As Real As They Can Be

The ATL is T.I.

By Corey Bloom
Photo by Carlos Ramirez
at the Raffles L’ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills

He is T.I.: the King of the South, rapper, actor, entrepreneur and co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records, publishing and film, all the while an unselfish young millionaire who uses what his talents have brought him to give back to the people. The Atlanta-born and -raised kingpin has accomplished more than most will in a lifetime in two dimes and some change. The rule goes, if you’re gonna talk about it, you have to be about it, and to this point no one has tested the man whose fourth album is confidently titled straight-up King. It’s easy to be taken by the blatant cockiness, but it is all justifiable when looking at the big picture. T.I.’s rise to royalty came from the ground up, and now his walls are lined with gold and platinum plaques. If you’re real with yourself and your music, and stay gimmick-free, a plaque these days is hard to come by, but T.I. is a testament that real MCing not only exists, but sells when done properly. With a new movie and album released the same week, and cross promoting themselves with a stroke of genius, demand for T.I. is high to say the least. The following interview begins in Orlando, is resumed in Atlanta, and is finalized with a photo shoot in Beverly hills. It wasn’t easy, and at times intense, but it was all respect at the end.

[Tuesday, March 7th, 7 AM PST. On set to film a television show in Orlando, T.I. speaks via telephone. This is the last thing either of us want to do first thing after waking up, literally.]

Your whole thing has always been coming with that trap music, music for the hood. Is it weird for you to think that people from the suburbs to people who don’t even speak english listen and relate to your music?
Nah, I mean I intended for it to be this way, and that’s what separates this album from the other because it’s that happy medium between authentic trap music that people from that walk of life can relate to, and a broader spectrum of music. That was definitely my goal with this one.

The way you came up in the streets and hustled your way into the industry by selling units independently, it seems like you were already a businessman by the time you got into the game, do you see it like that?
I mean yeah, I’ve always been a hustler. I’ve always had a large appetite for luxury and a lot of knowledge of things I couldn’t afford. I always just took two and made it into four; it was just a way of life for me, to constantly try and have more game and be more. It’s still in me a lot.

Would you agree with Nas’s statement that the rap game is like the crack game?
I could see how one would say that, but I would have to somewhat disagree. I would actually say the opposite. although there are some similarities, in the rap game the consequences aren’t as severe. Being that the consequences aren’t as intense, people take a lazy way of caring for themselves. like in the dope game, you’re playing with your life. any mistake at any time could cost you your life. in the rap game, it ain’t as intense so people don’t have that awareness that there is no room for error. a cat don’t really care what he do, he’s not as mindful of what he does in the rap game, for real. in the dope game you have to watch yourself and make sure you’re doing the right thing, because if not, it will cost you your life. I can understand some similarities, but those facts alone shows me the two games are a world apart.

Is that what you bring to the game, that seriousness and understanding of your actions?
Absolutely, I mean I feel like everyone is responsible for their actions, and everybody deserves credit when credit is due, but I definitely feel like people aren’t mindful of their actions. They don’t think about what they do and say before they do it, they just do it to try and bring attention on themselves and sell records, or show somebody that they hard or whatever, not thinking about what could come after that. It is what it is I guess.

When I listen to your music, it sounds like you have a real appreciation and respect for hip-hop, like you spend a lot of time on the lyrics and make sure that every line is tight. That is something a lot of cats say they’re about, but you really exert that.
Yeah, a lot of people just throw that term around, and really think that they’re doing something on that mic, but they’re really wasting a lot of time. What can I say, man? If they knew better, they would do better. I guess everyone gotta think they’re the best, because if they don’t believe, nobody else will.

One thing Lil Wayne has talked about is that people assume that an artist from the South can’t really come with lyrics. Do you feel people assume the same from you?
They used to, but I think I’ve raised the standard and expectation when you hear of someone coming from the South. Before it was an automatic assumption that you were gonna be doing crunk music, or some booty-shaking music, but now it’s “Oh, we better hold up so we don’t miss anything because he might spit something hot.”

Do you spend a lot of time writing?
I don’t really write nothing down. I just make songs.

So at any given time you have 10 songs in your head?
Yeah, and ideas.

Coming up, were you big on freestyling then?
Yeah, I was, but then I saw that no one was as good as me, nobody who I could get to, until I met Mac Boney and AK and we started rocking together and freestyling and whatnot.

Is that how you got your stripes in the Atlanta scene?
It’s not really how I got my stripes, it’s how I perfected my craft. I got my stripes just being a stand-up guy that handled certain situations the same way. excuse me for sec…
[Background voice]:…it’s a morning show for TV.
TI: Awww, man. I must bid you farewell for a second so I can go tape a television show.

[Sunday, March 12th, 10:00 AM PST. T.I. is at home in Atlanta, obviously with friends from the voices in background. Not the way either of us would like to spend a Sunday morning.]

Is your life ever calm anymore?
Nah, not really.

Does it bother you, or is it something that comes with the game?
It bothers me sometimes, but I’ve learned to accept it.

Did you anticipate that it would be like this?
Nah, I never could have anticipated.

Looking at the album, there is one collaboration that really struck me and that was common. What was that one all about?
Yeah, it’s me, Common and Pharrell. Basically, man, I’m talking about where I came from in relation to where I am in life right now, and how much we have to be thankful for. It’s just saying how we’re living the good life right now. Shit is all good.

Is Common someone that you’ve wanted to work with for a while now?
He is someone I had a definite connection with for a minute now, because every time we see each other it’s all love. We never really had a chance to work with each other, but we always have a good time just kickin’ it and shit. I had originally wanted someone else to do it, but it was becoming crunch time and time to finish up the album. I seen Common out in LA for the Grammys, and we had a good conversation at a radio station. It dawned on me then, like I need you to do this record for me. I hooked up with him that day, got him the record, and he got it done the next day.

Do a lot of things happen on a whim like that, where by chance you bump into someone and the next thing you know you’re in the studio?
Yeah, a lot of times.

As well as the album, you have your debut movie ATL in theaters. Is acting something you always wanted to do?
Nah, I mean it’s something that I’ve been wanting to do ever since I’ve been in the rap game, but not as a youngster. I wanted to act once I saw—how can I say it? It’s like your graduation. If you’re a rapper, in order to graduate to another level of success, you have to crossover to acting and do movies, or begin some other entity in entertainment that exceeds your rap career. You gotta get into some other entity to become just as, if not more, successful. Once I really had an understanding of the opportunities that a movie could create, and just the potential it could present, at that point I was down.

Was it a hard transition?
Not the physical act of acting, but just adapting to the expectations of that industry.

Did you take acting lessons or anything?
Nah, I didn’t do none of that.

[Ed. Note: definition of anti-climatic.]

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