Musician T.I. was arrested while trying to enter the gated community in which he lives. The rapper reportedly didn't have a key, and was taken into custody.
T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., lives in Eagles Landing, Georgia, and was arrested around 4 am on Wednesday. According to the police report, T.I. asked the guard, "don't you know who I am?" after which the world-famous artist called a friend. The two then got into an argument with the guard, which led to a call being placed to the Henry County police.
T.I. was arrested and charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct, and public intoxication. His friend, who has not been named, had a warrant out for his arrest. T.I. is currently out on bond.
In a statement to WSB-TV 2 that was also posted to Facebook, T.I.'s lawyer Steve Sadow said his client was "wrongfully arrested" and that the guard was "sound asleep" when T.I. attempted to gain access to his home. He also accused the police of refusing to listen to T.I.'s side of the story.
"Tip was wrongfully arrested early this morning when he attempted to gain entrance into his gated community - where his wife "Tiny" and his family reside. The guard was sound asleep when Tip arrived at the guardhouse. It took Tip some time to wake up the sleeping guard. Tip clearly identified himself and sought entry. The guard refused entry. Tip was in contact with "Tiny" by phone and "Tiny" confirmed that Tip should be let in immediately. The guard continued to refuse entry without justification. Words were exchanged and apparently the guard and/or a supervisor called the police. When the police arrived, they were not interested in hearing Tip's side of the story and wrongfully chose to end the situation by arresting Tip."
In an exclusive interview with The Blast, T.I. said that he got into a "very heated debate" with the guard, who refused to release his name. Adding to T.I.'s frustration, he recounted, was that the guard was also black, and that local law enforcement consists of "white cops in a very white area." He also said the assault charge is bogus. The guard "may have been hurt by my words," he recalled, but there was never a physical altercation. According to T.I., it was the guard who "antagonized" him.
The rapper plans on bringing legal action against his home owner's association over the guard's actions.
Reactions on Twitter echoed T.I.'s sentiments that cops are often over-zealous in arresting black people in majority-white neighborhoods.