Assisting the Atlanta native’s endeavor are Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, the LIFE Camp, and the Political Swagger Foundation.
Announced as “Responsibility is a Lifestyle: it’s Time to Bury Da Beef,” the involved groups plan to initiate a “call to action to engage elected officials, community organizers, artists, and every American citizen to accept responsibility to build safer communities.”
The pertinent declaration from these organizations came after statistics from the Center for Disease Control revealed that 16 youths (aged 10-24) are killed daily from gun-related violence.
Recently, a 13-year-old child was fatally shot in the head on a Harlem street corner. In Queens, a double-homicide claimed the lives of a 17 and 19 year old.
Since being convicted of several felony weapons charges last year, T.I. has spent the majority of his time traveling the nation and speaking out against guns and advocating education.
In 2006, a shooting claimed the life of T.I.’s best friend Philant Johnson, who was murdered in front of rapper following a post-concert dispute.
The rally/press conference will take place on Monday May 11 the National Action Network building, located on 106 West 145th Street and Lenox Ave (Malcolm X Blvd), New York, NY 10039.
As DJ Drama promised, T.I. has just released a statement about Alfamega, essentially disassociating himself and his company from the rapper in light of reports that he was a former informant for the DEA.
“I am stunned and totally surprised about the news about Alfa (Ced Zellers),” he said. “Even though all of our artists and employees are asked by us to be honest and open about their past history, at no time did Alfa disclose to me or Grand Hustle what has now appeared in the media. He essentially deceived us by failing to fully disclose the truth about his past and there is no place in our organization for this kind of misleading behavior. This is our way of saying you must take responsibility for your own actions. We at Grand Hustle can not support or condone blaming others for our own mistakes. I hope and pray to God bless his financial plans but I don’t forsee me or my company playing a role in his personal or professional business.”
The Smoking Gun reported earlier this week that Mega was a government withness and worked with the DEA. According to the site, the artist, who calls himself the Grand Hustle Muscle, copped a deal with the government in order to shorten his 1995 jail bid in on federal gun charges. TSG obtained legal documents showing that the rapper testified against a known heroin dealer and several other criminals to have 18 months subtracted from his 110 month sentence.
T.I., who is expected to turn himself on his own 2007 federal gun charges by May 19, has a history with informants. His former bodyguard, Corey Williams, got caught buying weapons, and the government gave him a deal to turn on Tip. This lead to the King Of The South’s arrest.
In preparation for his album release with T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records, B.o.B ( Bobby Ray) went on the road and put on quite a show when he performed at Connecticut College and the Bamboozle Festival in NJ. The energetic Hip-Hop musician had the crowd going from the start