UPDATE: T.I. JAIL TIME ON HOLD, JUDGE GIVES RAPPER TWO MONTHS OF FREEDOM

via SOHH

Grammy-winning rapper T.I. has been granted nearly two months of freedom before being required to turn himself in for a 366 day jail sentence.

 

The “King of the South” appeared in court today Friday (March 27) for sentencing.

A judge sentenced him to one year and a day behind bars on federal weapons charges today. The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris, apologized at the hearing. “Today I would like to say thank you to some, and apologize to all,” the rapper told U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. at sentencing. “Everything I learned was through trial and errorr. I’ve learned lessons in my life to put in my music so people won’t make the same mistakes as I.” (Associated Press)

Following his sentencing, Tip will be given additional time before he must turn himself in.

He will have between 30 and 60 days to report to prison. Harris already has completed about 1,000 hours of community service and has warned youths about the pitfalls of guns, drugs, violence. He will need to complete 470 additional hours. Former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young spoke on Harris’ behalf. “He’s been able to do the work I’ve been trying to accomplish for so long in stopping violence in this country,” Young told the judge. (KDWN News)

The Atlanta-bred emcee recently spoke with SOHH about his final plans before he does his bid.

“[I] focus on today and let tomorrow handle itself,” he said. “That’s all I can do. I don’t have [to think about it.] I know it’s there. It doesn’t require any thought. I think about preparing myself financially making sure that everything is in place that I need it to be in order for the lifestyle of my family to continue in the way that it must.” (SOHH)

Last March, Tip accepted a plea deal extending the amount of time he would have before beginning his sentence.

T.I. received a deferred jail sentence of one year and one day followed by three years supervised release, plus 1,500 hours of community service and a $ 100,000 fine. Home confinement was also part of the deal, as well as completing 1,000 of the community-service hours before his jail time. (MTV)