ATLANTA – Everything seems to be falling back into place for T.I. since the rapper ended a 10-month term inside a federal prison and a halfway house earlier this year.
He's got a movie, "Takers," coming out on Aug. 27 and a new album, "King Uncaged," due in late September. But more importantly, the Grammy-winner is putting a stronger focus on his family. The father of five recently demonstrated that commitment by getting married to his longtime girlfriend, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, late last month.
"Right now, it's all about moving forward and just acknowledging the blessing that are here today. ... Just moving past the regrets of yesterday — the things that could've been done better," said T.I. in an interview last month.
The 29-year-old served seven months in an Arkansas federal prison and three months in a Georgia halfway house on federal weapons charges and was released in March. He said he's been able to relieve the lingering guilt of being unable to protect his best friend Philant Johnson, who was killed following his post-performance party in Cincinnati in 2006.
"I got so down on myself about the loss of his life that I did not acknowledge the fact that I still had mine," he said.
Jason Geter, co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records, T.I.'s label, said T.I. has made more of a conscious effort to spend more time with his family.
"He's not taking things for granted as far as wasting time," Geter said. "He realizes things aren't guaranteed."
T.I. says he's also determined to pick up where he left off after the success of his last album "Paper Trail." It was released in October 2008 and sold over two million copies and charted three No. 1 songs. He's already released singles, "I'm Back" and "Got Your Back," featuring Keri Hilson.
"I just want to make sure that I came back the same way I left," he says. "I left relatively strong. I just wanted to make sure I came back in a way that would support my exit."
Source: AP
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