T.I.'s judge is so impressed with his behavior on probation -- he gave the rapper whatever he liked ... specifically, more freedom to travel out of Georgia.
T.I.'s probation officer submitted the request to extend the rapper's out-of-state travel allowance from 7 to 12 days -- and yesterday, a judge signed off on it.
According to the probation officer's letter, T.I. has been a model probationer -- staying on his best behavior the last few months ... even completing his required drug/alcohol counseling program.
T.I. has approximately five months left of supervised release -- after spending several months behind bars for a probation violationlast year, stemming from his 2009 gun conviction.
TI's got the best beginner's luck on the planet -- because Monday night, the rapper sat down for his first ever live poker game ... and somehow QUINTUPLED his money, winning thousands of dollars.
Sources tell TMZ, TI was fresh off a concert in St. Louis and had some time to kill before his flight -- so he decided to try his luck at the poker table at the Lumiere Casino.
Thing is ... TI had never played a single game of poker in a casino EVER before that night -- and he still cleaned house.
Sources tell us, TI bought in for $500 -- and left the table with $2,500-$3,000.
File this under things you never thought you'd see: Rap superstar T.I. hanging out at an Atlanta nightclub ... with 68-year-old Robert De Niro ... and TMZ has the pics.
We're told the two did NOT arrive together ... De Niro originally hit the club -- called Vanquish -- with a friend right when the place opened. But a few hours later, T.I. rolled in ... and when he heard the Oscar winner was in the house, he HAD to meet him.
Sources say the two got along GREAT ... and spent the rest of the night talking and "chillin' together."
We're told Trey Songz and Fabolous were also at the club ... and both made sure to go over to De Niro to shake his hand.
We floated the idea to T.I. -- lay down a phat Hanukkah rap track! And while he's, uhh ... thinking about it -- we're busting out our own Jewish holiday rhyme. Drop the beat, DJ Maccabeeeee ...
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Gay people aren't the only ones who need to learn how to laugh at themselves -- T.I. tells TMZ Live ... the black community is also guilty of being overly sensitive when it comes to jokes.
T.I. called in, standing by what he said in the recent Vibe interview ... that gay people who try to stifle arguably homophobic jokes simply because they're offensive are "not American."
And T.I. insists ... the argument doesn't just apply to gay people -- it applies to anyone who can't take a joke, black people included.
But there's one exception ... the n-word. Then all bets are off.
T.I. thinks gays need to get over themselves ... at least the ones who try and muzzle people from telling harmless jokes.
T.I. was discussing gay rights with Vibe magazine -- an issue he says he supports -- and then mentioned Tracy Morgan's controversial comments earlier this year:
"Man, I will say this, the funniest joke I ever heard Tracy say during a stand-up was, 'C'mon man, I think gay people are too sensitive. If you can take a d**k, you can take a joke.' [Cracks up laughing.] That s**t was funny to me. And it’s kind of true."
Then T.I. unloaded ... talking about oversensitivity in the gay community, which he believes betrays the First Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech.
"They’re like,‘If you have an opinion against us, we’re gonna shut you down.’ ... That’s not American. If you’re gay you should have the right to be gay in peace, and if you’re against it you should have the right to be against it in peace."
A newly freed T.I. gave thanks in Atlanta yesterday ... in the form of 300 delicious turkeys -- which the rapper generously handed out during a charity drive for children in need.
The photos were taken at The Carrie Steele-Pitts Home -- a childcare agency for abused and neglected children -- and sources close to the rapper tell TMZ, T.I. chose to give back at the institution because he had a rough childhood himself ... and wants to instill a sense of family in the kids.
T.I. tells us, "It's an honor and a pleasure to be able to be there and serve those who need me most in the community."
T.I. has a lot in common with Michael Vick -- especially the part where they spent a couple of years in prison -- but last night T.I. paid tribute to the guy who's proven it's possible to bounce back.
T.I. and his wife Tiny hit up a Halloween costume party at the Gold Room in Atlanta -- T.I. dressed as Mike Vick... his wife dressed as a ref.
Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ ... the costume was his wife's idea, but T.I. agreed because he's been an MV fan since the Atlanta Falcons days ... and has a ton of respect for the guy.
So, we gotta ask ... is T.I. trying to make a statement??
10:23 AM PST -- Mike Vick LOVES the tribute!!!
The NFL star released a statement to TMZ saying, “T.I. is a talented artist and I appreciate his support. I wish him success in everything he does.”
When it comes to the world of gentlemen's establishments, there's no finer connoisseur than T.I. ... and last night at Boa in Hollywood, the rapper named the top 4 nudie spots in all of Atlanta ... gathered from years of experience.
T.I. is making up for lost dad time -- after 11 months in federal custody, the rapper spent last Saturday afternoon at his son's football game in Atlanta ... and his reality TV crew filmed the entire heartwarming bonding sesh.
T.I.'s son, Clifford “King” Joseph Harris III -- one of his five biological children -- turned 7 on August 25th ... four days before the rapper was released.
You can tell from the pics -- T.I. had a field day.
Days after being released from federal custody, rapper T.I. grabbed a mic inside an Atlanta nightclub this weekend and BEGGED Diddy to chill out ... after the mogul threatened to get violent with a man in the crowd.
It all went down at the BET Hip Hop Awards Weekend after-party at Compound nightclub -- when Diddy, a spokesman for Ciroc Vodka, spotted someone drinking a rival liquor.
Diddy began shouting at the man, "B*tch ass n**gas ... put that sh*t down ... before I come smack that purple shirt off your ass."
It appears Diddy grabs ice and throws it at the man ... before screaming, "What the f**k are you gonna do, b*tch? F**king f*ggot ass light skin n**gas get the f*ck out of my face."
That's when T.I. -- who's still on probation stemming from a gun arrest -- grabbed another microphone and pleaded with Diddy, "I done paid enough time ... and nobody else in this motherf**ker [who is] talking about fighting done did no time."
He then told Diddy, "Let them n**gas drink what the f**k they want man."
He added, "I love you n**ga ... you know I will go to war with you, but come on man ... let's go."
Before Justin Bieber went toe-to-toe with a photographer -- sparking a police investigation -- he trained with "Iron" Mike Tyson! Wondering how they ended up together? Well, we got Tyson on the phone ... and you won't believe his excuse for kicking it with Biebs. Plus,…
Gay people aren't the only ones who need to learn how to laugh at themselves -- T.I. tells TMZ Live ... the black community is also guilty of being overly sensitive when it comes to jokes.
