Audio After The JumpT.I. is getting a lot of well deserved praise today after playing a pivotal role in saving a suicidal man's life yesterday.
Some have questioned his motives in getting involved, seeing as he has a hearing on Friday. When a Federal judge will decide whether or not to revoke his probation due to his recent arrest for drug possession and a dirty urine test.
Police, however are not sure the man who was ready to jump from the top of a building would have come down if not for T.I.
Atlanta Officer James Polite says that Tip's help was invaluable.
"T.I. came to the scene and offered to talk to him," Polite told the Atlanta Constitution Journal.“He didn’t have to stop. He could’ve kept on going about his business. We’re happy it ended the way it did, and we thank him."
In an interview with WSB Radio's Pete Combs, Tip said he was moved by the spirit of God to act when he heard about the situation that was unfolding.
"I was leaving home on the way to shoot a video with Chris Brown," Tip says. "On the radio, I heard that there was a guy on the top of a building and he was threatening to jump. They said he was a 22-year old African American man, and something inside me said 'you gotta try to help this guy, you gotta do whatever you can.' First I started making phone calls to reach anybody who could assist me in how to help. Everybody was like 'we don't know what could be done, he aint really talking,' " T.I. continued. "So I just made my way down there and made my way up to the policeman. I told him 'I just wanted to see if I could be of any assistance and if there is anything I could do to help resolve this situation peacefully.' "
At that point, the policeman went to the hostage negotiator, who came over to talk to TIP.
"The negotiators came over and said 'what are you willing to do?' I said 'whatever you think will be beneficial, I'm willing to help save this guy's life.' They said he wanted a video message to assure him that I was really there. They did a video message of me saying 'no matter how hard it seems, it can get better and it will get better,' "
After getting the video message from T.I., the man came down from the roof. Tip talked to him about helping him, if he was willing to help himself.
When asked why he did it, T.I. said he reacted on instincts and that God played a hand in it.
"My heart moved me to do it," he said. "Some people might say God was speaking to me and told me to do it. God did all the work, I just whowed up."
Police say they won't be pressing charges against the man.
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