I didn't know T.I. had an assistant

Finally, the truth about what happened that night in Ohio, when T.I.'s weed carrier Philant Johnson was killed in a highway shootout.

At the time, there were rumors (er, reports in a motherfucking newspaper) that the reason Philant Johnson was killed was become some local toughs got pissed because T.I.'s weed carriers were throwing money at people from the stage.

I mentioned this on my blog at XXL, and my colleague at the time, DJ Drama, got all pissed, talking about how I wasn't there, so I didn't know what I was talking about. Drama was there that night himself, but he wasn't in the car that got shot at, because he dropped his cell phone on the floor in the club, and he stuck around after the rest of T.I.'s weed carriers left, to look for it.

I took this to mean there must have been some other reason Philant Johnson was killed, besides T.I.'s weed carriers making it rain from the stage, but Drama himself didn't offer any other explanation. So of course I was left with no choice but to speculate.

It then occurred to me that Philant Johnson might have been killed by a group of angry hispanic militants, upset with some comments T.I. had made to the AP that summer about how, if illegal immigrants didn't come here the right way, they might need to take their asses back where they came from.

Which might help explain why law enforcement was having such a hard time tracking down the assailants. It's not like you can just consult a phone book to find out where a lot of these Mexicans live. And I don't mean to suggest that they all look pretty similar, at least to me. Because that would just be insensitive. But come on. Find me a Mexican dude that like, 6' 3". You can't do it. Nullus.

But come to find out, it was a couple of black dudes who shot and killed T.I.'s weed carrier. They were just picked up the other day, in Cincinatti, and charged in Philant Johnson's murder.

According to a report in the AP, the dubiously titled "Charges in Cincinnati slaying of rapper T.I.'s assistant," the incident had to do with the two guys not being allowed entrance into the VIP area of the club where T.I.'s after party was held. But I've read other reports that the making it rain might have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

To wit:

Shortly after the shooting, several witnesses told The Enquirer that anger also flared when some of those in the rapper’s entourage threw money from the stage. That event may have helped fuel the fire, [Detective Tim] Gormly said.

Just like I figured.

I suppose I should apologize to the hispanic community for suggesting they might have played a part in this. My bad. I was misled by DJ Drama, who's either a liar, or was just mistaken.