T.I. is never one to pull his punches, and the rapper has added his voice to the discourse surrounding Nelly's recent rape accusations. As he sits in a barbershop chair, receiving a shave no less, TIP issues a warning about the dangers of false rape accusations, looking back on previous cases to set a historical precedent. More specifically, T.I's warning centers around the dangers of being a black male falsely accused of rape, and the rapper cites 2Pac and Mike Tyson as examples, implying their status and public perception might have made them easy targets.
It's a bold move for the rapper, who is at once challenging some of society's most divisive issues: race and rape culture. Still, TIP's words seem to indicate that he's cautiously riding for team Nelly, at least until a piece of damning evidence surfaces. If you're unable to watch the video, T.I. opens on a reflective tone, stating "after Mike Tyson…after muthafuckin’ Tupac…after all the other muthafuckaz who done been with girls and the girls got mad for whatever reason and left off and said that they raped them or whatnot…what the fuck ever happened when a muthafucka find out that the bitch was lying my ni**a? What consequences is there for this young lady?
“If more than twelve find us guilty, we got to answer to that. But, if we find out that this wasn’t true, what the fuck happen to her? I’m sick of this shit, know what I mean? I’m just saying—we ain’t no muthafuckin’ targets. Get your shit together.”
While Nelly is never mentioned by name, it's pretty clear that his recent arrest has prompted TIP's warning. Recently, the alleged victim spoke out about the instance, which Nelly adamantly denies ever took place. Singer Akon has also weighed in on the incident, riding for Nelly and citing his "amazing" character. As it stands, it's difficult to know what really went down that night, but eventually, the truth will be revealed. For now, what do ya'll think about T.I.'s latest rant?