During an appearance on “The Arsenio Hall Show” this week, Atlanta rapper T.I. shared his opinion on the Philadelphia Eagles releasing wide receiver DeSean Jackson over what they believed was the athletes’ alleged gang ties.
T.I. went on to state that it wasn’t a smart move for the Eagles to send one of their best players to a rival team, the Washington Redskins, due to people Jackson associated with in his past.
“That wasn’t smart Philadelphia,” he said. “How do you send arguably your best player to your—one of your biggest rivals? I don’t understand that. But if the argument was his association with people of his past and him being from the ghetto, I don’t think he had any control over where he lived. If he could have lived in Beverly Hills, I think he would have back then.”
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After speaking specifically on Jackson’s situation with the Eagles, T.I. later shared his belief that a person should not be judged on past affiliations or the environments they come from, and should instead be judged on their actions.
“I just try to make myself as equipped as I can intellectually to deal with all walks of life,” T.I. said. “No matter where they from. No matter what kind of conversation. I feel like from the dope house to the White House I can strike up a conversation and articulate myself in any given situation…I think your actions is what should be judged. You know? Not your association. Not your environment. Your actions is what should be judged. I think men should be judged by their actions and their deeds. And just because they stand close to an area where other people may do things that are not upstanding, that does not mean that they must inherit that burden or that responsibility. Because if I haven’t committed an action or violation then you have no right to charge me for that said action.”
In addition to T.I., Long Beach, California rapper Warren G also offered his opinion on the Eagles letting go of Jackson. During an interview with TMZ last month, Warren G revealed that Jackson was put in a scapegoat situation by a team who didn’t want to pay him what they promised.
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“He was born and raised in a rough area, and everyone has friends who are troubled if you grew up where he did,” Warren G said. “This is a scapegoat situation…cause they don’t want to give him a lot of money.”
