CNN) -- Rapper T.I. was released from prison on Tuesday after seven months, his attorney confirmed.
The performer, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., will serve the remainder of a reduced sentence in a correctional center near Fulton County Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
Harris was sentenced to a year and a day in March 2009 resulting from weapons charges related to purchasing machine guns and silencers.
Officials charged him with providing a bodyguard with $12,000 to buy weapons.
In May, he reported to a federal prison complex in Forrest City, Arkansas, to begin serving his sentence.
In addition to serving prison time, T.I. was placed on house arrest, given community service and was ordered to pay a $100,300 fine.
It was not the first time the platinum-selling artist had been in trouble with the law.
Harris was not permitted to own any guns because he had been convicted in 1998 on felony drug charges, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, in Cobb County in suburban Atlanta.
After the rapper's arrest, he entered a plea agreement, which federal authorities called unique because it allowed him to remain out of prison for a year while he performed.
Steve Sadow, Harris' attorney, said prisoners with Harris' sentence are eligible for a 54-day sentence reduction for good behavior.
Harris is expected to remain at the halfway house for three months and will still be required to finish serving slightly less than 500 hours of community service and about 23 days of home incarceration.
Before reporting to prison, Harris threw himself a going-away party/concert attended by thousands at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
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My man T.I. Is on his way to a halfway house... he will be home soon!
Rapper T.I. may be moving to a halfway house soon
By Rhonda Cook
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5:08 p.m. Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Atlanta rap star T.I. is expected to be moved to a halfway house shortly after the first of the year as he nears the end of his federal prison sentence for illegal firearms possession and for possessing a gun as a convicted felon, officials confirmed Tuesday.
T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., began serving his sentence of a year and a day at a low-security prison in Arkansas last May. He is expected to be released from Bureau of Prisons custody on March 23, after serving 85 percent of his sentence.
Bureau of Prisons spokesman Edmond Ross said it was customary for an inmate to transition from prison to freedom via a halfway house if there is no danger to the community and if there is space at a facility near where he is to live after his prison time.
Usually that process begins when there are 18 months remaining on a sentence, “but in this case it would have to start sooner. It’s not uncommon for inmates to be placed in community corrections for the last portion of their confinement to help with his transition.”
Harris also could spend the final month of his sentenced confined to his house, Ross said.
Harris pleaded guilty in 2008 to possessing two silencers, three machine guns, a rifle and six handguns. In total, federal officers found 24 handguns, machine guns and rifles in Harris' Range Rover and hree machine guns at his house in College Park.
Harris -- convicted Cobb County in 1998 for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute -- he also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearms by a felon.
Federal agents targeted Harris in 2007 after they arrested his body guard, who bought guns from undercover agents. He said the three machine guns and two silencers were for Harris.
Shortly after the bodyguard arrest, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents arrested T.I. when he took delivery of the weapons from the bodyguard. The arrest took place just hours before, and blocks away from where Harris was to receive two awards at the 2007 BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.
As part of his plea deal, Harris agreed to spend 1,500 hours talking to at-risk children and teens; including 1,000 due before prison. After he is released, Harris has a year on house arrest and two more on probation. The government fined him $100,000.
By Rhonda Cook
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
5:08 p.m. Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Atlanta rap star T.I. is expected to be moved to a halfway house shortly after the first of the year as he nears the end of his federal prison sentence for illegal firearms possession and for possessing a gun as a convicted felon, officials confirmed Tuesday.
T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., began serving his sentence of a year and a day at a low-security prison in Arkansas last May. He is expected to be released from Bureau of Prisons custody on March 23, after serving 85 percent of his sentence.
Bureau of Prisons spokesman Edmond Ross said it was customary for an inmate to transition from prison to freedom via a halfway house if there is no danger to the community and if there is space at a facility near where he is to live after his prison time.
Usually that process begins when there are 18 months remaining on a sentence, “but in this case it would have to start sooner. It’s not uncommon for inmates to be placed in community corrections for the last portion of their confinement to help with his transition.”
Harris also could spend the final month of his sentenced confined to his house, Ross said.
Harris pleaded guilty in 2008 to possessing two silencers, three machine guns, a rifle and six handguns. In total, federal officers found 24 handguns, machine guns and rifles in Harris' Range Rover and hree machine guns at his house in College Park.
Harris -- convicted Cobb County in 1998 for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute -- he also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearms by a felon.
Federal agents targeted Harris in 2007 after they arrested his body guard, who bought guns from undercover agents. He said the three machine guns and two silencers were for Harris.
Shortly after the bodyguard arrest, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents arrested T.I. when he took delivery of the weapons from the bodyguard. The arrest took place just hours before, and blocks away from where Harris was to receive two awards at the 2007 BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.
As part of his plea deal, Harris agreed to spend 1,500 hours talking to at-risk children and teens; including 1,000 due before prison. After he is released, Harris has a year on house arrest and two more on probation. The government fined him $100,000.
Rappers and Incarceration
From its conception, Rap music was about telling a story and creating vivid images of things that one wished to acquire. I have been a fan since the late eighties. When I became a fan, it was during the time of the Self-destruction era. The rappers of that day spoke of empowerment, and tasteful fantasies.
Fast forward, twenty years and it seems as if a great percentage of rapper artist have, or will be facing Incarceration. In the beginning of this week, Rapper Gucci Mane was praised as the break through artist of 2009. Much anticipation and emphasis has been placed on his album due out December 8th, 2009. However, that has now been placed in jeopardy due to his recent incarceration.
Thursday of this past week it was announced that Gucci Mane was place into custody and lead away from the Court room after a probation violation. Now, to the average person who is not a rap fan this is run of the mill news. It is labeled as black man goes to jail for not following the rules. I must say that it was kind of disappointing news to hear myself. Although, I am not a direct fan of Gucci Mane’s music; there is no way to avoid hearing him on the tracks of my favorite artist! This summer along side, Mario and Sean Garrett, he took over the 106 & Park Countdown with the hit smash “Break-up” as well as Mariah Carey’s “Obsessed” Remix. Not to mention, his most recent single, “Wasted”. Now the sad part is that he was sentenced to (12) months in jail for failing to pass urinalysis. Some would say, how could you fail a drug test with so much on the line? At this point we will never know… However, his career is on hold for at least the next (6) months.
Gucci Mane’s case maybe an isolated issue; however, it is not an uncommon situation. T.I. currently is incarcerated for pleading guilty to possessing illegal machine guns and silencers as a convicted felon. Last month Shyne (known as Moses Michael Leviy now) was released from doing 9 years of a 10 year sentence. Shyne’s release was bitter sweet. Many of his supporters were glad to hear he was finally released from prison, only to learn he was deported to his native country of Belize.* Earlier this year, C-Murder was sentenced to life in prison during his appeal trial in the shooting death of a (16) year old in a night club shooting. ** Recently, Lil’ Boosie was just violated for failing to adhere to the terms of his probation for drug and gun charges. He was sentenced to (4) years. This Month, B.G. was arrested again on gun charges. And, Lil’ Wayne just copped to a plea deal on a gun charge, and is facing (12) months in jail.
There has even been a rash of female rappers who have been on the list of incarcerated artists. In 2005, Lil’ Kim was sentenced to 366 days in federal prison for perjury charges. Foxy Brown was sentenced to a year in jail for a probation violation as well as other incidents, in 2007. The following year Remy Ma was sentenced to an eight year sentence for shooting her a friend over a money matter and Da Brat was sentenced to three years for aggravated assault.
As they say, “Sex sells”, I guess incarceration does as well, too! Many of the Artist named in this article have or had successful careers and notoriety that so many young Artist crave. But, what’s the cost? Is losing your freedom worth having the notch on your belt as “you did a bid”? Even though all of the circumstances surrounding each artist’s incarceration were different, it still makes it hard on the millions of fans who love their music and the children who look up to them. Hopefully, the future generations of rap artist don’t feel that jail is the way to go in order to sell albums. There is nothing exciting about being told when you can do things simple as eat, go to the bathroom and shower, not to mention your celebrity status is on hold. In jail everyone has a number, not a name. Being hard and gangsta on wax is entertaining, but like my man B.I.G. said, [there is someone always] ”Ready to Die”; especially, when in a crab in the bucket atmosphere like being incarcerated. Jail is not the place to be and as more and more rappers go to jail, my final thought is who wants to go to jail just to see their favorite artist!
Signing Off…
Mrs. Make It Happen
*Shyne is currently fighting his extradition from Belize. He is trying to return to the States.
**C-Murder has recently asked the Court to declare him indigent, in order her him to gain a new trial.
