T.I. is King of the South
So what's his stance on immigration? RYAN PEARSON kisses the ring of hip-hop's monarch of the moment.
The King of the South, T.I., makes hit records -- and tough decisions on illegal immigration. (AP Photo/Ryan Pearson)
He's going to send illegal immigrants back home, tax you hard for a cause, and yes -- legalize the sticky-icky.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the new King of the South.
T.I. recently cemented that title in the hip-hop world with his blockbuster fourth major label album, "King." It sold 522,000 copies in its first week, the best such figure in the music industry this year.
But what if 25-year-old Clifford Harris -- a former drug-dealer who hit it big with songs like "ASAP," "Rubber Band Man" and "Bring 'Em Out" -- really did become King of the South?
He'd have to assemble a crew.
T.I. doesn't know who'd be queen, but the Atlanta native says his cabinet would include "the same guys I have around now advising me in Grand Hustle," referring to his production company and label. "They've done just fine by me."
Then, first on the agenda: "Rebuild New Orleans."
"There should be a tax increase of say, 25 cents on the dollar. And have that fund set up to go toward restoration of New Orleans," he told asap recently before performing on the DirecTV music show CD USA. "You've still got cars turned over. ... There's a lot of not even reconstruction but just clean up needed."
Another revenue stream in T.I.'s kingdom would come from legalizing marijuana (but no other drugs) and taxing it.
"I'm gonna legalize marijuana. There we go," he said, considering the financial windfall. "You know what? I think I just rebuilt New Orleans."
What you know about that, FEMA?
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Watch this asap video report to find out what T.I. would do about illegal immigration, taxes and the Iraq war. And to see him perform his latest single "What You Know?" on CD USA.
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asap staff reporter Ryan Pearson wonders what might've been had Run-DMC really become kings.
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Want to comment? Sound off at soundoffasap@ap.org.
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Want to comment? Sound off at soundoffasap@ap.org .
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