If there is one thing that we have all learned time and time again, it's the fact that you should respect your elders and soak up game when the OG's are talking. While it's also true that we the youth are the future, it's even truer that the generation before us have seen just about everything. In short, you have to give it up to the Old Heads for teaching us lessons the right way so that we don't have to learn them the hard way.
Southern Old Head, and one of the most influential and outspoken forefathers of Hip Hop, T.I. A.K.A. TIP, A.K.A TIP Harris, A.K.A the father of Trap Muzic, has time and time again proven the aforementioned facts to be true, with his infinite and expertly eloquent street wisdom. A prime example of his teaching comes to us by way of his 2017 open letter to POTUS Donald Trump, in which he taught us two things.
The first being, if you have a respected voice and a massive platform, use it for the right things, as well as, if you can tell a motherfucka is full of shit, call his ass out in front of everyone. And though his letter was quite frankly less explicit and blunt, it surely kept it real with lines like this: "Should it ever at times seem as though WE are against YOU, I assure you it's a result of YOU defining yourself as the representative for those who are and who always have been against US."
So in honour of Mr. Harris' dedication to positively informing himself and acting as a beacon to the community, we went through his Instagram to pick 10 of his most influential and knowledgeable posts. Some of what you see may be street oriented, some of it may be political, a lot of it is just real life shit, but at any rate, pay attention as you go through this gallery because you will most likely learn something.
Remember that time T.I. taught us and Funk Flex a lesson in the "G-Code"?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTp1wZgjowr
Here's a two-for-one lesson where T.I. taught us to never come for Snoop Dogg and how to properly rotisserie roast someone.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRqnWlOjwZE
Given that his career is driven by a sound vocabulary and superb grammatical skills, it's only right he gives us a lesson in grammar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTYLdsXjhGY
Fun fact: T.I. doesn't actually control the amount to which his hat is tilted to the side, injustice does.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRvgElfjX0R
How about the time T.I. taught us that even OG's have to pay respects to the OG's with this message from Entrepreneur and Drug Kingpin, Big Meech.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfGduO2h2KL
#TipsWordsOfTheWeek18 may be one of the most under-appreciated/underutilized educational tools of IG. Just peep his mini-lesson on the word "Extemporaneous."
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd1mc4fjr2j
TIP is as much of a fashion maven as he is a wordsmith. For instance, peep these mini-lessons on patterns, where Mr. Harris gifts us insight on what 'Houndstooth' fabric is and how to mix & match Gingham prints with Polkadot patterns. WE SEE YOU FAM!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfhjQqCBzKB
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeeBYo0h6yN
T.I. taught us that having friends like Maino means you're always in for a wild night!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGw32ljKp9
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGxhhXjoZE
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXGzLWCDbvx
And let us not forget, who started this shit.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUaMU0ojcOO
