T.I. says Lil Wayne's comments on Black Lives Matter are 'absolutely unacceptable' - Los Angeles Times
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T.I. says Lil Wayne’s comments on Black Lives Matter are ‘absolutely unacceptable’

T.I. in Brooklyn in October.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / AP)
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“I’m at a complete loss of words here.”

That’s rapper T.I. addressing Lil Wayne in a new Instagram post inspired by controversial comments Wayne recently made about how he doesn’t feel connected to the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I KNOW you wired a bit different than most other responsible adults, but still … U TRIPPING!!!!” T.I. writes. “I don’t know what you goin thru,or what you are attempting to avoid but this … is absolutely unacceptable!!!! You’re disrespecting yourself, bringing shame on your family name & tarnishing your legacy.”

Wayne caused an uproar last week with an interview on ABC’s “Nightline” in which he was asked about his thoughts on Black Lives Matter and its protests of police killings of African Americans.

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“I don’t feel connected to a damn thing that ain’t got nothing to do with me,” Wayne replied. “If you do, you’re crazy.”

Wayne later clarified his comments, telling TMZ that he’d gotten “agitated” when the “Nightline” reporter asked questions about his daughter being called vulgar names.

“From there, there was no thought put into her questions and my responses,” he said. “Apologies to anyone who was offended.”

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For T.I., though, that was clearly not enough.

Framing his lengthy comments as a personal appeal to a close friend — “Our daughters grew up together,” he writes — the rapper confronted Wayne directly.

“Bro if you don’t stand for something out here, all the money, jewelry, cars, mansions, bandannas & hit records don’t mean” anything, he writes, using a stronger word. “Our people are being oppressed!!! We are being hunted, captured & slaughtered out here daily!!! You have to get outta that bubble that you’ve been living in & get out here & educate yourself on what’s going on around US!!!”

T.I. goes on to offer to “share whatever knowledge or understanding I may have to assist your growth & development,” but warns Wayne to “STOP this buffoonery … you out here doin. You looking like somebody who has something to gain or lose by pretending like it’s not as bad as BLM making it seem & you’re not aware of an issue that needs to be addressed.”

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The rapper says he’s been “proud to call myself a fan & a friend of Lil Wayne, but if that must end in order to stand up for those who can’t do it themselves...So be it.”

He closes by asking Wayne to “stop embarrassing yourself & everyone out here who’s been supporting you. There is no middle ground. Oppression knows no neutral party, either you’re part of the oppressed, or you with the oppressor. There is no such thing as oppression not affecting you.”

Twitter: @mikaelwood

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