T.I.
T.I. is the happiest he's "ever been" following his release from prison - because his time behind bars has made him appreciate his life on the outside.
The hip-hop star was jailed last year (09) after pleading guilty to weapon possession charges. He was released to a halfway house earlier this year (10) and was finally freed following a 23-day supervised home release in April (10).
T.I. - real name Clifford Harris Jr. - has opened up about his time in prison in an interview with U.S. newsman Larry King, and the rapper admits he's learned to appreciate his family and his career after being away for so long.
He says, "They say when you are completely happy, you die. So I am the happiest I've ever been, but I think that right now since I've gotten out of that situation, this is the first time I have actually taken advantage of and been able to enjoy the fruits of my labour."
And the star reveals he is planning to celebrate his happiness by making plans to marry his fiancee Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle, saying: "In my eyes I am already married," before confirming to King the couple will host an official ceremony soon.
The rapper though is convinced a bout of depression led to his conviction on weapons possession charges - insisting he never recovered from seeing his friend killed in a gun battle in 2006.
The hip-hop star was jailed last year (09) after pleading guilty to the illegal possession of three machine guns and two silencers following his 2007 arrest.
He has long claimed he acquired the guns because he feared assassination after his assistant Philant Johnson was gunned down in May 2006.
And the Whatever You Like hitmaker - real name Clifford Harris Jr. - who was freed from jail this year (09), now admits the incident sent him into a spiral of depression that he couldn't seem to escape from.
He tells U.S. talk show host Larry King, "My best friend died in my arms, and that kind of caused a state of depression; paranoia. And my judgment was jaded, you know?... At the time when I felt the need to have all of these things, I never took into consideration the legalities. I only took it into consideration the protection of my life and my family's life and my home...
"I am not in any way trying to excuse my behaviour because it's unacceptable, and I do realise right now that that was very, very poor judgment on my behalf."
And T.I. admits his stint in prison has helped clear his mind of negative thoughts and he no longer spends his days fearful of an attempt on his life.
He adds, "In having time to sit and reflect if you actually take the time and use it to your advantage, you see, well, even though all of these rounds of ammunition were fired at you that night, you didn't have a firearm, you're still here.
"All the things that you've managed to make it through, you didn't have a firearm in every situation under every circumstance. Most of the times you had firearms, you didn't even need to use them. So obviously the firearms aren't what's keeping you alive.
"So I had the time to take that into consideration and acknowledge that, and, you know, properly apply it to... the way I live my life."
Rapper T.I. goes on to praise the officials who allowed him to combine his jail sentence with community work - insisting he is able to do more good in the outside world than when he is locked up in prison.
The hip-hop star was was jailed last year (09) on charges of weapons possession stemming from a 2007 arrest.
He spent seven months behind bars before he was transferred from a prison in Arkansas to a halfway house near his home in Atlanta, Georgia in December (09), and later completed his sentence with 23 days on supervised release at home.
T.I. - real name Clifford Harris, Jr. - will also take on 400 hours of community service, and the star admits he's happy to be involved with the work because it gives him the chance to do some "good".
He tells U.S. talk show host Larry King, "Through the blessings of God and also the unconventional methods of this agreement based on work that I had been doing in the community prior to my arrest and my conviction, the U.S. attorney in the district... David Nahmias, along with the judge and along with their colleagues, they came up with a special agreement for me to perform X amount of hours to help at-risk kids in the community in Atlanta and abroad using my experience to kind of keep them from doing the same thing.
"It's just a creative way to extend the sentence to where society can benefit from me. I'm more useful to society in using my life story, using my influence to be able to affect the lives of kids in America today. I'm no good behind a cell. I help nobody there."
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