Film on gun violence features T.I., Andrew Young
AP, Oct 27, 2008 6:00 am PDTFormer United Nations ambassador Andrew Young, an advocate for peace around the world, is now taking aim at gun violence in the U.S. through a new TV documentary that focuses on the rapper T.I. — a young man making amends for federal firearms offenses. The 76-year-old Young — a veteran civil rights activist who went on to become a Georgia congressman, President Carter's ambassador to the U.N. and Atlanta's mayor — began filming this year shortly after he began to mentor T.I., 28. The rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris, pleaded guilty to several charges last March and was sentenced to prison time, community service and supervised home detention. His community service includes warning young people about the pitfalls of guns, gangs and drugs.
Young premiered the hour-long film, "Walking With Guns," on Sunday in Atlanta. It includes extensive footage of the Grammy-winning artist visiting a rehabilitation hospital in New York to meet patients paralyzed by gang violence. The film also shows T.I. and Young telling young people how to avoid violence, and follows a former gang member who is now a social activist.
The film, part a series called "Andrew Young Presents," is expected to begin airing Nov. 2 on TV stations around the country.
"Violence would still be around without guns," T.I. said to over 400 attendees during a question-and-answer session after the screening. "But there would be an increased value of life."
"Some of my colleagues are disappointed with me taking this young man in," Young said of T.I. "But sometimes us old folks have to shut up and listen to the young folks to understand where they are coming from."
___
On the Net:
Official Andrew Young Web site: http://www.andrewyoung.org
More Artist News
T.I. wins BET awards from prison; Kanye a no-show
Oct 10, 2009 10:00 pm PDT
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr., Associated Press Writer ATLANTA – T.I. didn't need to attend the BET Hip-Hop Awards to win two trophies on Saturday. The rapper, who is locked up in an Arkansas penitentiary on a federal weapons conviction, won t...
Rappers' fiancee, ex-wife star in new reality show
Jun 30, 2009 2:00 am PDT
Tameka "Tiny" Cottle wants to jump start her career while taking care of a house full of kids and dealing with her fiance, rapper T.I., serving time in an Arkansas prison. Antonia "Toya" Carter is trying to get her life back on track afte...
T.I. begins federal prison sentence in Arkansas
May 26, 2009 11:00 am PDT
T.I. entered an Arkansas federal prison Tuesday to begin a year and a day sentence on a weapon charge. The rapper made a concertlike entrance to the Forrest City low-security prison — showing up late inside of a black conversion van ...
T.I. Heading to Low-Security Lockup in Arkansas
May 15, 2009 12:00 pm PDT
The self-proclaimed King of the South will be spending his exile in Arkansas. T.I. will serve out his sentence of one year and one day in the Forrest City low-security prison when he turns himself in on May 26. According to a population ...
T.I. Sentenced to a Year and a Day
Mar 27, 2009 2:00 pm PDT
The self-proclaimed King of the South will rise again. In about 366 days' time. As expected, T.I. was sentenced today to one year and one day in Georgia prison as part of his plea deal with prosecutors over a 2007 felony weapons charg...
Loading...
