T.I. To Obama: Your Legacy Will Live On Long After Your Presidency

As President Obama nears the conclusion of his tenure as POTUS, T.I. has assured fans that his “legacy will live on long after” his presidency.

On Friday, the Grammy Award winner expressed his gratitude for Obama in an open letter published by The New York Times.

Despite the criticism Obama has faced from the black community through the years, T.I. says he appreciates Obama’s strides towards change in America.

“As I reflect, I am filled with gratitude, outrage, grief, anger, humility and appreciation, both for the things you helped bring to light and the many things we still have yet to realize,” he wrote. “For years you fought to keep this nation from the very thing we have now become.”

The rapper went on to take accountability for some of the black community’s resistance towards Obama’s political agenda ― adding that his efforts did not go unnoticed.

“For years, many of US failed you because, as I’ve said before, we were not all ready for the change you wanted to bring about. But rest assured that we heard you. Rest assured that we felt you and rest assured that your legacy will live on long after your presidency,” he added.

Prior to publishing the op-ed, which is the first in a series of forthcoming open letters where the rapper will share his thoughts on a range of social topics, T.I. told The New York Times that he wants to use his public platform to help convey some of the thoughts that other people may share with him.

“My first purpose is to communicate and share my thoughts and try to be a voice for the people who may be thinking of something to say but, for some reason, may not be able to say it or not have the platform to say it,” he said.

“Using my platform to be a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves.”

Read more of T.I.’s open letter to President Obama here.