T.I. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids T.I.
T.I. in 2024
Born	Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (1980-09-25) September 25, 1980 (age 44) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Other names	Tip T.I.P.
Occupation	Rapper songwriter record executive record producer actor
Years active	1999–present
Agent	Jason Geter
Works	Discography filmography production videography
Title	Co-founder of A.K.O.O. Clothing, Grand Hustle, VisionMob, Club Crucial and V Live
Spouse(s)	Tameka Cottle ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	6
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Southern hip hop trap gangsta rap
Labels	EMPIRE Epic Grand Hustle Roc Nation Columbia Atlantic LaFace Arista Ghet-O-Vision

Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper. He was born and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. T.I. is known as one of the first artists to create the hip hop style called trap music. Other artists like Jeezy and Gucci Mane also helped create this style.

T.I. first met music executive Kawan "KP" Prather and joined his company, Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment, in the late 1990s. He then signed a record deal with LaFace Records, which was part of Arista Records, in 1999. His first album, I'm Serious (2001), did not become a big hit. After that, he signed with Atlantic Records and started his own record label, Grand Hustle Records, by 2003.

T.I. became more famous after appearing on Bone Crusher's 2003 song "Never Scared". His second album, Trap Muzik (2003), reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart. It included popular songs like "Rubber Band Man" and "Let's Get Away". The next year, T.I. was featured with Lil Wayne on Destiny's Child's hit song "Soldier". He then released his third album, Urban Legend (2004). His next three albums, King (2006) and T.I. vs. T.I.P. (2007), all reached number one on the Billboard 200. These albums included the top ten song "What You Know".

T.I.'s sixth album, Paper Trail (2008), was his most successful. It sold over 500,000 copies in its first week. This album had two songs that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100: "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" (featuring Rihanna). "Live Your Life" replaced "Whatever You Like" at the top, making T.I. the first rapper to have the top two songs at the same time. His seventh album, No Mercy (2010), had mixed reviews. His eighth album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head (2012), was more successful. T.I. also appeared with Pharrell Williams on Robin Thicke's 2013 song "Blurred Lines", which was a number one hit in many countries.

After his contract with Atlantic Records ended, he signed with Columbia Records in 2014. He worked with Pharrell Williams on his ninth album, Paperwork (2014). This album reached number two on the Billboard 200 and received good reviews. The next year, he worked with Young Thug to create the hip hop group Bankroll Mafia. In 2016, he signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation and released his political music series Us or Else (2016–2017). He then signed with Epic Records in 2018 for his tenth album, Dime Trap. His eleventh album, The L.I.B.R.A. (2020), was his first album released independently. He has announced that his twelfth album, Kill the King, will be his last.

T.I. has won three Grammy Awards and is seen as an important figure in hip hop music and Southern hip hop from the 2000s. He has received many awards, including 19 Grammy nominations, 12 Billboard Music Awards, three BET Awards, and two American Music Awards. Many famous artists, like Travis Scott, B.o.B, and Iggy Azalea, have signed with his Grand Hustle Records label. In his acting career, T.I. has been in films like ATL, Takers, Get Hard, Identity Thief, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Ant-Man and its sequel. He has also starred in reality TV shows like T.I.'s Road to Redemption and T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle. As an author, he has written two novels: Power & Beauty (2011) and Trouble & Triumph (2012).

Early Life and Music Start

Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. was born on September 25, 1980, in Atlanta. His parents are Clifford "Buddy" Harris Sr. and Violeta Morgan. He was raised by his grandparents in the Center Hill neighborhood of Atlanta. His father lived in New York City, and T.I. often visited him there.

T.I. started rapping when he was eight years old. He went to Douglass High School but later left. His stage name "Tip" came from a childhood nickname, named after his great-grandfather. He was also known as Rubber Band Man because he used to wear rubber bands on his wrist.

Starting His Music Career

In 1996, T.I. became friends with rapper Big Kuntry King. They sold their mixtapes from the trunk of their car. Kawan "KP" Prather, a record executive, found T.I. and signed him to his record label, Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment.

When he signed with LaFace Records (part of Arista Records) in 1999, he changed his name from Tip to T.I. This was out of respect for another artist on Arista, Q-Tip. T.I. explained that having two artists named Tip could be confusing for marketing. So, he agreed to change his name to T.I.

First Album and New Beginnings

T.I. released his first album, I'm Serious, in October 2001 through Arista Records. The album included a song with the same name, featuring Jamaican reggae artist Beenie Man. This song did not get much radio play and did not become a hit. The album featured other artists like his group P$C, Jazze Pha, Too Short, Bone Crusher, Lil Jon, Pastor Troy and YoungBloodZ. Pharrell Williams also worked on the album and called T.I. "the Jay-Z of the South".

The music for I'm Serious was created by The Neptunes, DJ Toomp, Madvac, and The Grand Hustle Team. Even with these famous guests and producers, the album only reached number 98 on the charts and sold 163,000 copies. Critics felt that many songs sounded similar. Because the album did not sell well, T.I. was dropped from Arista Records.

He then started his own company, Grand Hustle Entertainment. He began releasing several mixtapes with the help of DJ Drama. In mid-2003, he became popular again after appearing on Bone Crusher's hit song, "Never Scared". His mixtapes and the success of "Never Scared" helped him get attention from major record labels again. T.I. then signed a deal with Atlantic Records.

Rising to Fame with Trap Muzik and Urban Legend

T.I. released his second album, Trap Muzik, on August 19, 2003, through Grand Hustle Records. It debuted at number four on the charts and sold 109,000 copies in its first week. The album included the songs "24s", "Be Easy", "Rubberband Man" and "Let's Get Away". It featured artists like 8Ball & MJG, Jazze Pha, Bun B and Mac Boney. The music was produced by Jazze Pha, Kanye West, David Banner, Madvac, and DJ Toomp. Critics generally liked Trap Muzik and saw it as a big improvement from his first album. Complex magazine even called it one of the classic albums of the decade in 2012.

T.I. released his third album, Urban Legend, in November 2004. It started at number seven on the US Billboard 200, selling 193,000 copies in its first week. The first song from the album, "Bring Em Out", became T.I.'s first top ten hit, reaching number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. The second song, "U Don't Know Me", reached number twenty-three. His third song, "ASAP", reached number 75 on the US charts. In 2004, T.I. was also featured on Destiny's Child's hit song "Soldier", which reached number three on the Hot 100 chart.

Group Album, King and ATL Film

T.I. at the Summer Jam concert in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 23, 2006.

In September 2005, T.I. worked with Big Kuntry King, Mac Boney, C-Rod, and AK to release their group P$C's first album, 25 to Life. This album reached number 10 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album's main song, "I'm a King", was also on the soundtrack for the film Hustle & Flow.

T.I.'s fourth album, King, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in 2006. It sold 522,000 copies in its first week. The main song from the album, "What You Know", became a big hit in the U.S. and helped promote the album and the film ATL, which T.I. starred in. The album also had songs like "Why You Wanna", "Live in the Sky", and a remix of "Top Back". King won many awards and nominations, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. T.I. was also featured on Young Dro's song "Shoulder Lean", which reached the top ten on the U.S. Hot 100.

"What You Know" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In 2006, T.I. worked with Justin Timberlake on "My Love", which was a worldwide hit. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Timberlake at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. T.I. also won Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards for the second time. He then appeared on "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled.

In 2006, T.I. received two Grammy Award nominations. That same year, he won Rap Artist of the Year and other awards at the Billboard Music Awards and BET Awards.

T.I. vs. T.I.P. Album

T.I. released his fifth album, T.I. vs. T.I.P., on July 3, 2007. The song "You Know What It Is" featuring Wyclef Jean was released on June 12, 2007. T.I. vs. T.I.P. sold 468,000 copies in the United States and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. This was T.I.'s second album in a row to reach number one. The album included guest performances from Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, Nelly, and Eminem. In October 2007, T.I. released his third song, "Hurt", featuring Busta Rhymes and Alfamega.

The Success of Paper Trail

In early 2008, T.I. worked with Mariah Carey on the "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" remix. While working on his sixth album, T.I. started writing his lyrics down on paper. The first official song from the album, "No Matter What", was released in April 2008. The main song, "Whatever You Like", released in July 2008, became his most successful song at that time. It broke the record for the biggest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, moving from number 71 to number one. It was also T.I.'s first solo number one song. The third song was "Swing Ya Rag" featuring Swizz Beatz.

T.I. released his sixth album, Paper Trail, in September 2008. The album's title refers to the lyrics he wrote down. He had stopped writing lyrics after his first album, but decided to "take more time to really put something down [this time]". The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 568,000 copies in the United States.

The second song from the album, "Swagga Like Us", featuring Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne, reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. With the third song, "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, T.I. broke his own record on the Billboard Hot 100 when it jumped from number 80 to number one. The fourth song, "Dead and Gone", featuring Justin Timberlake, reached number two for five weeks. It was nominated for two Grammy Awards. At the 51st Grammy Awards, he won Best Rap Performance by a Duo Or a Group for "Swagga Like Us".

T.I. in 2009.

In November 2008, T.I. spoke in court during the trial for the death of his friend, Philant Johnson. T.I. has dedicated several songs to Johnson, including "Live in the Sky" and "Dead and Gone".

Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head and New Deals

On September 30, 2011, T.I. released "I'm Flexin'", the first song to promote his eighth album. The song featured Big K.R.I.T.. T.I. also worked with Young Jeezy on "F.A.M.E.". "I'm Flexin'" reached number sixty-six on the Billboard Hot 100. T.I. also appeared on TV shows to talk about his new book, Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets. He then released another song, "Here Ye, Hear Ye" featuring Pharrell Williams.

T.I. appeared on several remixes of songs by other artists. He also worked with Future on the song "Magic". T.I. announced that his eighth album would be called Trouble Man. The title was partly inspired by Marvin Gaye's 1972 song of the same name. He released a mixtape on New Year's Day, and two songs from it, "Popped Off" and "This Time of Night", appeared on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

In 2012, T.I. announced he signed Iggy Azalea, Chipmunk, and Trae Tha Truth to Grand Hustle Records. He helped produce Azalea's first music collection, Glory, and was featured on her song "Murda Bizness". T.I. also released "Love This Life", a promotional song for Trouble Man. T.I. joined singer Sean Kingston for his song "Back 2 Life (Live It Up)". T.I.'s VH1 reality show T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle was renewed for a second season.

In September, T.I. appeared on 106 & Park to promote his book "Trouble & Triumph". He announced a new release date for his album, December 18. He said the album would feature artists like Pharrell, André 3000, CeeLo Green, R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, and ASAP Rocky. He also mentioned working on a women's clothing line for A.K.O.O.. He released a new song, "Trap Back Jumpin'". In October 2012, T.I. was featured in the annual BET Hip Hop Awards cypher with his Grand Hustle artists.

A song called "Ball", featuring Lil Wayne, was released in October as the main song from his eighth album. It reached number fifty in the US. In November, T.I. showed the album cover and song list for his newly named album, Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head. He explained that the album was "a lot more urban" and had "a lotta heart". "Sorry" featuring Andre 3000 was released as a promotional song. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 179,000 copies in its first week.

After Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head was released, T.I. announced a sequel, Trouble Man II: He Who Wears the Crown. In January 2013, it was announced that T.I.'s 10-year contract with Atlantic Records had ended. There were reports that he was looking for a $75 million deal for his label. Jay-Z and Dr. Dre were reportedly interested in signing him. T.I. also met with Sony and Universal.

In February 2013, T.I. said "Hello", featuring CeeLo Green, would be the third official song from Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head. He also said he was 60–70% finished with Trouble Man II. In March, T.I. and B.o.B filmed a music video for "Memories Back Then", featuring Kendrick Lamar. This song was released as the main song from the Hustle Gang album.

After Atlantic Records and Bankroll Mafia

On March 26, 2013, T.I. appeared with Pharrell Williams on Robin Thicke's song "Blurred Lines". This song quickly became a worldwide hit and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it T.I.'s fourth number one song. The song also reached number one in many other countries. In March 2013, Lil Wayne announced that T.I. would be co-headlining the America's Most Wanted Tour. The tour began on July 5 and ended on September 1, 2013. American rappers French Montana and 2 Chainz also joined the tour. On May 21, 2013, T.I. released a song called "Wit Me" featuring Lil Wayne to promote the tour.

In July 2013, T.I. talked about his upcoming album, Trouble Man II. He said it would make the company that distributes it very "happy". In September 2013, T.I. was featured on Lil Wayne's mixtape Dedication 5. It was also revealed that T.I. would be on Lady Gaga's album ARTPOP and Britney Spears's album Britney Jean. T.I. was also featured on British singer Cher Lloyd's song "I Wish".

On November 22, 2013, T.I. announced he signed a deal with Columbia Records for his ninth album. He said Pharrell Williams would help produce the album. In December 2013, T.I. decided to change the title of his next album from Trouble Man II to Paperwork. He said it would be "a motion picture, it's gonna be a theatrical-worthy title."

On May 9, 2014, T.I. released a music video for "Turn It" to promote Paperwork. On June 3, 2014, T.I. released "About the Money", the first song from Paperwork, featuring Young Thug. The music video was released on June 2, 2014. On June 17, 2014, T.I. released the second song from Paperwork, "No Mediocre", produced by DJ Mustard and featuring Iggy Azalea. "No Mediocre" reached number 33 on the Hot 100 chart.

On August 20, 2014, T.I. released a new song called "New National Anthem" after speaking about Ferguson, Missouri. The song, featuring Skylar Grey, had lyrics about racism and injustice. Paperwork was released on October 21, 2014. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200. Critics generally gave Paperwork positive reviews.

On March 11, 2015, T.I. released "Project Steps". On March 24, 2015, T.I. announced his tenth album would be called Trap's Open. In June 2015, T.I. said his tenth album was finished. He also announced he was working on a project with the hip hop group Bankroll Mafia. On June 26, 2015, T.I. released the music video for "Project Steps" and announced his tenth album's new title would be The Dime Trap. In July 2015, T.I. said The Dime Trap was "a lot more urban, a lot more edgy, a lot more unapologetically ghetto than Paperwork".

To promote the album, T.I. released a short music collection (EP) called Da' Nic on September 11, 2015. It had five songs, including "Project Steps" and "Check, Run It". This was T.I.'s first independent release. During this time, T.I. started using his old nickname, Tip, again.

On September 18, 2015, T.I. announced he was leaving Columbia Records. He said he was "a rogue artist, busting creativity, just waiting to put music in the marketplace." In October 2015, T.I. told MTV News that it felt "weird" to be known as T.I. because he had always been called Tip. He also talked about the benefits of not working with a major label.

On February 22, 2016, T.I. announced he signed a distribution deal with Jay Z's Roc Nation for The Dime Trap. T.I. also revealed he was a new co-owner of the online music streaming service, TIDAL.

T.I., with the group Bankroll Mafia, released an album on April 22, 2016. In July 2016, T.I. said again that he wanted to be known as Tip.

Us or Else and Dime Trap Albums

T.I. in a 2019 interview

On July 22, 2016, T.I. announced an EP called Us or Else. This EP was made to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement and talk about race relations in America. On August 6, 2016, T.I. released the first song for Us or Else, "We Will Not", in response to issues like police brutality. On August 31, 2016, T.I. released "War Zone" from Us or Else through TIDAL. Us or Else was released on September 23, 2016, by Grand Hustle Records and Roc Nation. The EP reached number 175 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

On December 16, 2016, T.I. released Us or Else: Letter to the System without much announcement. This project featured artists like Quavo, Meek Mill, and Killer Mike. In January 2017, T.I. hosted the Global Spin Awards. In October 2017, T.I. said that his album would be released on December 18.

Recent Albums: The L.I.B.R.A. and Kill the King

On October 16, 2020, T.I. released his eleventh album, The L.I.B.R.A.. This was his first album not released by a major label. It reached number 18 on the Billboard 200 and number nine on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

On June 9, 2021, T.I. announced that he was working on his next album, Kill the King, which he said would be his final album. On May 10, 2024, T.I. released a song called "LLOGCLAY" with rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

Other Projects

Acting in Films

T.I. posing with ABC News photojournalist Joe Floccari.

In 2006, T.I. starred in his first film, ATL. The movie was loosely based on his life growing up in Atlanta and going to a skating rink. T.I. played Rashad Swann, a 17-year-old high school senior. The film made $11.5 million in its first weekend and went on to earn $21.2 million. In 2007, T.I. appeared in the crime film American Gangster as Stevie Lucas.

In 2010, T.I. starred in the action film Takers as Delonte "Ghost" Rivers. The film was released on August 27, 2010, and debuted at number one at the American box office. T.I. also starred in the 2013 comedy film Identity Thief as a criminal named Julian.

In 2015, T.I. starred in Get Hard with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart. He also appeared as himself in the Entourage movie. He was in Marvel's film Ant-Man and its sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018). In October 2015, T.I. signed a deal with Warner Bros. Television.

Television Shows

In 2009, T.I. created a reality show for MTV called T.I.'s Road to Redemption. The show followed him before a legal sentencing and aimed to encourage teenagers to avoid a life of crime.

On December 5, 2011, T.I.'s new reality show T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle premiered on Vh1.

On July 19, 2018, BET premiered a show called The Grand Hustle starring T.I. The show featured 16 people competing for a high-level job within T.I.'s business company.

T.I., along with Chance the Rapper and Cardi B, was a judge for Netflix's Rhythm + Flow, a hip-hop talent search that aired in 2019.

Producing Music and Films

T.I. has helped produce music for other artists, including B.G.'s album Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood (2009), B.o.B's album The Adventures of Bobby Ray (2010), and Iggy Azalea's EP Glory (2012). In 2005, T.I. helped produce the soundtrack for the film Hustle & Flow through his Grand Hustle label. T.I. has also produced songs for artists like Mariah Carey, Rick Ross, and B.o.B.

T.I. has also been a ghostwriter and helped write songs for artists such as Bow Wow, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Dr. Dre. In 2009, T.I. formed a music production team called The Smash Factory. His Grand Hustle label has signed artists he has worked with, like Iggy Azalea and B.o.B., as well as others like Travis Scott.

In 2006, T.I. started his own film company, Grand Hustle Films. In late 2007, he worked with 828 Entertainment to produce a reality show called Life on Mars. T.I. also partnered with 828 Entertainment to create TV and film projects. As of June 2014, T.I. is a producer for the Oxygen docu-series, Sisterhood of Hip Hop.

Community Work

T.I. has helped with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. He has also worked with young people at the Paulding Detention Center in Atlanta. He provided scholarships for single-parent families through Boys and Girls Clubs. He also headlined the Boost Mobile Rockcorps concert in New York, which was for community service volunteers. As part of his community service, T.I. visited schools in Georgia to talk to students about positive messages and growing up.

In June 2005, The Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Foundation and Atlanta's V-103 honored T.I. with the 2005 Lisa Lopes Award for his music and community service. With his many achievements, T.I. was recognized as the "Jay-Z of the South" by Pharrell Williams.

T.I.'s nightclub, Club Crucial, gave away 200 bicycles to children from the Boys and Girls Club. When asked about Obama supporting gay marriage, T.I. said that people should be free to make their own choices.

Business Ventures

Forbes Magazine listed T.I. on its Hip-Hop Cash Kings list four times. In 2015, he was on the list again, earning $6 million.

T.I. opened his own nightclub, Club Crucial, in Bankhead, Atlanta. It is a popular club in Atlanta with entertainment centers, pool rooms, and VIP rooms. Celebrities like Monica and Big Boi have visited. The club hosts weekly events like "Open Mic Night" and "Celebrity Saturdays".

After his song "Top Back" became a hit, Chevrolet partnered with T.I. in 2007 to promote their cars, especially the new Impala.

T.I. also had a partnership with a social networking website called StreetCred.com, which focused on hip-hop culture.

In 2008, T.I. launched his clothing company A.K.O.O., which stands for "A King Of Oneself". It focuses on urban clothing like T-shirts, sweaters, and denim.

In June 2010, T.I. was named Global Creative Consultant for Rémy Martin Cognac. This partnership included working on projects and continuing his K.I.N.G. Foundation's charity work. He also announced he would release his own brand of the liquor.

In May 2012, T.I. said he invested in a social marketing app called Yopima.

In February 2016, T.I. announced he joined the music streaming service TIDAL as an artist-owner. He joined other artists like J. Cole, Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Jay Z.

Personal Life

Family Life

In 2001, T.I. started a relationship with Xscape member Tameka "Tiny" Cottle. They got married on July 30, 2010, in Miami Beach, Florida. They have two sons and one daughter together. Their daughter, Heiress, performs as Heiress Harris. She performed at the BET Awards 2024 with Savannah McConneaughey (VanVan). T.I. also has two sons with Lashon Dixon and a daughter with R&B singer Ms. Niko. He also has a stepdaughter through his marriage to Cottle. In December 2016, Tiny filed for divorce from T.I., but the couple has been working on their relationship. On February 22, 2019, T.I.'s older sister, Precious Harris, passed away after a car accident.

Discography

T.I.'s general marketing logo, used since 2004

Studio albums

• I'm Serious (2001)
• Trap Muzik (2003)
• Urban Legend (2004)
• King (2006)
• T.I. vs. T.I.P. (2007)
• Paper Trail (2008)
• No Mercy (2010)
• Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head (2012)
• Paperwork (2014)
• Dime Trap (2018)
• The L.I.B.R.A. (2020)
• Kill the King (To Be Announced)

Collaborative albums

• 25 to Life (with P$C) (2005)
• Bankroll Mafia (with Bankroll Mafia) (2016)

Filmography

Films

Television Shows

Video Games

Documentaries

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: T.I. para niños

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Rhythmic chart
• List of hip hop musicians
• List of people from Atlanta
• Music of Atlanta