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. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Harris is credited as one the pioneers of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgia-based rappers Jeezy and Gucci Mane. He first became acquainted with local music executive Kawan "KP" Prather, and joined his company Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment by the late 1990s. He was led to sign a major-label record deal with its parent company LaFace Records, an imprint of Arista Records in 1999. His debut studio album, I'm Serious (2001), was met with lukewarm critical and commercial reception, becoming his only release with the label. He then signed with Atlantic Records, where he soon reached his mainstream breakthrough and co-founded his own label imprint, Grand Hustle Records by 2003.

Harris gained recognition following his high-profile guest appearance on fellow Atlanta-based rapper Bone Crusher's 2003 single "Never Scared". His second album, Trap Muzik (2003), peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Rubber Band Man" and "Let's Get Away" (featuring Jazze Pha). The following year, Harris guest appeared alongside Lil Wayne on Destiny's Child's hit single "Soldier", and capitalized on this with the release of his third album, Urban Legend (2004). His next three studio albums each debuted atop the Billboard 200; his fourth and fifth, King (2006) and T.I. vs. T.I.P. (2007) were met with continued success and led by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "What You Know".

Harris' sixth album, Paper Trail (2008), yielded his furthest commercial success. Earning gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for 500,000 in first-week sales, it also spawned two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" (featuring Rihanna); the latter replaced the former atop the chart, and made Harris the first rapper to do so while occupying its top two positions. Following an eleven-month incarceration, he released his seventh studio album, No Mercy (2010) to mixed reviews and a commercial decline. His eighth album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head (2012) was met with a dual rebound. Harris guest appeared alongside Pharrell Williams on Robin Thicke's 2013 single "Blurred Lines", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, and did so in 22 other countries.

The following year, his contract with Atlantic expired; he signed with Columbia Records and enlisted Williams as executive producer for his ninth studio album, Paperwork (2014). As with his previous, it reached number two on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical reception. The following year, he worked further with album collaborator and then-upcoming hometown native Young Thug to form the short-lived hip hop collective, Bankroll Mafia. He then signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2016 to release his political Us or Else (2016–2017) extended play series and compilation album, We Want Smoke (2017); he later signed with Epic Records in 2018 to release his long-delayed tenth album, Dime Trap, in October of that year. His eleventh album, The L.I.B.R.A. (2020) was his first to be released independently. His twelfth album, Kill the King was announced as his final, although its release slate remains unclear.

Harris, a three Grammy Award winner, has been described as a leading figure in hip hop and Southern hip hop during the 2000s. He has received 19 nominations for the award, as well as 12 Billboard Music Awards, three BET Awards, and two American Music Awards. Prominent industry artists have signed to T.I. through his Grand Hustle Records label since its formation, including Travis Scott, B.o.B, and Iggy Azalea. In his acting career, Harris has starred in the films ATL, Takers, Get Hard, Identity Thief, and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Ant-Man and its sequel, as well as the reality television series T.I.'s Road to Redemption, T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle, and The Grand Hustle. As an author, he has published two novels: Power & Beauty (2011) and Trouble & Triumph (2012). By the end of the decade, Billboard ranked him the 27th best artist of the 2000s.

Early life

Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. was born on September 25, 1980, in Atlanta, the son of Clifford "Buddy" Harris Sr. and Violeta Morgan. He was raised by his grandparents in Atlanta's Center Hill neighborhood just off Bankhead Highway. His father resided in New York City, and he would often go there to visit. Buddy Harris suffered from Alzheimer's disease and died from the disease.

T.I. began rapping at age eight. He attended Douglass High School, but later dropped out. His stage name originally came from his childhood nickname "Tip", after his paternal great-grandfather. He was once known as Rubber Band Man, a reference to the custom of wearing rubber bands around the wrist.

Music career

1996–2000: Career beginnings

In 1996, T.I. befriended local rapper Big Kuntry King, together they sold mixtapes out of the trunk of their car. Kawan "KP" Prather, a record executive, discovered T.I. and then signed him to his record label Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment. Upon signing with Arista Records subsidiary LaFace Records in 1999, he shortened his name from Tip to T.I., out of respect for Arista label-mate Q-Tip. T.I. relays the situation as:

"We were both on Arista and we was trying to release my first album. The people who had to market, promote, and, you know, just spread the word on it communicated that it was somewhat difficult or confusing to have two Tips in one building. So out of respect and just the legendary reputation and career that preceded that situation, I definitely conceded. My problem, or conflict, at the time, was now this is what I've been called all my life, what do I change my name to? So, I guess, that began to hold my project up. 'What are we gonna call him?' You know what I'm saying? So at that point we had to come to some sort of a resolution. And KP, who signed me to LaFace, he just said, 'OK, look man, how about T.I.?' Cause on this one record I had, it was like, 'T-I-P.' I was like, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute. No. That was — you left out a letter still!' You know what I'm saying? He was like, "Well, listen man. You got something better?', 'No, I don't have — I don't have anything better.' 'Well, that's what we going with, man.' So it's kinda how it came about."

2001–2002: Atlantic Records deal and I'm Serious

T.I. released his debut album, I'm Serious, in October 2001 through Arista Records. The album spawned the a single of the same name featuring Jamaican reggae artist Beenie Man on June 26, 2001. The single received little airplay and failed to chart. The album features guest appearances from his Southern hip hop group P$C, Jazze Pha, Too Short, Bone Crusher, Lil Jon, Pastor Troy and YoungBloodZ, as well as Pharrell Williams of American record production team The Neptunes (who called him "the Jay-Z of the South").

The production for I'm Serious, was handled by The Neptunes, DJ Toomp, Madvac and The Grand Hustle Team. Despite the album's guests appearances and production team, the album peaked at number 98 and only sold 163,000 copies in the United States. Critics pointed to the fact that many of the tracks sounded the same and that a few were blatant rip-offs. Other critics commented saying, "T.I. claims to be the king of the South, but fails to show and prove. He does, however, have potential. If his talent ever matches his confidence, he may be headed for stardom."

Due to the poor commercial reception of the album, T.I. was dropped from Arista Records. He then formed Grand Hustle Entertainment and began releasing several mixtapes with the assistance of DJ Drama. He resurfaced in mid-2003, appearing on fellow Atlanta-based rapper and former label-mate Bone Crusher's hit single, "Never Scared". His mixtapes and mainstream exposure from "Never Scared", eventually recaptured major label attention and T.I. signed a joint venture deal with Atlantic Records.

2003–2004: 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 and sold 109,000 copies in its first week. It spawned the singles "24s", "Be Easy", "Rubberband Man" and "Let's Get Away". The album features guest appearances from 8Ball & MJG, Jazze Pha, Bun B and Mac Boney; and was produced by Jazze Pha, Kanye West, David Banner, Madvac and DJ Toomp. Upon its release, Trap Muzik received generally favorable reviews from most music critics, who generally regarded it as a major improvement over his debut album, I'm Serious. This included Complex naming the album one of the classic albums of the last decade in 2012. on February 20, 2013, allhiphop.com placed it as #5 as the best southern hip-hop album of all time.

T.I. released his third studio album, Urban Legend, in November 2004. It debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200, selling 193,000 copies in its first week. The album's lead single, "Bring Em Out", which was produced by Swizz Beatz, was released in January 2005 and became T.I.'s first top ten hit, peaking at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, while the second single "U Don't Know Me" peaked at number twenty-three on the US Billboard Hot 100. His third single "ASAP" reached number 75 on the US charts, number 18 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop charts and number 14 on the Rap chart. T.I. filmed a dual music video for "ASAP" and "Motivation". However, "Motivation" only made it to number 62 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart. In 2004, T.I. was featured on Destiny's Child's hit single "Soldier", alongside New Orleans-bred rapper Lil Wayne, which peaked at number three on the Hot 100 chart.

2005–2006: P$C album, King and ATL

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

In September 2005, T.I. teamed up with Big Kuntry King, Mac Boney, C-Rod and AK, to release P$C's debut studio album, 25 to Life. The album, which was preceded by several self-released mixtapes by P$C, peaked at No. 10 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album was supported by the lead single "I'm a King", which was also included on the soundtrack to the film Hustle & Flow, a collection also released by T.I.'s label imprint Grand Hustle, under the aegis of Atlantic Records.

T.I.'s fourth album, King, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the first half of 2006, selling 522,000 copies in its first week. T.I. released "Front Back" and "Ride with Me" as promotional singles prior to the release of the album. The singles garnered little attention. The album's lead single "What You Know" became a hit in the U.S. and helped promote not only the album, but also ATL, the film T.I. starred in that coincided with the album's release. The album also spawned the singles, "Why You Wanna", "Live in the Sky", and a remix of "Top Back", which was also included on the Grand Hustle compilation album Grand Hustle Presents: In da Streetz Volume 4. King earned numerous awards and nominations including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. He was also featured on newly signed Grand Hustle artist Young Dro's debut single "Shoulder Lean", which reached the top ten on the U.S. Hot 100 and #1 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Tracks.

"What You Know" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 49th Grammy Awards. Also that year, T.I. collaborated with Justin Timberlake for "My Love", which proved to be a worldwide hit. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Timberlake at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, and also won Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards for the second straight time. He then served as a featured performer on "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled also featuring Akon, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Birdman and Lil Wayne.

In 2006, T.I. received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Song Collaboration ("Soldier" w/ Destiny's Child & Lil Wayne) and Best Rap Solo Performance for "U Don't Know Me" at the 48th Grammy Awards ceremony. That same year he won Rap Artist of the Year, Rap Album Of The Year, Rap Album Artist Of The Year, Rap Song Artist of the Year and Video Clip Artist of the Year on the Billboard Music Award and Best Male Hip-Hop Artist on the BET Awards.

2007: T.I. vs. T.I.P.

T.I. released his fifth album, T.I. vs. T.I.P., on July 3, 2007. The single, "You Know What It Is" featuring Wyclef Jean, was released June 12, 2007. T.I. vs. T.I.P. sold 468,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was T.I.'s second chart-topper in a row: King opened at number one on the Billboard 200 with 522,000 copies in late March 2006. The album included guest performances from Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, Nelly, and Eminem, and production by Eminem, Jeff Bass, Mannie Fresh, Grand Hustle, The Runners, Just Blaze, Wyclef Jean and Danja. Absent from this album's production lineup was T.I.'s longtime producer DJ Toomp and The Neptunes. In October 2007, T.I. released his third single, "Hurt", featuring Busta Rhymes and Alfamega.

2008–2009: Paper Trail

In early 2008, T.I. collaborated with Mariah Carey on the "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" remix, peaking at number 58 on the U.S. Hot 100 and number 36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

While under house arrest, T.I. began writing lyrics down on paper for his sixth studio album. The first official single from the album, titled "No Matter What", was released in April 2008. The music video was released in June 2008 on MTV's FN Premieres. The official lead single was "Whatever You Like", released in July 2008, and became the most successful single of his career up until that point, breaking the record for the highest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, jumping from number 71 to number one and also becoming T.I.'s first solo number one single on the chart. The third single was "Swing Ya Rag" which featured vocals and production from Swizz Beatz. T.I. released his sixth album, Paper Trail, in September 2008. The title of the album refers to the lyrics he had written down on paper. Like many other rappers, T.I. abandoned this style of rapping after his debut album I'm Serious by just memorizing lyrics. His representative explained that T.I. wanted 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 single from the album, "Swagga Like Us", featuring Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. With the third single "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, and produced by Canei Finch and Just Blaze, T.I. broke his own record on the Billboard Hot 100 when it jumped from number 80 to the number one. The fourth single "Dead and Gone", featuring Justin Timberlake, peaked at number two for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually going on to be nominated during the 52nd Grammy Awards for both "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration" and "Best Rap Song". During the 51st Grammy Awards, he was nominated for four Grammy Awards, eventually winning Best Rap Performance by a Duo Or a Group for "Swagga Like Us". "Remember Me", featuring Mary J. Blige, was released digitally on July 7, 2009. It was the planned first single from the re-release of T.I.'s sixth studio album, "Paper Trail", but the re-release was eventually shelved. The single peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. On October 6, "Hell of a Life" was released digitally and went on to peak at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2009, T.I. appeared as himself on an episode of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. On the episode, he took the comedian to Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles in LA and gave her a lesson on how to "swagger".

T.I. in 2009.

On November 21, 2008, T.I. testified in the murder trial of a member of his entourage and a close friend, Philant Johnson (1980–2006), who was murdered after a post-concert party at a club in Cincinnati. T.I. has dedicated several songs to Johnson, from the single version of "Live in the Sky" to "Dead and Gone" where Johnson's grave can be seen in the video.

2011–2013: Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head

On September 30, 2011, T.I. released "I'm Flexin'", the first promotional single from his upcoming eighth studio album. The song features vocals and production from Big K.R.I.T. T.I. reunited with Young Jeezy on "F.A.M.E." for Jeezy's album TM103. "I'm Flexin" peaked at number sixty-six on the Billboard Hot 100, while "F.A.M.E." peaked at number sixty-seven on the Billboard Hip Hop/R&B chart. On October 18, T.I. made appearances on The Howard Stern Show and The View to promote his new novel, Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets and discuss other issues involving his time in prison. Later that day, he released the second promotional single, "Here Ye, Hear Ye" featuring Pharrell Williams under the alias Sk8brd.

After his release from prison, T.I. appeared on several remixes including; "Spend It" by 2 Chainz, "Sleazy" by Kesha, "Hard White (Up in the Club)" by Yelawolf also featuring Slaughterhouse, "Ima Boss" by Meek Mill alongside a freestyle over Drake's "Headlines", and Lil Wayne's "She Will". He was also featured on southern rapper Future's second single "Magic", taken from his debut studio album Pluto, which was the first song he hopped on after his release from prison according to Future.

T.I. revealed the title of his eighth studio album to be Trouble Man. The title was partly inspired by Marvin Gaye's 1972 song of the same name, he revealed on Billboard. In a previous interview with Rolling Stone; he said he was debating between two titles, Trouble Man and Kill the King. The third promotional single "Pyro", was released on November 21.

In preparation for the album, T.I. released a mixtape on New Year's Day. Two songs off the mixtape charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Popped Off", featuring vocals and production from Dr. Dre and "This Time of Night" featuring Nelly, respectively.

While on set for the "Strange Clouds" music video, MTV interviewed B.o.B and confronted him of a rumor that he and T.I. are working on a collaborative album. B.o.B responded: "The joint album, it actually started as a joke. Tip would always refer to me as 'the Martian', and in one of his lyrics, he said, 'It's the man and the Martian,' and we said, 'Man that could be an album title.' We kinda just played around with it. But it seems to be taking form in a very organic way." On December 1, 2011, B.o.B appeared on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and confirmed that he and T.I. are indeed working on a collaborative album titled The Man and the Martian.

On March 1, 2012, T.I. announced he signed Iggy Azalea, Chipmunk and Trae Tha Truth to Grand Hustle Records. He was executive producer on Azalea's debut extended play Glory and was featured on her debut single "Murda Bizness", which premiered March 26, 2012. On March 30, T.I. released a snippet of "Love This Life", Trouble Man's promotional single, produced by Mars of 1500 or Nothin'. The song was officially released on April 2, where the song peaked at number eight-one in the US.

T.I. joined singer Sean Kingston for his new single "Back 2 Life (Live It Up)". He shot the video for the track, which also sampled Soul II Soul's 1989 chart-topping hit "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)". The song peaked at number fifty-two in Canada. During his visit to Angie Martinez's radio show, he revealed that the album will be released on September 4. He recorded collaborations with Trey Songz and Usher. "Usher and Tip, two Atlanta natives," Rico Love told Rap-Up.com. "This time I finally feel like they got a record that's gonna be a humongous hit." T.I.'s VH1 reality show T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle was renewed for a second season, which aired on September 3. T.I. released another promotional song off Trouble Man on May 15, entitled "Like That". T.I. appeared on Trey Songz's second single off his album Chapter V titled "2 Reasons". The song peaked at number forty-three in the US. Another promotional single off Trouble Man, entitled "Go Get It" was released on July 17. The song peaked at number seventy-seven and number eighty-six in Canada.

In September, T.I. appeared on 106 & Park to promote his book "Trouble & Triumph", a sequel to his previous novel "Power & Beauty". During his visit, he announced a new release date for his album set for December 18. He revealed that the album will feature collaborations from Pharrell, André 3000, CeeLo Green, R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, and ASAP Rocky. He also stated that he's working on a women's clothing line from A.K.O.O. He later released a new song "Trap Back Jumpin'", which he premiered during his visit on Angie Martinez's radio show. On October 9, 2012, T.I. was featured on the annual BET Hip Hop Awards cypher, alongside his Grand Hustle artists Iggy Azalea, B.o.B, Chip and Trae tha Truth.

A song titled "Ball", was released on October 16, as the lead single from his upcoming eighth studio album. The song featured fellow American rapper Lil Wayne and was produced by American record producer Rico Love, alongside Earl & E. The song peaked at number fifty in the US and number fifty-eight in the Canada. On October 23, he previewed twelve tracks from the album at its listening party in New York City, and also revealed their titles. The tracks previewed feature artists such as Kendrick Lamar.

In the following month, T.I. leaked the illustrated cover art from his newly named album entitled, Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head along with the track list and a few newly added features from the album. T.I. explained, "I think it's a lot more urban than Paper Trail, and less apologetic than No Mercy. I think it's more diversified than T.I. vs. T.I.P. though. It's got a lotta heart, it's got a lotta edge. It's a creative album." "Sorry" featuring Andre 3000 was released as the fifth promotional single via iTunes on November 27. "Sorry" peaked at number 36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Then "Hello" featuring CeeLo Green was released to iTunes on December 11 as the sixth promotional single. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 179,000 copies in the United States. As of September 2, 2013, it has sold 502,000 copies.

Shortly before Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head was released, T.I. announced he would release the sequel as his next album, titled Trouble Man II: He Who Wears the Crown. The sequel is due to T.I. recording more material than needed, being cited by T.I. as much as 120 songs. In early January 2013, B.o.B announced an upcoming Grand Hustle compilation album titled Hustle Gang. On January 18, 2013, it was announced T.I. drew a close to his 10-year contract with Atlantic records the month before, after releasing Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head. It was reported he proposed a $75 million deal for any label that wants to provide a home for him and his imprint. TMZ reported that T.I. has drawn up the details, which include "3 albums, 10–20 percent of publishing, touring, merchandise, film and TV rights, corporate endorsement deals, as well as exclusive signing of all Grand Hustle artists". T.I. was also allegedly being coaxed by some of the biggest names in the industry. There were reports that Jay-Z was looking to sign T.I., hoping to add him to the Roc Nation roster. T.I. also had an exclusive dinner at Katana with Dr. Dre, who is thought to have proposed an Interscope signing the rapper. T.I. had also met with Sony, who offered him $50 million, and spoke with Universal later that week.

In February 2013, T.I. revealed he chose "Hello", as the third official single from Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head. According to T.I., the CeeLo Green-featured song was selected due to its heavy radio play. On March 8, 2013, T.I. told Rap-Up that he was already 60–70% completed with Trouble Man II: He Who Wears the Crown. He also spoke on the Grand Hustle compilation, Hustle Gang, which B.o.B announced earlier in January. In March 2013, T.I. revealed he would soon be filming the music video for "Hello". On March 19, 2013, T.I. performed "Hello" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. In March, T.I. and B.o.B filmed the music video for "Memories Back Then", a song featuring Kendrick Lamar and Kris Stephens. The song, which was recorded for Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head, originally sampled "Somebody That I Used to Know", as performed by Gotye. T.I. said to Rap-Up. Although the track failed to appear on Trouble Man, due to sample-clearance issues, it was released as the lead single from the Hustle Gang compilation album.

2013–2016: Post Atlantic and Bankroll Mafia

On March 26, 2013, T.I. appeared alongside Pharrell, on Robin Thicke's lead single "Blurred Lines" from his album of the same name. The song quickly became a worldwide hit and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it T.I.'s fourth number one Hot 100 single. The song has also reached number one in 13+ countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany. In March 2013, Lil Wayne announced T.I. would be co-headlining the second America's Most Wanted Tour. T.I. explained that the tour would begin on July 5 and go through September 1, 2013. American rappers French Montana and 2 Chainz, were later confirmed to join the tour, among others. The first America's Most Wanted Tour, had taken place five years prior and featured Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Pleasure P, Jeremih and Young Money. On May 21, 2013, T.I. released a single titled "Wit Me" featuring Lil Wayne. The song was released in promotion for the tour and peaked at number 80 on the Hot 100 chart.

T.I. performing in 2014.

In a July 2013 interview, with Power 98 FM, T.I. spoke on his then-upcoming album, Trouble Man II: He Who Wears the Crown. While he didn't reveal many album specifics, he did promise a project that would make whoever decides to distribute the album very "happy": "I've been working on this one since the last one dropped. I haven't decided exactly where I'm going to take [the new album] yet as far as a company for distribution, but wherever I take it, there's going to be some happy people in that building." In September 2013, T.I. was featured throughout Lil Wayne's twelfth solo mixtape Dedication 5. On September 1, 2013, it was revealed that T.I. would be featured on American pop star Lady Gaga's album ARTPOP, alongside fellow American rappers Too Short and Twista. Another pop star, Britney Spears, later announced T.I. would appear on her song "Tik Tik Boom", from her eighth studio album Britney Jean (2013). T.I. was also featured on British singer Cher Lloyd's single "I Wish", which was released in September 2013.

On November 22, 2013, T.I. announced that he had signed a deal with Columbia Records, to release his upcoming ninth studio album. T.I. later clarified the deal is solely for his ninth album. T.I. revealed he recruited Pharrell Williams, who was influential in his move to Columbia, to executive produce the LP, with plans to release the album in early 2014. In December 2013, T.I. revealed although he had originally planned to release Trouble Man II, since getting into the studio with the album's executive producer, Pharrell Williams, he had a change of heart. He stated: "Since we started working on the project and the project started has taken a different shape, I think we're going to postpone that title. We're gonna rework that. I got a couple of things in mind." He still plans to release the sequel to Trouble Man, however, he said: "All I'ma say is, it's gonna be a motion picture, it's gonna be a theatrical-worthy title. Something that will definitely seem instant classic. I'm thinking something like 'Trap Champion', 'Paperwork,' but whatever it is the subtitle will be 'The Motion Picture'." On December 16, 2013, it was reported that T.I. decided to name it Paperwork.

On May 9, 2014, T.I. released a music video for a song titled "Turn It", in promotion for Paperwork. On June 3, 2014, T.I. released a song titled "About the Money", via digital distribution. The song, which serves as the first single from Paperwork, features up-and-coming Atlanta-based rapper Young Thug. The music video for "About the Money", directed by T.I. and Kennedy Rothchild, was released on June 2, 2014. On June 17, 2014, T.I. release the second single from Paperwork, a song titled No Mediocre, which was produced by West Coast hip hop producer DJ Mustard and features a guest verse from his then protege Iggy Azalea. Since its release "No Mediocre" reached number 33 on the Hot 100 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

On August 20, 2014, one day after speaking out on America in his online treatise about Ferguson, Missouri, in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, T.I. released a new song titled "New National Anthem". The song, which features vocals from American singer-songwriter Skylar Grey, includes socially conscious lyrics centered on racism and injustice. On September 23, 2014, Paperwork was made available for pre-order with "New National Anthem" as the "instant gratification track". Also on September 23, the official audio for "New National Anthem" was released via T.I.'s official Vevo account.

T.I.'s ninth album Paperwork, was released on October 21, 2014,. Upon its release, the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 80,000 copies in the United States. Paperwork received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 69, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on ten reviews.

On March 11, 2015, T.I. released a single titled "Project Steps". On March 24, 2015, T.I. announced his tenth album would be titled Trap's Open. In a June 2015 interview, T.I. revealed his tenth studio album was completed and awaiting release. He also announced he was working on a project as part of the hip hop collective Bankroll Mafia, alongside Shad da God and Young Thug, among others. On June 26, 2015, T.I. released the music video for the single "Project Steps" and announced his tenth album's new title would be The Dime Trap. In July 2015, T.I. revealed The Dime Trap was being mixed and mastered; he also added that "It is a lot more urban, a lot more edgy, a lot more unapologetically ghetto than Paperwork".

In promotion for the album, T.I. unexpectedly released an extended play (EP) titled Da' Nic, on September 11, 2015. The EP contains five songs, including the singles "Project Steps" and "Check, Run It". The five-track project, which includes features from Young Thug and Young Dro, as well as production from Jazz Feezy, Sho Nuff, League of Starz, London on da Track and Mars, was launched independently. It was released through San Francisco's Empire Distribution and T.I.'s King Inc. imprint, marking T.I.'s first ever independent release. During this period, T.I. reverted to his previous pseudonym, Tip.

On September 18, 2015, T.I. announced his departure from Columbia Records. In an interview with HitsDailyDouble.com, he addressed his situation: "Having just exited my deal at Columbia, I was a rogue artist, busting creativity, just waiting to put music in the marketplace, so while I'm sorting out my next situation, I'm blessed enough to be able to control my destiny and put music out as quickly as I want to, and was able to release a Tip album, which I had wanted to do for a long time."

In October 2015, in an interview with MTV News, T.I. said: "This is a perfect time to be able to call myself what I've always been known as [Tip]. Being called T.I. is very weird. It's kinda awkward to be famous for a name that you've never been called before in your life. If you want me to know that you don't know me, call me T.I. It's the weirdest most awkward thing." During the interview he also spoke on the benefit of not having to deal with a major label and how he couldn't have released Da' Nic if he wasn't independent.

On February 22, 2016, before his "pop-up performance" at Greenbriar Mall in his hometown of Atlanta, T.I. announced he signed a distribution deal with Jay Z's Roc Nation for The Dime Trap. T.I. also revealed he is one of the new co-owners of online streaming service, TIDAL.

T.I., in collaboration with a number of southern rappers, who are collectively known as Bankroll Mafia, released an eponymous album on April 22, 2016. In early July 2016, T.I. reiterated that he would like to be known as Tip, moving forward in his career: "We made a conscious decision to have a lot more faith in the [label] operations of our art early on. But right now, just to be able to [go by Tip] and have it be significant and have people still care about the music being released, it's incredibly flattering. I'm humbled, I appreciate all the love."

2016–2019: Us or Else and Dime Trap

T.I. in a 2019 interview

On July 22, 2016, during an interview with Ebro in the Morning on Hot 97, T.I. announced an EP titled Us or Else. The EP "will be aimed at supporting the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and will speak explicitly about the twisted road race relations took in America to arrive at its current precarious state." On August 6, 2016, T.I. released the first single for Us or Else, a song titled "We Will Not", in response to the turmoil caused by the injustices going on in America, namely police brutality following the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. On August 31, 2016, T.I. released a new song off Us or Else, titled "War Zone", exclusively through TIDAL. Us or Else was released exclusively through TIDAL on September 23, 2016, by Grand Hustle Records and Roc Nation. The EP, which was T.I.s first project under Roc Nation, reached number 175 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

On December 16, 2016, without prior announcement or promotion, T.I. released Us or Else: Letter to the System. The project, which was also initially released exclusively through TIDAL, features guest appearances from Quavo, Meek Mill, RaRa, Big K.R.I.T. and Killer Mike, as well as production handled by Nottz, Mars of 1500 or Nothin' and Mike & Keys, among others. In January 2017, it was announced T.I. would host the fifth annual Global Spin Awards. In an October 2017 interview with HipHopDX, when asked about Grand Hustle Records' upcoming albums, TIP answered with: "We Want Smoke is out, and then Translee is coming out on November 27, and Booke is October 27, and you can wait until December 18 for mine. Just know that whenever you see The Chief [logo] on the project, it's gonna be absolute pandemonium."

Since 2020: The L.I.B.R.A. and Kill the King

On October 16, 2020, T.I. released his eleventh studio album, The L.I.B.R.A.. The album marked his first not to be released by a major label and peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200, as well as number nine on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts in the United States.

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

Other ventures

Acting career

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

In 2006, T.I. starred in his first film, ATL, which was loosely based on his life growing up in Atlanta and attending a skating rink called "Cascade". The other cast members included Lauren London, Antwan Patton, Evan Ross, Mykelti Williamson, Jason Weaver and Keith David. ATL, which was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Antwone Fisher, was produced by Timothy M. Bourne, Tionne Watkins and Will Smith, and was directed by Christopher Robinson. T.I. played the character Rashad Swann, an orphaned 17-year-old senior in high school. In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $11.5 million, ranking third in the United States box office, and went on to gross $21.2 million. In 2007, T.I. appeared in his second feature-film, the biographical crime film American Gangster, as Stevie Lucas.

In 2010, T.I. starred in the crime action thriller film Takers as Delonte "Ghost" Rivers. The film, directed by John Luessenhop, was produced by William Packer, Michael Ealy, Tom Lassally, Jason Geter, Gary Gilbert and T.I. himself. The film was released on August 27, 2010, through Grand Hustle Films and Rainforest Films, distributed by Screen Gems. The cast includes Chris Brown, Idris Elba, Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen and Zoe Saldana. Takers debuted at number one at the American box office at $20.5 million in its opening weekend. T.I. starred in the 2013 crime comedy film Identity Thief, appearing as a criminal named Julian, alongside actress Genesis Rodriguez.

In 2015, T.I. starred in Get Hard alongside Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, and appeared as himself in the Entourage movie. He co-starred in Marvel's film Ant-Man, starring Paul Rudd, and its sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018). In October 2015, it was reported T.I. signed a talent holding/development deal with Warner Bros. Television.

Television career

In 2009, T.I. created a reality show, which aired on MTV, titled T.I.'s Road to Redemption. The series, focusing on the 45 days before rapper T.I.'s March sentencing, hoped to encourage teenagers to avoid spending a life of crime by showing seven teenagers that there is another way.

On December 5, 2011, T.I.'s new reality show T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle premiered on Vh1, after the first full episodes were leaked onto the internet.

On July 19, 2018 BET premiered a show titled The Grand Hustle featuring T.I. BET described the show as "Grammy-winning recording artist/entrepreneur Tip 'T.I.' Harris is looking to expand his Grand Hustle business empire, so he is on the hunt for a highly skilled executive to join the team. Set in Atlanta, this reality competition series features 16 men and women competing in various challenges for the coveted position, with a six-figure salary, within Tip's multimillion-dollar company, which he built from the ground up. The hopefuls serve up big deals and even bigger doses of drama each week, en route to one being crowned the Grand Hustler."

T.I., alongside Chance the Rapper and Cardi B, appeared as a judge for Netflix's Rhythm + Flow, a 10-part hip-hop talent search that aired in 2019.

Music and film producing

T.I. has served as an executive producer for several projects other than his own, including New Orleans–based rapper B.G.'s tenth album Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood (2009), Atlanta-based rapper B.o.B's debut album The Adventures of Bobby Ray (2010) and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea's debut EP Glory (2012), among others. In 2005, T.I. executive produced the soundtrack to the film Hustle & Flow, releasing the collection through his record label, Grand Hustle. T.I. has produced several song recordings, including for Mariah Carey, Cassidy, Rick Ross, Maino, B.o.B, Yung Joc, Young Dro and himself.

T.I. served as a ghostwriter and assisting songwriter for several artists, such as Bow Wow, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Dr. Dre, Bun B and Keyshia Cole. In 2009, T.I. formed a record production team called The Smash Factory, composed of T.I., Lil' C and Mars. The Grand Hustle label has signed artists that T.I. has collaborated with, like Azelea and B.o.B., as well as other artists, like Travis Scott.

In 2006, T.I. launched his own film company, Grand Hustle Films. In late 2007, T.I. linked up with Los Angeles–based production company 828 Entertainment, to executive produce a reality show titled Life on Mars, which chronicles the life of young prodigy music producer LaMar "MARS" Edwards, of production team 1500 or Nothin'. T.I. partnered 828 Entertainment with his company Grand Hustle, to produce a slate of both television and film projects.

As of June 2014, T.I. is confirmed as an executive producer for the Oxygen docu-series, Sisterhood of Hip Hop.

Community work

In addition to helping with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, T.I. worked with troubled youths at Paulding Detention Center in Atlanta, provided scholarships for single parent families at Boys and Girls Clubs, and headlined the Boost Mobile Rockcorps concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall, which featured such performers as Fat Joe, Slim Thug, and Kanye West, and was held exclusively for community service volunteers. As part of his community service time, T.I. visited a number of middle-grade and high schools in Georgia, where he speaks with the students in an assembly, holding a positive message, while maintaining a philanthropic view about morals and growing up in the same areas as himself.

In June 2005, The Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Foundation, named for the deceased member of multi-platinum female group TLC, and Atlanta's V-103, honored T.I. with the 2005 Lisa Lopes Award for groundbreaking achievements in music and community service which was court ordered. With this steady list of growing accomplishments T.I. was recognized as the "Jay-Z of the South", according to Pharrell Williams of multi-platinum production team The Neptunes.

T.I.'s nightclub, Club Crucial, hosted a giveaway of 200 bicycles to neighborhood children in the Boys and Girls Club with V-103 announcer Greg Street. Upon being asked his opinion on Obama supporting gay marriage, he responded that people should be free to do what they want to do.

Business ventures

Forbes Magazine announced its first ever Hip-Hop Cash Kings list in early 2007, listing the top 20 hip-hop earning artists for the previous business year. T.I. was listed on their list four times. As in 2015, the rapper was again included in Forbes' annual list after earning $6 million.

T.I. opened his own nightclub, called Club Crucial, in Bankhead, Atlanta. It is considered one of the most popular clubs in Atlanta and features full entertainment centers with large flat-screen TVs, pool rooms, VIP rooms and food. Celebrities such as Monica, Big Boi, Mike Epps and Shawty Lo have made appearances there. The club hosts weekly events such as Monday night Open Mic Night, Free Fridays, and Celebrity Saturdays, where local hip-hop artists perform their songs at the club.

After the release of his hit single "Top Back", Chevrolet secured an endorsement deal with T.I. earlier in 2007, to promote their line of cars, with a focus on the new Impala. Due to his arrest for federal gun charges, he was on the verge of losing his deal with the company.

T.I. had an endorsement with a social networking website focusing on the hip-hop culture named StreetCred.com. The website was founded in 2007 by investment banker Rocky D. Williform. Celebrities such as Diddy, Lil' Kim and Young Jeezy had accounts on the website. As of 2008, the website was temporarily shut down until further notice.

In 2008, T.I. announced the launch of his clothing company A.K.O.O., an acronym for "A King Of Oneself", focusing on urban apparel such as lightweight T-shirts, cardigans, sweaters, embroidered wovens, leather jackets and quality denim among a variety of other clothing.

In June 2010, T.I. was named Global Creative Consultant of Rémy Martin Cognac. XXL Magazine revealed that the partnership will include collaborative projects and a focus on continuing the philanthropic works of his K.I.N.G. Foundation. He announced on Chelsea Lately, that he would be releasing his own signature brand of the liquor.

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

In February 2016, T.I. announced he joined subscription-based music streaming service TIDAL, as an artist-owner, making him the 19th of his kind, and in company with artists such as J. Cole, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Lil Wayne, Daft Punk, Madonna and of course, Jay Z.

Personal life

Family

In 2001, T.I. began a relationship with Xscape member Tameka "Tiny" Cottle. The couple married on July 30, 2010, in Miami Beach, Florida. Together, they have two sons and one daughter. His daughter from that marriage, Heiress, performs under the name Heiress Harris. In June 2024, Heiress performed at the BET Awards 2024 with collaborator Savannah McConneaughey, who performs under the stage name VanVan. In addition, T.I. has two sons with Lashon Dixon, and a daughter from a relationship with R&B singer Ms. Niko. Through his marriage to Cottle, T.I. has one stepdaughter. In December 2016, Tiny filed for divorce from T.I. The couple have been working on a reconciliation. On February 22, 2019, T.I. lost his older sister, Precious Harris, to a car accident that put her on life support a week earlier.

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 (TBA)

Collaborative albums

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

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Documentary

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: T.I. para niños

• Pharrell Williams v. Bridgeport Music
• 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