Jersey City Cancels Program Saluting Rapper T.I. Amid Controversy

JERSEY CITY, NJ —An event for teens in Jersey City that was supposed to honor rapper Tip "T.I." Harris, was abruptly canceled after controversy surrounding sexual assault allegations against the rapper.

T.I. was supposed to be the honored guest of the 2021 Teen Magazine event hosted by Pastor John McReynolds and his wife Tamika McReynolds as well as Ward E Councilman Jermaine Robinson and Health and Human Services Director Stacey Flanagan. The event was schedled for noon on Monday at the Department of Recreation and Youth Development and included several officials as special guests, including Mayor Steven Fulop.

Allegations of sexual assault and abuse have been brought against T.I. and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris by over ten women.

After T.I. was announced as the honored guest, social media was flooded with backlash. By Saturday night, the city had cancelled the event and Monday morning, the social media posts about the event were wiped from city accounts.