As a Christian when I watched the people in Katrina they lost everything. I'm not just speaking about the Black people, I'm talking about White, Chinese, Oriental, whoever lost stuff. My heart went out to 'em. I said as a Christian it would be a sin before God for me to wear my gold around people, flashing it in their face and they don't have nothing. So I said never again would I wear my gold, I want people to know I have a heart of gold and not the gold around my neck.
Mr. TI wore the gold is symbolic of my African heritage. When my black ancestors was bought over here from Africa they were shackled by their neck, they wrist and they ankles in steel chains. I turned those steel chains into gold to symbolize the fight. I'm still a slave, only my price tag is higher.
Mr. TEverybody wants the easy stuff, "Okay, I wanna be a rapper. I wish I could fight in order to get more money." They see the finished product, they see this guy Derek Jeter hitting the homerun and whatnot and say "Ooh, I wanna make $20 million a year," but they didn't see him playing sandlot ball.
Mr. T