By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Hip-hop power couple T.I. and Tiny celebrated the grand opening of their long-awaited affordable housing complex, The Intrada Westside, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Atlanta. The complex is in the northwest of the city. According to HipHopDX.com, it shows how committed the couple is to community development, and it has personal meaning for T.I. because it was once a grocery store where her grandmother shopped.
The Intrada Westside boasts 143 apartments and 25 unique units to house homeless youth. T.I., known for hits like “Whatever You Like,” expressed gratitude for the support from the arts and entertainment industry, citing its profitability to offer much-needed resources to the community.
In a nod to the project’s roots, T.I. shared, “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.”
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 said 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. proclaimed. 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 declared. “I know T.I. personally, and his character and integrity are impeccable.”
