ShareThisRapper T.I. stops short of saying the prospect of spending a year in prison frightens him.
"It concerns me," says the Atlanta-based entertainer whose real name is Clifford Harris. "I'm always optimistic, but there are no sure things."
Next month, the 28-year-old Grammy winner is looking at a year in prison after pleading guilty to federal weapons charges. Before his sentencing, he wants to pass along some wisdom to at-risk teens through his new reality show, "T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go" (9 p.m. EST Tuesdays, MTV).
On it, T.I., the father of six, attempts to help troubled teens avoid the mistakes he's made. He says that these days he's in a position to speak to them honestly. In one episode, he tries to convince a teen that skipping school and taking drugs will lead him down the wrong road.
"My perspective is not different. Me being able to lead by example is different," he says. "Before, I would have come from a 'do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do' perspective.
"Now I am coming from a perspective of someone who can sincerely speak to you of my transition."
If T.I. has truly repented, he's come a long way.
As a teen-ager, he sold drugs. After becoming a hit hip-hop artist (with nine Top 10 singles and three chart-toppers with Justin Timberlake and Rihanna), T.I. ran with a fast crowd, so much so he says he was concerned about his own safety.
What helped land him in such trouble this time was the discovery of a multitude of weapons in his possession, including unregistered machine guns and a silencer.
"I was on edge a lot. I had a huge concern for my safety due to the extreme circumstances (of celebrity) I had been placed in," he says. "I was in a very paranoid state sometimes. It reflected in my decision-making."
He agreed to 1,000 hours of community service, about 75 percent of which he has already completed. T.I. can't count the series toward his community-service hours since he's being paid.
"This show, to me, should go above and beyond my requirement," he says.
He's talking to teens about the importance of an education and making responsible decisions. T.I. says he's telling them to stay away from gangs and drugs.
If he had heeded his own advice, he wouldn't be in this situation now.
"When you're placed in a certain situation, you are distracted by so many different variables," he says. "You fail to focus on the importance of intelligent decisions."
What's he learned?
"Slow yourself down. Think," he says. "Think about the ultimate effect it will have on your life instead of the 'right now.' "
He says he still keeps up with the kids involved in his series. He also reminds them of what he has lost because of his decision.
"I've lost tremendous opportunities," he says. "It has cost me millions of dollars, not just in lost opportunities but in other ways. Legally, it has cost me like in bail bonds."
And the thought of being separated from his family? "Being forced to be away from your family for one year, one month, one day or one hour is punishment. It's a huge punishment."
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
