The harrowing Leaving Neverland documentary — which details Michael Jackson‘s alleged serial sexual abuse against Wade Robson and James Safechuck as children — has taken a toll on Jackson’s future musical legacy since the two-part HBO film’s graphic conclusion on Monday. T.I. took to Instagram to speak out and defend Jackson on Wednesday, calling for other alleged pedophiles in Hollywood to be equally spotlighted.
Tip shared a clip from a 1999 MJ interview with Piers Morgan, where he denies ever abusing children and having to deal with unfair press. “I would slit my wrists before I would [abuse a child]. I would never ever. If it wasn’t for children, I would throw in the towel. I would kill myself,” Jackson claims. “I wouldn’t care to live. They give me my inspiration. They try to use it against me. It’s been so unfair and I’m very upset about it.”
In the Instagram caption, the Paper Trail rapper wrote, “Let this man speak for himself to defend his legacy. Don’t just listen to one side and expect to find truth. Oh that’s right…Dead men can’t speak. So what was the point again? Destroy another strong black historical LEGEND?!?!”
T.I. then points the finger at Elvis Presley and Hugh Hefner’s alleged pedophilia. “It’s several examples of pedophilia in American History… if y’all pulling up all our old shit… we gotta examine ELVIS PRESLEY, HUGH HEPHNER [sic],and a whole slew of others guilty of the same if not more!!! BUT WHY US all the time? There’s an agenda to destroy OUR CULTURE,” Tip concluded.
Check out the rest of T.I.’s thoughts on the Michael Jackson debate below.