for me to have it, but now they just don’t want me to use it, and that’s only because of what happened.
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