“In the grand scheme of things, we are only here on Earth in this life for a short period of time, and once we leave, people won’t remember the clothes we wore or the things we have,” T.I. said during his acceptance of the award. “We will only be remembered by what we meant to our family, our children and what we were able to do for others.”
T.I., who has long been involved in the Atlanta community through organizations like Harris Community Works and For the Love of Our Fathers. He's also been instrumental in the redevelopment of his old Bankhead neighborhood, which like much of the city, has been targeted for rapid gentrification which has displaced many of the neighborhood's Black residents. He's currently working on an affordable housing development in his old neighborhood. '
The rapper also received the Volunteer’s Achievement Lifetime Award, which was presented to him by Global International Alliance on behalf of President Joe Biden, and recognizes this 4,000 hours of service to the U.S.
“You spend years grinding, fighting, clawing and climbing with what feels like the weight( &Hate) of the world on your shoulders…. oftentimes feeling like no one cares, notices, or appreciates your efforts, intentions or sacrifices,” he wrote on Instagram, before thanking the representatives and Pres. Biden for the "prestigious honors."
