T.I.’s Short Film on Police Brutality ‘Us Or Else’ Airs Tonight on BET [TRAILER]
T.I. has been an outspoken critic of police and how they conduct themselves in black communities. His latest album, Us Or Else: Letter to the System, is his musical response to the repeated deaths of unarmed black citizens at the hands of police. Now comes his visual response.
The Grammy-winning rapper and actor will premiere his short film, Us or Else, on BET tonight (April 24) at 11 p.m. ET. In addition, a discussion will follow with T.I. on police brutality and gun violence conducted by CNN political commentator Angela Rye.
According to Tip, his movie explores the strain relationship between police and the black community. The Atlanta veteran plays a cop in the film and it’s through his eyes and thoughts that we see the turmoil that both citizens and law enforcement are going through with gun violence in the inner city.
"Police brutality is really just a tentacle to a larger problem - the racial divide and the systemic racism that goes on from the highest of highs to the lowest of the low of society in America," he told CNN in an interview.
T.I. hopes the film sparks more dialogue within police and the communities they patrol so both can find a common ground in this ongoing problem.
"I think (the conversation) has mobilized a lot of people and awakened a lot of people, united a lot of people for a common goal," he said.
However, the Grand Hustle leader laments that if the living conditions in the inner cities don't improve, those conversations will turn into frustrations and nothing will get solved.
"If you place any creature in such excruciating circumstances over periods and periods of time ... after so long, they will be agitated and antagonized," he said. "It's human nature, so to not expect that after the type of treatment that has been rendered is insane."
Watch the trailer to T.I.'s short film, Us or Else, above.