Fresh out of the pen and working on his next album, Tip graces the cover of the year-end issue of Vibe Magazine. Amongst other things, the ATLien passionately discusses why he took the drug charge he just got out of jail for, over his wife that could have taken it instead. The issue hits stands December 6th, but you can check out an excerpt after the jump.

Marisa Mendez

T.I. on people criticizing Tiny for not taking the drug charge
I’ma tell you, 50 Cent and anybody else, we not gonn’a have no discussion about what my ole lady should’a, would’a, couda done for anything as it pertains to me,” begins his rant. “We ain’t gonn’a do that. I’m the only one in my family that’s gonna take a lick when it pertains to the legal system. Since me, none of my other family members have seen a jail cell. Nobody. I’m the last one. The buck stops here. I feel that a person that stands behind [his woman for a criminal charge] is a coward anyway.”

I doubt she would have gotten any time.
She wasn’t gonna catch it period, ’cause I’m there. That wasn’t even a consideration. Even if she asked me to I would’ve been like, “Nah, you trippin’. “

So you didn’t feel you were more valuable to your family, employees and business partners on the street?
That’s a discussion between me and another man. Not with the mother of my children. Not with the nurturer of my household.