The man that was convicted of killing a friend and assistant of rapper T.I. has been sentenced to 66 years to life behind bars.

Last month a Cincinnati jury convicted 34-year-old Hosea Thomas of murder, felonious assault and illegally having a gun after a felony conviction.

T.I.’s friend, Philant Johnson, died in May 2006 during a running gun battle on Interstate 75 that followed a concert in Cincinnati. Three others were injured.

T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, took the stand during Thomas’ trial and said he believed the shots fired at his entourage were actually meant for him. Harris rapper was not hurt during the incident.

Rapper-actor T.I. is to be flanked by federal security guards this New Year’s Eve ahead of his impending prison sentence in March.

T.I., real name Clifford Harris Jr, has been sentenced to a year in jail, which will begin next year, after pleading guilty to illegal possession of three machine guns and two silencers following his 2007 arrest.

Harris is not allowed outside of his native Georgia without a police escort, meaning he will have to spend his planned New Year’s Eve party celebrations in Miami, Florida, trailed by federal security guards.

He is due to perform at Miami Gansevoort South Hotel in the city, at an event hosted by actress Chloë Sevigny, according to the New York Post.

Rumor has it that Atlanta rapper T.I. is interested in signing his good friend Young Buck to his label:

“Buck is a personal partner of mine,” Tip said. “We’ve spoken, about a month or two ago, but we didn’t iron out no particulars. I would definitely be willing to speak to Buck about that, but I haven’t.”

50 Cent told us any offers to sign Buck would have to go through him.

“I don’t know that situation,” Tip said of Buck’s status with the G-Unit. “That’s why I would have to speak to Buck first. I haven’t even begun to deliberate. I haven’t even started the conversation with, ‘What would it take to get you over here.’ That’s just the conversation that’s been floating around the rumor mill. When I spoke to him, it was more, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ speaking as partners. We didn’t speak professionally. Just him making sure I was all right. Him asking me how I’m feeling, me asking the same of him.

Young Buck is a beast on the microphone and without a doubt the best artist in G-Unit. Who the hell wants to hear a G-Unit album wothout Buck ??? I hope this works out so that Buck can get away from bit@# a$$ 50 Cent and his girlfriend Tony Yayo.

T.I. admitted recently that he and Atlanta rival Shawty Lo sat down to try quashing their beef but immediately after Shawty Lo violated the agreement:

Shawty Lo’s camp and members of T.I.’s Grand Hustle clique got into a couple of scuffles during last week’s Dirty Awards in Atlanta. During the first altercation - which happened before T.I. even got in the venue - chairs went airborne. During the second scuffle, fists and pepper spray went flying. In between the chaos, T.I. and Shawty Lo actually had a closed-door meeting about quashing their differences.

“We spoke,” Tip said. “I don’t know what that conversation meant. Shortly after we spoke … I felt that that conversation, those words, weren’t upheld. It was just a lot of nonsense. There’s no place in my life for that. There was a time in my life where I wanted no more than to indulge in that kind of activity. I went around looking for it, welcoming it. Now, I just done blown way past that. There’s no place in my life for it. What I told him really was, ‘I’m not trippin’.’ “

Tip and Lo have been going back-and-forth on record for more than a year, mainly over Lo’s jabs that Tip really isn’t from the ‘hood he claims to be from: Bankhead.

“It’s been over for me,” Tip said. “I’m looking way past this. I got way too much stuff that I’m involved in, that I’m looking forward to, to even be bothered with it. I wish you the best. Go do your thing. Peace unto everyone.”

Tip claimed that Lo’s words were insincere, because after that meeting, another fracas occurred.

“[After we talked], me and my artists go out there to do our song, and there’s a lot of negative feedback from right here in front of the stage,” he said. “That kinda sparked some things that I, once again, cannot condone, support or entertain. So I had to separate myself form the whole situation.

“I’m done,” he added. “Like I said, it’s a non-issue for me. I’m cool. I’m not trippin’. I wasn’t trippin’ before then, and I’m not trippin’ now.”

It’s time that these two successful Black men put this beef behind them because it’s silly. When 2Pac and Biggie were beefing, Pac’s anger was understandable because he felt that Diddy and Biggie had prior knowledge of a plan to rob and murder him. T.I. and Shawty Lo’s beef is about Lo claiming T.I. isn’t from Bankhead. That’s some juvenile bull$hit. SMH.

Another senseless killing of a young Black male:

One of the brothers charged with shooting dead rapper Ti’s best pal has been convicted of murder at a Cincinnati, Ohio court.

Hosea Thomas was found guilty on Wednesday of slaying 26-year-old Philant Johnson in a drive-by shooting which occurred in May 2006.

The jurors in the trial found Thomas guilty on all 11 counts in the case against him, including murder, five counts of felonious assault and illegally possessing a gun after a felony conviction.

According to MTV.com, it took the jury less than a day of deliberating to concur a guilty verdict.

Thomas, who was arrested along with his brother Pardon Thomas in June, will be sentenced next month. He can expect a minimum of 20 years behind bars.

TI - real name Clifford Harris Jr - testified in the case on Friday telling the court how he believed the bullets that killed his childhood friend were meant for him, saying: “”All of those rounds were fired for me, in my opinion.”

The incident happened after a disagreement at Bogart’s nightclub in Cincinnati, Ohio. TI’s entourage left the nightclub, only to be pursued by Johnson and his group, who began shooting at the rapper’s vehicle. Three men were injured in the shooting, but TI escaped unscathed.

The KKK doesn’t need to murder Blacks anymore, we are doing their jobs for them and better than they could because each time it eliminates at least 2 black lives. One is dead, the other in jail which is exactly how they want it. Wake Up !!!

Someone needs to step in before somebody gets hurt seriously:

Radio One’s fourth annual Dirty Awards ended abruptly this evening when two separate altercations erupted reportedly between rapper Shawty Lo and members of the Grand Hustle camp tonight (November 24).

An eye witness told AllHipHop.com that the tension between the two crews mounted during Shawty Lo’s performance, which included a diss version of Grand Hustle artist Yung LA’s song “Ain’t I.”

As Lo performed his version with a chorus “Don’t I,” an audience member identified by an eyewitness as Capitol recording artist Alfamega, allegedly threw a chair onto the stage.

At that point, witnesses say another artist signed to the T.I.-helmed label stormed the stage, at which point authorities proceeded to break a fight.

T.I. himself took the stage shortly after the fight to accept an award following, a reported private conversation with Shawty-Lo, in which the Grammy Award-winning rapper/actor allegedly insisted once again, that the two end their long-running beef.

He proceeded to denounce the violence and negativity and assured the Dirty Awards audience that he did not condone the fighting.

Shortly thereafter, however, a second fight broke out as T.I. performed his verse from “Ain’t I,” allegedly substituting some lyrics with verbal jabs at Shawty Lo, with whom he has had an unpleasant relationship throughout the year.

Towards the end of the performance, another member of the Grand Hustle camp allegedly jumped off stage and assaulted a man witnesses said was Shawty Lo’s brother.

Police officers then halted the awards show, using pepper spray to end the fight.

While the Dirty Awards audience was immediately evacuated, witnesses say other altercations may have occurred outside of the event.

Check out a clip from the awards below.

Source

Rapper T.I. testified Friday that he believes the bullets fired at his entourage during a wild vehicle chase two years ago were meant for him.

He took the witness stand in the trial of Hosea Thomas, 34, who is accused of firing the shot that killed Philant Johnson during a gun battle on Interstate 75.

“All of those rounds were fired for me, in my opinion,” he said, adding that he later apologized to Johnson’s mother when he called her with the news.

Testifying for the prosecution, T.I. described seeing Johnson, whom he called his best and oldest friend, after their van pulled over. He said Johnson was lying lifeless, blood running down his face from a shot into his left temple.

Johnson was an assistant to T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris.

T.I. said he and Johnson grew up together in Atlanta.

The shooting occurred after a post-concert party at a club. T.I. said after his van drove away, he spotted another vehicle moving up from behind in traffic. Then shots rang out and he took cover.

Three others were injured. T.I. wasn’t hurt.

He testified that after calling Johnson’s mother, he talked to Johnson’s young daughter, whom he said was 4 or 5 years old.

“I told her that he was gone to a better place and he won’t be coming back. And I told her how much he loved her,” he said.

T.I. spoke calmly and directly during 30 minutes on the stand in a packed, small courtroom in the Hamilton County courthouse.

Prosecutors say Thomas’ brother has identified him as the shooter. Padron Thomas was driving a Jeep that allegedly chased the vans used by T.I. and his entourage on May 3, 2006.

Hosea Thomas’ attorney said Padron Thomas is testifying against his brother to earn a lesser sentence on federal charges.

T.I. has had his own legal problems. He was sentenced to one year in prison on federal weapons charges after his arrest in October 2007 before the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta for allegedly trying to buy automatic weapons. He is to start his sentence in March after completing 1,000 hours of community service.

His latest CD, “Paper Trail,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts, and has produced two No. 1 singles, “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna.

Source

Rapper T.I. and singer Rihanna perform on stage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on September 7, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Damn !!! T.I. must be one of the luckiest people in the world with the success he’s had since being arrested last year:

Atlanta Rapper T.I. again succeeded himself at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart Thursday, as “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna moved up one notch to trade places with “Whatever You Like.” A month ago, “Life” replaced “Like,” making T.I. the ninth artist in the rock era to do this.

Pink’s “So What” rose one to No. 3, Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold” moved up two to No. 4, Beyonce’s “If I Were a Boy” fell two to No. 5, and Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” slipped one to No. 6.

Kevin Rudolf’s “Let It Rock” featuring Lil Wayne, and Ne-Yo’s “Miss Independent” held at Nos. 7 and 8, respectively.

Akon’s “Right Now (Na Na Na)” jumped five places to No. 9. Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” was unchanged at No. 10.

Country singer Taylor Swift’s “You’re Not Sorry” was the top debut at No. 11, narrowly failing to become her third top 10 debut of the year. Her second album, “Fearless,” arrives in stores next Tuesday.

On Billboard’s airplay-based rock charts, Metallica’s “The Day That Never Comes” was No. 1 at Mainstream Rock for a sixth week, while the Offspring’s “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” led Modern Rock for a seventh.

I wonder how Shawty Lo feels about how T.I. has come up since being released from jail ? T.I. really let him have it in that ‘What Up, What’s Happenin” video. LOL !!!

T.I. originally thought his voting privileges were revoked as a convicted felon, until he researched and learned that under a Georgia law felons are eligible if they’re not currently serving probation or a prison sentence.

“It’s a relief,” said the best-selling rapper, who stood in line for no more than 10 minutes on Wednesday before entering a polling center in suburban Atlanta to vote for the first time in his life.

“This what it is all about, not staying up late and waking up early to vote,” he added. “Now rather than just talking about it, I’m being about it. I’m leading by example, and it makes me feel a lot better.”

T.I., who already has two No. 1 hits off his new album “Paper Trail” (”Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life” with Rihanna), does have several federal firearms offenses and ongoing community service endeavors, stemming from his arrest last October for trying to buy automatic weapons. But his lawyer, Steve Sadow, confirmed that he can still cast a ballot because his sentence doesn’t start until late March next year.

“Until he is sentenced in the federal case, he doesn’t have a conviction yet,” said Sadow of his 28-year-old client, whose real name is Clifford Harris. “Even though he is a convicted felon, he has a right to vote since he is not serving probation and hasn’t started his prison sentence.”

A spokesman for the Georgia Secretary of State’s office confirmed that T.I. was eligible to vote.

With an “I’m a Georgia Voter” sticker planted on his black vest, T.I. signed autographs and took photos with several fans who were stunned to see the Grammy-winning artist in line to vote.

“It’s inspirational what he is doing,” said Nathirya Brown, 19, a first-time voter who was one of the first to spot T.I. stepping off his “Respect My Vote” campaign bus. He and the nonpartisan group Hip-Hop Caucus launched a nationwide tour in late July to encourage voters between the ages of 18 and 29 to take a more active role in politics.

“Just him being diligent enough helps others find out their status as well,” Brown added.

In a recent interview, Oscar winning actor Jamie Foxx spoke about the inspiration for the songs on his third album “Mans Intution” due in December:

“On my radio show I have this panel of beautiful women and they were talking about how men with a lot of money aren’t all that. But if a guy has no money, that’s no good either. So I was thinking, ‘What does a woman want?”

“We go from there and build the story and the songs.”

What do you think of Jamie’s new jawn ?