by SABRINA M. PARKER

Last week when I heard that Clifford Harris, a.k.a. T.I., had been arrested in a sting for allegedly buying unregistered machine guns and silencers, my heart sank. He’s also charged with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.


Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records
Rapper T.I. has been denied bond for another week.

T.I., the self-proclaimed King of the South, is a small guy with a huge presence, and he’s very handsome. His music may be a little violent at times, but it’s a guilty pleasure of mine—especially songs such as “U Don’t Know Me,” “Bring Em Out” and “I’m Serious.”

At first, I had several questions, but after reading about all of the evidence against him, I had only one question: How could he be so stupid?

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has all of the details, but these are the basics:

* A man who worked for T.I. tried to buy automatic weapons from an Atlanta gun shop without registering them.
* The shop referred him to an undercover agent who sold him the weapons then arrested him.
* Once in custody, the unnamed man said he was buying for rapper T.I. and they set up a sting to catch T.I. buying machine guns and silencers.
* T.I. is recorded having conversations with his employee about buying machine guns, instructing the employee to pick up cash at the bank, and meeting the employee to get the weapons and silencers. At that point, he’s arrested.
* His home and vehicle are searched and agents find more weapons, many loaded.

I’m not sure what kind of grades T.I. made in high school. I’m sure he reads well, but what type of idiot allegedly buys automatic weapons and keeps them loaded in a home with children? Who makes a stop on their way to an award show to allegedly pick up machine guns? Sure, people have done worse, but this is a guy who claims he grew up having nothing. Today, he’s worth $16 million according to Forbes.com.

T.I. owns a record label, a recording studio, a film production company and a construction company. He was an executive producer for the Oscar-winning film “Hustle and Flow.” He has a successful acting career, which includes a role in Denzel Washington’s new film “American Gangster.” The list of reasons not to screw up goes on and on.

You can’t help but wonder if he secretly wants to go back to his life before music.

I can’t defend him, but I will point out that T.I. and his entourage were attacked by gunmen in Cincinnati last year. The gunmen killed T.I.’s best friend, and wounded three others in his vehicle, including a bodyguard. I’m sure this wasn’t the first time T.I. felt that his life was threatened. I can easily understand how he might feel a need for heavy protection in his vehicles and home. But couldn’t he just hire people who can legally protect him?

Beyond all of the riches which T.I. can’t enjoy as he sits in a Georgia jail cell this week, there are the loved ones who worry about him. The entertainment news Web site TMZ.com reported that Harris’s long-time girlfriend Tameka “Tiny” Cottle is pregnant again — the couple’s second child was delivered stillborn earlier this year. T.I. is already the father of four and takes care of Tiny’s daughter from a previous relationship.

There are the people who work for him who must question how this will affect their holidays and, perhaps most important, there’s me, err, the fans.

Why, T.I. why?!