T.I. Ends Houston's Restaurant Boycott

Last year, T.I. called for a boycott of Houston’s restaurant after several black customers complained about alleged mistreatment. Now, he says that the ban has been lifted and that he has joined the company on a diversity training initiative.

“I knew people personally and professionally who had been affected,” he told TMZ. “We gathered all of their stories and they nominated me to articulate the facts to the corporation for them. We were able to get all of our needs met and we were considered, as we should…I spoke on behalf of the collective to try to reach a peaceful, amicable, resolution.”

The restaurant launched a diversity training program for its executives and T.I. will remain a part of the company, in order to help continue these efforts.

“We’re all living in this world together,” he added. “We have different cultures and we have to respect the differences of one another’s cultures and we have to learn the differences of one another’s cultures to respect them. That’s where the diversity training comes in.”

Tip and his wife Tiny led a demonstration against Houston’s in Buckhead, Georgia last year, claiming that the company has a “history of discrimination.” He was joined at the event by Debra Antney, founder of Mizay Entertainment and Waka Flocka Flame’s mother, who said she was denied service by Houston’s.