By Stacy M. Brown,
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
(NNPA NEWSWIRE) – Hip-hop power couple T.I. and Tiny Harris celebrated the grand opening of their long-awaited affordable housing complex, The Intrada Westside, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Atlanta.
According to HipHopDX.com, the project is part of the couple’s commitment to community development, but it also has personal meaning for T.I. – the property once housed a grocery store where his grandmother shopped.
The Intrada Westside, located opposite Center Hill Park in the northwest part of Atlanta, boasts 143 apartments and 25 unique units to house homeless youth. T.I., born Clifford Harris and known for hits like “Whatever You Like,” expressed gratitude for the support from the arts and entertainment industry, which helped garner the financial resources needed to provide some of the essential amenities to the community.
“The arts and entertainment industry in this city has been able to collaborate and be, I guess, profitable enough to offer the community so many things that are much needed,” he said.
This venture is reportedly not the first time T.I. has invested in revitalizing his Atlanta community. In 2020, he urged his social media followers to shift their focus from luxury items to real estate. The rapper highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behavior and encouraged responsible spending.
HipHopDx.com reported that T.I. had been actively involved in community initiatives through his Buy Back the Block initiative, investing over $2.7 million since 2017 to acquire six properties and plots of land in his Center Hill neighborhood. The website said his philosophy emphasizes the potential for individuals to thrive financially while positively contributing to their communities.
“The Black Press of America salutes both the creative genius of T.I. and his concrete commitment to the economic development of Black communities,” National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said. The NNPA is the trade association of America’s more than 230 Black-owned newspapers and media companies.
“The affordable housing development in Atlanta is an innovative and positive pathway forward,” Chavis added. “I know T.I. personally, and his character and integrity are impeccable.”
