Episode 128 - Kill The King Ft. T.i.

Summary

Grits and Eggs Podcast

Episode 128 – Kill The King Ft. T.I.

Release Date: March 10, 2026
Host: Deante’ Kyle
Guest: T.I.

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the artistry, evolution, and personal philosophy of T.I. as he returns to music after a six-year break with "Kill the King," potentially his final album. Deante’ Kyle and T.I. discuss career growth, the transition to comedy, ego and retirement, legacy, collaborations with musical legends, and the ethos behind "killing the king." The conversation is honest, reflective, and charged with stories from T.I.'s journey and the wider context of hip-hop culture.

---

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. T.I.’s Evolution: Music, Comedy, and Personal Growth

• Transition Into Comedy

  • T.I. clarifies he’s been doing stand-up for four years, starting January 2022 (02:22).

    "I started comedy January 12, 2022. So I've been four years." — T.I. [02:22]

  • Comedy, for T.I., is a personal pursuit, not for external validation:

    "This is something that I'm doing for me. I'm working it to grow and be good at something else. And you just worry about you being great at the first thing." — T.I. [03:22]

  • He finds comedy therapeutic and a new creative challenge—"very different" and "very therapeutic" (04:09).

    "It brings me peace...to be able to focus on the source of laughter...Comedy is. I'm trying to evoke a positive response from somebody..." — T.I. [04:40]

• Philosophy on Critics and Negative Content

  • Both Deante’ and T.I. discuss the dangers of building reputations by tearing others down, emphasizing positivity and authenticity in creative work:

    "If you build your reputation on shitting on other people, that's the only thing people gonna want to hear from you. And it kind of put a limit on what you could do." — Host [05:38] "You spend all your time trying to tear people down, eventually you'll be torn..." — T.I. [06:48]

2. Return to Music & The Final Album

• Punctuation, Not Disappearance

  • T.I. addresses why he’s making a final album after retirement, describing it as a "punctuation" to his legacy (08:18):

    "You don't just disappear off into the shadows. You have to, you have to put a punctuation at the end, period. Exclamation more." — T.I. [08:19]

• Process and Collaborations

  • Describes working on new music, collaborations with legends like Pharrell, DJ Toomp, Hype Williams, Dr. Dre, Organized Noize, Wayne, Usher, and more (20:46).
  • Reflects on studio stories (especially creating music on yachts with Pharrell) [11:38–12:24].
  • The importance of meaningful connections:

    "So I paused my retirement. But I know what it feel like." — T.I. [08:43]

• Kill The King: Ethos for the Last Album

  • "Kill The King" represents killing the ego—finding peace beyond persona (21:33):

    "It mean kill the ego, man. To kill the ego. Find peace within yourself and not focus so much on the egotistical nature that is associated with...the Persona of T.I." — T.I. [21:33] "In retirement, I now choose where I place my personal space...around people who already understand their value..." — T.I. [22:07]

3. Atlanta Roots & Hip-Hop Legacy

• History in Atlanta

  • Reminisces about creating early music, forming PSC, and community—stories of humble beginnings, authenticity, and friendship (33:09–37:15).
  • Importance of keeping his circle tight and drawing from those who were around “when we just had an idea or a notion or a dream” [33:09].
  • Discusses early influences: Outkast, UGK, 8Ball & MJG, NWA, Jay Z, Pac, Scarface, and more (44:00).

• Architects of Trap & King of the South

  • Conversation about trap music’s roots, “King of the South” title, and the obligation to share lived experiences as “testimony” (17:27–19:07).

    "Most of the shit that I've got myself, you know, was revolving around the King of the south narrative position. The defense of My right to present myself as a king amongst others..." — T.I. [23:32]

  • Humility vs. Braggadocio
    • Hip-hop’s relationship with ego: “humble rap is like mumble rap; this the antithesis of mumble rap.” (28:22)
    • Dissects impact and intent between vulnerability, authenticity, and performance [28:00–29:50]
    • Notable exchange on the lack of “humble rappers” (28:36–29:14).

• Influence on Peers

  • T.I. reflects on how his high standards elevate collaborators—swagger, drive, and setting examples (30:35–32:04).

    "Me expecting the best of myself is an energy that I. I hope becomes infectious, you know?" — T.I. [30:51]

4. Navigating Industry and Legacy

• Traditional vs. Modern Music Rollout

  • T.I. sticks with traditional music promo (magazines, radio, press) because that’s how his core fans connect [48:25–49:55].

    "You don't get new listeners trying to cater to new listeners. You don't do that." — T.I. [50:04]

• Unfinished Business

  • Artists he still wants to work with include Outkast, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and producers Rick Rubin, Jermaine Dupree, Hit-Boy (50:25–53:24).

• Family & Next Generation

  • Legacy as a family business—pride in his children (Damani and King) building their own lanes, blending family dynamic with business and creativity (56:41).

    "I'm just happy to see them follow their passion, you know, Find things that wake them up in the morning that they're excited to work on..." — T.I. [56:53]

5. Community, Conflict, and Responsibility

• Conflict Resolution & Ethics
  • Dealing with rap beefs/skirmishes then and now; protective of family and community:

    "When you get down to it, or none of this shit, man, this shit don't matter...This is about women, children, family, community protection and defense." — T.I. [61:00]

• On Versus and Hip-Hop Drama
  • Regrets when positive things like Verzuz are soured by beef; wants focus on unity and growth (59:05).

6. "Build a Hit Record" Segment (Fun finale)

• Host asks T.I. to build the ultimate hit record (62:24–66:26).
  • T.I.'s choices:
    • Producer: Gamble & Huff
    • 1st verse: Marvin Gaye
    • Hook/Bridge: R. Kelly ("We talking music, right?")
    • 2nd verse: Michael Jackson
    • Host builds his own: Alchemist, Sauce Walker, Future (hook), Young Dro second verse.
  • Discussion on legendary production, unreachable combos, music fantasy league vibes.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Comedy and Growth:

  "I already have an arena where I could go and be the shit at something. If I choose to do that...This is something that I'm doing for me." — T.I. [03:10]

• On Critics:

  "You ain't nobody who great at anything got bad to say about me doing comedy. Only who’s still struggling to be great at the first thing..." — T.I. [03:33]

• On Hip-Hop Ego:

  "I'm somewhat of a Nazi moron because I'm arrogant, but I'm humble at the same time." — T.I. [21:38]

• About “King of the South” Legacy:

  "But I'm the one walked in with the people. We all drew the plan...But I walked in with the paper and the pen and say, hey, man, let's draw this out." — T.I. [24:52]

• On Authenticity:

  "You must teach what's been taught." — T.I. [19:13]

• On Focusing on the Core Fanbase:

  "If I know that and that's my consumer, why would I avoid those mediums?" — T.I. [49:08]

• On Community and Responsibility:

  "Everybody got a place and a position in the community. And whatever it is you can do, do it...If you bake pies, then bake one and throw it." — T.I. [58:18, 58:46]

• On Musical Fantasy Draft (“Build a Hit”):

  "I'm going. Marvin Gaye first verse. I'm gonna go Michael Jackson hook and bridge..." — T.I. [64:15]

---

Key Timestamps of Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 01:26 | T.I. freestyle opens interview | | 02:22 | Transition to comedy; why he started | | 04:40 | Comedy’s therapeutic purpose | | 06:48 | On positivity vs. tearing others down | | 08:18 | T.I. on retirement, punctuation to legacy | | 12:24 | Chart stats, Hype Williams, tying up his run | | 16:14 | On collaborating with Pharrell | | 17:27 | Testimony and inspiration from trap lifestyle | | 21:33 | What "Kill the King" means | | 28:22 | On ego, humble rap, and the genre’s bravado | | 33:09 | Foundation stories, beginnings of PSC | | 44:00 | T.I.'s musical influences | | 48:25 | Why he sticks with traditional promo | | 50:25 | Artists/producers he wishes to collaborate with | | 56:41 | Legacy and family business | | 59:05 | Thoughts on community conflicts & Verzuz | | 62:24 | "Build a Hit Record" game | | 67:36 | PSC Gangsta Grillz single news |

---

Final Thoughts / Tone

The episode is candid, humorous, and loaded with stories and wisdom from T.I.’s multi-faceted career. Both Deante’ and T.I. riff with natural chemistry — part barbershop talk, part masterclass. T.I. is honest about the challenges and rewards of reinvention, the importance of ego (and letting it go), and the legacy he hopes to leave in music and beyond.

The mood shifts from playful (the "Build a Hit" segment), to earnest (discussion of family and community), to philosophical (killing the ego, legacy), never losing its Southern flavor and straight-shooter wisdom.

---

[Stream "Let Him Know," “Kill the King” out soon. PSC’s “Straight From the 8” single drops Friday.]

Notable:

• T.I. on "expeditiously" with Deante' coming soon.
• Closing banter highlights community support and authenticity, with love for fans of all backgrounds.

---

Transcript

[Commercial Narrator]

Spring is here and there's a whole new way to chai at Starbucks that's made perfect for you. Choose your sweetness. Dial it up or keep things light. Add a touch of pistachio, a hint of strawberry or vanilla, or make it a spring classic with lavender. Because this season there's endless ways to chai at Starbucks.

[T.I.]

Ugh.

[Commercial Narrator]

You said you were over him, but his hoodie's still in your rotation. It's time. Grab your phone, snap a few pics and sell it on Depop. Listed in minutes with no selling fees. And just like that, a guy 500 miles away just paid full price for your closure. And right on cue.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Hey, still got my hoodie?

[Commercial Narrator]

Nope. But I've got tonight's dinner paid for. Start selling on Depop, where taste recognizes taste list. Now with no selling fees, payment processing fees and boosting fees still apply. See website for details.

[T.I.]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistance. Assistance. Switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail]

[Commercial Narrator]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee, full [e-mail].

[T.I.]

Yeah. Woke up in the morning and to God be the glory Thankful for another day to tell my story Opinions in the universe and let them orbit I'm from the dirty south with a dirty mouth Might need or bit miss thing Things on me like a Norbit had to refuse them cause my no rest Fusion she gorgeous as I doubt my sons up and kiss my daughter forehead Tell them we gonna get this money to my pockets Morbid. Remember living in apartments now we playing mortgage.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, man, everything's smooth.

[T.I.]

I'm good. All right. You got the demonic candles?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, you know, you know, you know, you know as well. Family hustle, man. You back on. You back on press tour now. It's been six years since the album. Since last album. Correct.

[T.I.]

We have been six years.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You've been doing. It's been comedy for the last six years, though.

[T.I.]

Predominantly only four years.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Four years of comedy.

[T.I.]

I started comedy January 12, 2022. So I've been four years.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And then you drop. You did your last. You just dropped a special.

[T.I.]

Yeah, and then I was getting that. I was Getting all that shit out the way. Cause I knew I was finna do this.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

I was just getting it out the way. I had done shot the shit and just getting it out the way so I could finish that and start there.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Was it. Was it a build up to like, I wanna have a solid hour in comedy?

[T.I.]

Yes. To be honest with you, man, I had. Bro, I had an hour early. It wasn't good.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You know what I'm saying? That real?

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

They already want to pick you apart for the comedy. So you can't put out no bad album.

[T.I.]

Nah. But the thing is, bro, it ain't for them. Like, I ain't really tripping, like, you know what I'm saying? Have your opinion. Go ahead. I already have an arena where I could go and be the shit at something. If I choose to do that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That part.

[T.I.]

I already had it. This is something that I'm doing for me. I'm working it to grow and be good at something else. And you just worry about you being great at the first thing.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You ain't nobody who great at anything got bad to say about me doing comedy. Only who's still struggling to be great at the first thing.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Is like, damn this. Want to be great at something else. You know what I mean? So y' all just keep focusing on y' all being great at y' all one thing first. And let me grow as God will intend and allow me to grow.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Amen. Do you feel like doing the standup? It's a different level of performance. It's more vulnerable. Was it more so therapeutic for you to kind of get into that? Yeah, very.

[T.I.]

It's very different. And it's also very therapeutic.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You ended with it. I say this though. Cause a lot. I know we normally cover all things pop culture. I've been a fan of comedy for a long time, so I know that there's people that's 20 years in that ain't got a solid hour. But it's people that might be just starting out and they fire hot, right? So it's like shit. It's either gonna be in you or it's not like it's some hit or miss shit.

[T.I.]

It's about what it does for you, you know what I mean? And what you're in it for. It brings me peace, you know, to be able to focus on the source of laughter, you know what I'm saying? Comedy is. I'm trying to evoke a positive response from somebody. One of the most genuine positive responses the Human body has to offer, you know what I mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Laughter for sure.

[T.I.]

Exactly. So me focusing on how to bring positivity out of others essentially brings positivity out of me. You know what I mean? And I enjoy that energy, I enjoy that process. I enjoy the science behind it. It's fun, cool and dope to me. And I'm not going to, I'm not going to disqualify myself from it just because it make other motherfuckers feel another type of way. That's they business.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, I've been, We was doing a little podcast, like I had to sit on this panel and people was talking about basically building content, building organic content, independent media and shit. And my thing was it's like if you build your reputation on shitting on other people, that's the only thing people gonna want to hear from you. And it kind of put a limit on what you could do. Right. Like, so if my whole shit is, I get on this show and I talk all this shit about everybody and woo, woo, woo. I mean, if you blow up, you gonna run into these folk. These folks ain't gonna want to work with you. You don't know who they know. And it's also a thing of like, yeah, you could rodeo like you, you could play the rodeo like that if you want to do that. But at the same time, it's like I've been practicing a lot more. If you invite me somewhere, I'm gonna show up. Cause when I put these tickets out for sale, I want people to show up for me. So the same way I figure I'll practice what I preach in that way too, in action.

[T.I.]

That's good. I think that's, that's a, that's a fair practice. I mean as far as, man, whatever you put in to life is what you gonna get back.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

You spend all your time trying to tear people down, eventually you'll be torn

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

down in a real way.

[T.I.]

You just get what you give. And I just feel like, man, God has blessed me so much. I have so much more to contribute to the world than just like, you know, trying to speak ill of someone else and trying to diminish what someone else is building. That's not my way. I don't, I just don't. I don't got energy to invest in something to destroy. I don't want to do that. I rather, I'd rather focus my energy on building things.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely. Yeah. Cause that, that distressing gonna come back on your ass.

[T.I.]

It gonna come back. You know what I mean? One Way or another, it's coming.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I think a lot of people assume that once you dropped the last album, it was six years ago, and then you pivot into comedy that we done with rapping.

[T.I.]

I wish, I wish that were the case. Nah, for real. I wish that was the case. I would, I was. Because I was having. I was enjoying myself tremendously. I was golfing. I ain't bushing down.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I would. Have you grew the hair out.

[T.I.]

I was doing comedy. I will vacation and traveling, seeing the world, owning off boats and islands, and I was really traveling with my golf club. Go. I golfed in Barbados, man. I done golf all types of places, man. Just, Just chilling.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

But I, I, I, I do believe that if you've had a career like mine, you don't just disappear off into the shadows. You have to, you have to put a punctuation at the end, period. Exclamation more. It got to be something there. And this is my punctuation. I said this is what it was gonna be, so this is what it is.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

So I paused my retirement. But I know what it feel like.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

And I know I like. So I mean, I'm gonna go and do this. I'm gonna get back to that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, for sure. You know, what's that, what's that golf game look like, though, man?

[T.I.]

It's getting better.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know, I look at it, I have one good hole every round, you know, you got 18 holes. I had one good hole every round and I had one good shot every hole. You know what I'm saying? And that good enough for me for right now, man. I'm gonna work to, you know, I might get two. Two good holes in a round.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Shit, if you can get 10.

[T.I.]

These are last year's stats.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know, that's 20, 25 last year. This is a new year. The season is about to begin. Well, I just played my. I played my first nine holes the day of the year.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Oh, okay.

[T.I.]

You know what I mean? I did, I did pretty good. I actually had. I had two good holes. I had two good holes in a half around. So who knows? This year could be better.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, my Uncle Pete.

[T.I.]

But everybody sucks at this game. Everybody sucks at this game.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

All right.

[T.I.]

Some suck less than others.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

But everybody suck the best in the world. You'll see throw they club in the late. They're very frustrated. It's a difficult game.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It's a you versus you versus the weather.

[T.I.]

See, a lot of people, you know, they be trying to. They make themselves. They make themselves feel Good about sucking by. Trying to find someone that sucks more than them and they wanna play around them. Yeah. I bet you if you get. Hey, hey, hey. Play the course, sir.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Right.

[T.I.]

You understand I ain't here to beat you. I'm here to beat the course.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That part.

[T.I.]

And so, yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Cause it's a self versus self game.

[T.I.]

It's a vet.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But I was around golfer discipline. Yeah, for sure.

[T.I.]

Discipline.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I've been around black golfers quite some time. And my uncle Peach, he used to. He golf over there at Cascade. And growing up, and I did a summer doing the ball cart jump 14.

[T.I.]

How was that?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Two weeks, bro. That was it. I was like, bro, not doing this shit.

[T.I.]

But the sun was out there.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It was beamed, bro. And then you in the metal box, bro.

[T.I.]

Them son don't quit.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And he like, man, I did this growing up. I would do this every summer, all summer. You ready to do it? I was like, I'm not you, man. You know, Dang.

[T.I.]

I'm not you, but you ain't find nothing to fall in love with about it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

He wasn't letting me fuck with the game. He was like, you wanna learn how to play the game, you gotta do this or you gotta learn the other part of it.

[T.I.]

Yeah. And what was the other part?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Scooping them damn balls. And then I was like, man, this would not me. When me and my grandma agreed on

[T.I.]

who it is. Your uncle.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. He was like, that's my little sister, so she don't tell me what to do. Well, speaking of boats and vacationing.

[T.I.]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Let them know for some background. Pharrell made the beat on a yacht.

[T.I.]

He did? Yeah. He did it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It feel like a yacht. He did that and then that.

[T.I.]

And there's more.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Oh, there's more. There's more.

[T.I.]

Yeah. That wasn't the only one. There's more.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That wasn't that. That wasn't the only one on the boat.

[T.I.]

It wasn't the only one on the boat.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. There's more.

[T.I.]

We did about four.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I got some questions about. For real. But I want to get into some stats about. Let them know where we are. Charting on Shazam 200. US markings. Number one in US, number one in Atlanta. Number one urban radio top 40 billboard hot 100. And number one billboard rap digital song sales. And you talking about retirement. Yes.

[T.I.]

I'm earning my right.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Earning my right.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Hype Williams on the video. I mean, we ain't seen that in quite some time, so it's honored to do that, huh?

[T.I.]

It's an honor to do that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

Link with a legend, you know what I'm saying? And still put out some high quality content.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, I think it's only right, man. Legendary career. You end it that way. You pull out all the stops.

[T.I.]

I love that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I'm absolutely a fan. You know, I can remember I think I told you this at the studio. But like first CD I got when I moved here, I got Eminem show and Urban Legend. They was doing a little two for five on the. I burnt the man. Where you get it from some on my bus, man. That used to go two for five at least.

[T.I.]

Amen.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I bought King, though. I will say that. I spent my money on King and

[T.I.]

it was something on the cd. Cause this who used to just had the covers and then had nothing in them.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I went to the house, burned this shit for me, man. We live in the same apartment complex. I was like, man, you're not finna get me two for five sound good, but. Yeah, but I bought King and I bought Best Name Smoking. I was a supporter.

[T.I.]

King turned 20 this year.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, 20 years King. And then what? 25 since. I'm serious. Yup, yup. And then we. 20 also 20 year anniversary of ATL too.

[T.I.]

It is 20th anniversary of ATL.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. So this the year to do it.

[T.I.]

I know it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

This the year to do it.

[T.I.]

I thought so now figure did what it went, man. I have a good idea from time to time.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But taking six years away and coming back, back to number one, back to the press, obviously gonna be an amazing album.

[T.I.]

Thank you.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Gonna prepare for a tour as well.

[T.I.]

I'm kind of counting on it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Kind of counting on it being. Being, you know, superlative. This motherfucker is gonna have to, you know.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Nah, it's gonna do it, man. Yeah, I think it's been a very interesting couple of weeks behind people rallying behind some of the legends and OGs in hip hop. Really just. Yeah, it's amazing.

[T.I.]

I think Trick dropped some dope shit.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Trick. Juvie. Juvie, yeah. And then you, of course. I think it's showing growth in the space though, more than anything. Because a lot of the conversation has always been like, man, we don't let our OGs grow, we don't let them. We always talking about a young man sport. But I think, you know, last year with the clips, of course it's been showing that like some of the OGs really holding this shit down right now while everybody else figure out what direction is going in.

[T.I.]

Well, it's consistent. It's consistent brand awareness, you know what I mean? If you know these people, then you kind of already know what you like them for. And most of us are aware of what that thing is. And, you know, if we can service or deliver that thing to our demographic, that is success.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I mean? We can supply the demand of. Of the demographic. That's success. That's what success look like.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I. I would say Pharrell played a big part in your production early on. Since I'm serious.

[T.I.]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

With tracks like Pharrell, DJ Tune Tune. I got. I got some notes. I got some notes. Okay.

[T.I.]

I'd be remiss not to say.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, yeah. I was gonna bring up Tune next, but since we on, let him know it's, you know, early tracks, what's your name? I'm serious. And then he executive produced paperwork, 2014 album, and now 12 years later, back to produce. Let him know, how did you start that relationship with him and how important has that been to your career?

[T.I.]

It's been incredibly important. The relationship started KP introduced me to Pharrell. Then we set up a time to go to Virginia and work. And ever since we started working just as fast as he creates and as fast as I create, we just kind of get. We get into a rhythm.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying? And we go from here to here. And he does real off the wall, outlandish shit. And I be kind of like right in my pocket. So he. As far as he goes this way, I'm kind of grounding it just with exactly what the fuck I know I'm supposed to be doing.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. I would say one thing we was talking about when we was kids is like, we had not heard, like, trap music and all this shit. We listening to you and then like, I'm serious. Dropping. We like, what he doing? This don't. This is like a whole nother direction.

[T.I.]

I'm serious. First.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. Oh, damn, you right.

[T.I.]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

We might be reflecting on it the wrong way as far as just thinking about the gangster shit.

[T.I.]

Well, I mean, bro, to be honest with you.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

So it's a range thing when I'm

[T.I.]

talking about what I'm talking. Okay. So what I can say is, as far as gangster shit goes, anytime I'm speaking of it, it is. It's kind of like me reflecting the things I've gone through and seen others go through, the things I'm happy I made it out of. And it's also inspiration for the people who I know still out there, you know, participating, just to let them know if I came from these humble Beginnings. You can make it this far or further. So that's like. Sort of like if I. If you're. You're an alcoholic. You alcoholic for. Let call it 16 years. All right, now you stop. You stop drinking. You've been sober for about 12 years.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Still talk about drinking, though.

[T.I.]

You still gonna know what it's like to be drunk. You still gonna recall the last time you threw up on yourself. You still gonna know all the things you lost from it and remember the lessons that were taught because of it. And you. That's your testimony. And you. Not only do you had a right to, but you have an obligation. You are bound to share that testimony for others that are in the same position you once was in so they can see they way out of it through your experiences. Yeah, that's what it's like for me in trap music.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Yeah. I mean, like, that's. That why we kick the. The way we do.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

And because we. We. We. We know that we must teach what's been taught. That's a young thug.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah,

[T.I.]

that's.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You must teach them. That's a young Jeffrey quote you talking about, Jigga. I'm speaking to the range, though, because with Tunk, with someone like a jazzy fade, you've always been able to kind of showcase a range of not only trap music, but having fun being a ladies man.

[T.I.]

Soulful Southern.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Soulful southern shit. You understand what I'm saying? So how important was it for you to get back in there with someone like DJ Toomp?

[T.I.]

Man, Toonp is mandatory in my career. If I'm Snoop, that's my doctor. Like, is like. That's that my fundamental go to, like, he has the sound of my core. You know what I mean? I feel that that's where I'm probably the shit that I need to have for Pharrell to be like, oh, okay, I see where you at.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, yeah.

[T.I.]

That come from tune. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And then when we do that, when we build that, then forever like, okay, I see what we doing. Then he take that and then he go somewhere else and all this shit come together.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. That range, like. But the core it gonna start with tune. It's like getting to your spot in basketball, basically. Like, once I figure out my spot and I know that shot going in, then we can go play around a little bit.

[T.I.]

It's real.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Same thing. Jazzy Faye. And speaking of Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre on this album, working with organized noise.

[T.I.]

Yes.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You You, You. You calling on the Legends. It's a legendary. But I want to know in my last album.

[T.I.]

So I want to work with everybody.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Exactly.

[T.I.]

That I ain't have to.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You can't. You can't.

[T.I.]

I don't want to leave nothing on the flow.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, for sure.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying? I'm calling everybody that I always wanted to have an opportunity to work with, like, hey, man, let's work.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. Cause we got Wayne on here. Usher, dro.

[T.I.]

Yeah, of course.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Psc.

[T.I.]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

What's up with psc? What's up with the.

[T.I.]

We on the way. We on the way still in the street. We on the way Gangster grill. Gangster grill.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

What does it mean to kill the king?

[T.I.]

It mean kill the ego, man. To kill the ego. Find peace within yourself and not focus so much on the egotistical nature that is associated with, I guess, the Persona of tf, you know what I mean? I'm somewhat of a Nazi moron because I'm arrogant, but I'm humble at the same time. You know what I mean? I understand my value. And as long as I'm around others who understand my value, I have no reason to be, you know what I mean? If I'm around people that I feel like have miscalculated, you know what I'm saying? My value. But now I gotta turn up, you know what I'm saying? And I just feel that in retirement, I no longer really. I now choose where I place my personal space, and I place my personal space by choice around people who already understand their value, which allows me to occupy a more humble existence. Existence.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

And that's what killed the king.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You kill the king, you can go comfortably until retirement.

[T.I.]

I can live like 3,000. I can go get me a flute. I might do the ukulele, you know what I'm saying? He got the flute. I might do the ukulele and start wearing them wine shirts with them Duckhead shorts with no socks, you know, lot

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

of sand time, right?

[T.I.]

What?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. So you kill the king. You go comfortably. Is there any. And is there any moments that you reflect on with that being kind of the ethos behind the last album of killing the ego that you reflecting on in your career, where it's like, man, like, if I could, I. I could have used some killing of the ego in this area, that area and that. So this just cultivating to.

[T.I.]

Yeah, it's time. Most of the shit that I've got myself, you know, was revolving around the King of the south narrative position. The defense of My right to present myself as a king amongst others, who probably was all kings too. Just didn't realize it or was. Just weren't confident enough to say it and probably upset something inside of them to see someone who was confident enough. Enough to say it and, you know, all that shit just. It's. It's. Man, yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Cause we donate a lot to you. Like, you know, if you ask me if we doing word association, you say trap music, I'm gonna say TI Okay. And that's standard.

[T.I.]

Yeah, that's reasonable.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. But I think. And I don't think we have an argument about that. I think we could have a lot of contributions to people who aided in the sound of trap music, or especially.

[T.I.]

It's not. I don't think there's a. An isolated for sure place that I hold. I'm there amongst, you know, the other architects.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Right. But when you say King of the South.

[T.I.]

But I'm the one walked in with the people. We all drew the plan.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, yeah.

[T.I.]

But I walked in with the paper and the pen and. And say, hey, man, let's draw this out.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

To your point, though, when you say King of the south, especially that early in your career, it seemed like it's a lot of people gonna wanna make you defend that title or try to claim that title or say you don't deserve that title. And, you know, 25 years later, we still here.

[T.I.]

But, man, I am everything I think I am. All it takes is for me and God to say I am that part. Everybody else, man, y' all gonna have to. They gonna have to follow the line.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

God ain't interrupted you. Ain't no human gonna do to it on me.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Because when I say I got the best podcast in the world, I don't want to hear about it.

[T.I.]

Right?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

This, he ain't that. I was like, I don't work for the NEITHER every year. You feel me? I don't work with nobody every year, so.

[T.I.]

And that's. I think that's. That's the piece that's. That everybody should aim for. Yeah. You know what I mean? Numbers don't really matter. You could have to be honest. You could have a billion dollars and still be broke. Cause if you exceed a billion dollars in your expenses and your overhead and what it takes for you to exist, you broke.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That's it.

[T.I.]

You could have $100,000 and be rich that part. Cause if it's yours and no bills, you know what I'm saying? You live off bare minimum. It only costs you shit. Let's say 3500amonth to live. It cost you 3500amonth to live.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You gonna rock out for some years.

[T.I.]

You dig what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You gonna rock out for a minute, man.

[T.I.]

You living.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. You gonna stop like the birds, and you gonna be all right.

[T.I.]

I say don't chase numbers, man. Chase ability.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Ability to wake up and live the life that you okay with living and. And. And exist in a universe that you're comfortable in. If you have that, that. That. Those are riches. That's freedom.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

Yeah. I mean, so that's. You know, that where I met with mine.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Is there. Is there. You got to experience retirement. You coming back. You want to put the exclamation on it. But is there a certain, like, grieving process of that rap career? This has been. This is the thing that changed your life, you know?

[T.I.]

Yeah. It's bittersweet. It bittersweet. I. I love it. I do love it. And. And I'm certain that I will miss it, but there are things about it that just aren't the best for me. It just. There are things about it that bring out things that I want to change within myself.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I mean? So it kind of like, in order to put this part of me to bed, I gotta get out of this environment.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. Cause rap music gonna activate the ego, Donna. But I ain't gonna hold you. I ain't trying to hear no humble raps. I ain't trying to hear that shit. You know what I'm saying? That's what poetry's for, nigga. You wanna be hu. Do some spoken word.

[T.I.]

That said, I want to hear no humble rap, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You know, at least.

[T.I.]

At least, like, humble rap is like mumble rap. This the antithesis of mumble rap.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You know what I'm saying? Mumble rap, I would say. You know what I'm saying? At least with your humble raps, man. You know what I'm saying? You got to balance it out. You got to give me three eagle raps. Who your.

[T.I.]

Who your top humble rappers?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

They don't exist, baby.

[T.I.]

Who is you?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I don't know who could be considered that. We ain't never heard him because don't nobody. Okay?

[T.I.]

That's the humble. That's the humble rapper king. He is the humble king.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

He the king of the humble rap.

[T.I.]

The king of the humble rap. I mean, I like some J. Cole.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Nah, you straight. I with J. Cole.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

I said that, what he said, but this. I didn't mean addition. My bad.

[T.I.]

Yeah. I like J Cole.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Shit, he with J. Cole. But listen, you got the game if you listen to them albums. For every one humble rap, he got three arrogant ass raps on there. He gonna tell you to gonna pop.

[T.I.]

Yeah, he gonna.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

He gonna pop his shit.

[T.I.]

Yeah, he gonna jump out there. He gonna jump out there.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Hey, look, you know what I'm saying, A. He caught a punk bit 27 times on one song.

[T.I.]

What?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You see what I'm saying? That ain't humble. I mean, you gotta pop your shit sometimes.

[T.I.]

You're not passive, you know what I'm saying? That ain't the.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That ain't. I think there's a balance to be had. But I think, you know hip hop overall, it started with some ego shit like, you know what I'm saying? I'm the best. That's what every rapper at some point,

[T.I.]

you and I can make it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Exactly.

[T.I.]

And I can make it. You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Especially when it's from nothing, when you rapping on the corner with your boys. I want to be the best on this corner. And if I'm the best on this corner, take me to the next corner. Take me to the next corner. And shit, now I'm the best in the city.

[T.I.]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Once I get recognized as that shit, I'm trying to be the best in the world.

[T.I.]

That right?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, nigga. Don't go from the city to the state, nigga, from the city to the world.

[T.I.]

That real?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. You feel me? I would say for you, humbly, whether it be a track or a feature, you seem to always bring out the best in everyone you work with. What would you credit that to? And I put some things on there, like swagger, like us, about the money with. With slime. Best BG verses, in my opinion.

[T.I.]

Okay.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And then of course, Lil Wayne, you bring out the best in a lot of the artists that you work with.

[T.I.]

Damn.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Cause you ask anybody who got the best verse on swagger like us, and everybody gonna have a different answer. Cause it's your shit and you brought the best out of everybody.

[T.I.]

That real. I mean, I think again, you get out of any situation, the energy you put into it. So I feel that me expecting the best of myself is an energy that I. I hope becomes infectious, you know? I mean. Cause I know motherfuckers know I mean business when I'm even when I'm just around. I wanted it to be the best little around outcome that I could have. You know what I'm saying? You know, I'm playing, but I'm dead ass serious. And I hope that shit translates. I hope it translates, like, subconsciously. I hope that motherfuckers just kind of. I don't know. I don't intend to do it, but that's the best way. If that is the case, that's the best explanation I have for it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. I would say, like, you know, how I coming. You know, I ain't finna come in here and play around with you, so.

[T.I.]

Especially not with you. Yeah, especially not with you. I can't fuck around.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, for sure.

[T.I.]

Being here playing with you.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, for sure.

[T.I.]

You know what I mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

For sure.

[T.I.]

Yeah. Really, really rubbed off on 3000 on that CY song. It really. I mean, he really. He. He under, I guess energy. Got it, got it. Got on him. Spirit. The spirit hit him.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Oh, no, he took.

[T.I.]

I know what to do here now. I know what to do here.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

He took it down.

[T.I.]

You know what it feel like? It feel like you. You know, it feel like. Like if you. If you working with a. Like introducing somebody to something and then they be like, oh, you mean do it like this? Pow. And then they got. Oh, yeah, that's perfect.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, that. So to that point. This is where I met.

[T.I.]

Any more tea or hot water?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, I'm sorry.

[T.I.]

I didn't mean.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, that nigga been golfing, man.

[T.I.]

Go ahead.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Tea, hot water, agave.

[T.I.]

Yeah, man. Yeah, we got the stuff.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Got to protect your.

[T.I.]

We having the stuff. We having the stuff, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You got to. This is where I'm at when we younger, like, when I first heard do your thing, I'm like. This is when I like. I'm like, oh, he got some folks around him, too, though. But of course, it's like, the funny

[T.I.]

thing, man, it ain't nobody that wasn't around before our ti. Like, it ain't nobody in psc. Ain't no new. Everybody was around when we would just had an idea or a notion or a dream, a belief that this shit could happen, man. Drove was a nigga, okay? So everywhere I went, I was the nigger to see by some rapping, whether whatever apartments I moved into, whatever school I went to and I had. So my mama lived in Riverdale. That was her Section 8 war. But I had got. Had done were going to school at Doug, which had me living at my mama house. I got kicked out of Doug or got into some bullshit on the west side. And, you know, I had to go stay with my mama when I was out there with my mama. Now DRO had his brothers had done moved into the apartments, and so then we Just kind of met. He was from the west side, I was from the west side. We both in Riverdale. And, you know, I figured out he could rap. He figured out I could rap. I would trap him. And he was sitting in my. He was sitting in my room. I had like, two, like, eight inch, like. Like, woofer type speaker and some goddamn little small tweeters and an old school Magnavox amplifier. And I set that motherfucker on like a Wal. A Walmart card table right there at the foot of my bed in my room. And I sit there and play beats, or had a little keyboard, too. I sit there, make beats, play instrumentals, you know, smoke weed, cut up dope, freestyle. And it'll be me, dro, you know, sometimes Shaw at the gun. My little cousin be in there sometime. Got el, my nigga Boo, man. Like, you know, we'll just be in that motherfucker vibing, and I be selling little. Selling 30, $40 worth of dope outside the window. I stayed on the ground floor so they'll tap on my window. You know what I mean? We'll be doing that shit all fucking day for weeks at a time, and we'll just talk about what was gonna happen if. And one of us had a chance to get there. And DRO got there first. Dro, he was signed first. He was signed to Raheem the Dream. So goddamn, me and DRO got to. Me and DRO got. We was in the middle of a shootout, and DRO did the craziest shit I've ever seen in my fucking life. I know he's anointed. God got his hands on this young man. Listen, it's a shootout. Let's say somebody over here on that side on the other side of this camera, and we over here, and we shooting it at, man. DRO ran this way, Dre ran this way. What is this nigga doing? You hear me? And it wasn't even like a get low light run. That nigga was like, yo, fast, that nigga with elbow, knees up, man. Hey, man, I knew then that nigga here is blessed, man. You know what I mean? And we got into it, and we ran back to his mama how his mama say, hell no, don't y' all bring that shit in here for sure. And I ended up moving that department. And we kind of lost track of each other for a minute. And he popped up on the radio rapping with Raheem the Dream. And I was like, damn, okay, that's good. I was still getting my shit together. And when I got signed when KP signed me, and it was just about building and building and building. By the time I got to trap music and had the opportunity to sign other artists myself, the first thing I wanted to do is go get DRO and pull Matt, Boney and Country and the motherfuckers that been around me the whole time. I never really, really, really had a desire to go outside my circle. For real?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

It was always about finding the best talent that was already around.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

For sure. That'll keep you honest too, though. Like, we didn't. You know, I think anytime you just hanging out with your buddies or you doing anything outside, getting moving around a little bit. But how we rap over here is how we rap over here. And then I hear a go over there and you rap like, man, you don't be talking like that over here, man.

[T.I.]

What you mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I'm talking about some. I know.

[T.I.]

Oh, okay, okay. So you say they, they, they, they, they.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But I'm saying sometimes infinite.

[T.I.]

Everybody be trying to fit in, though. Like, everybody.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That's what I'm. That's what I'm saying. But I'm saying by you, it take

[T.I.]

a courageous to just stand out on purpose.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Why you say that?

[T.I.]

It just do it. Just do, bruh. Most human beings wanna be agreed with. They wanna be accepted and validated. They want people to say, yeah, yeah, you right. Like most human beings, that's what. That's what the flesh calls for. So if somebody is willing to stand in the paint and say, nah, no, I'm wearing this. I like to wear my shit this way. That part, you know what I mean? I like to say it like this. I like to do it like that. And that person, you know, that's a courageous spirit. You know what I mean? Now their intentions.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I appreciate that. Cause God damn. Yeah, default. Tell your ass apart for having a difference of opinion.

[T.I.]

Absolutely.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But you know, for me, I be like, I'mma stand on that.

[T.I.]

That's. That's, you know, that's the warrior in you. You know what I mean? Some fold, you know, Some like, man, I just do it. Y' all waiting, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

God damn, man.

[T.I.]

God damn. I cut my hat in.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

God damn.

[T.I.]

I quit comedy it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

So y'. All. I think when DRO When DRO came on the scene, it was like, man, what. I don't think had heard n talking like that as far as metaphors, man. He might say some of the most off the wall shit. But y' all got to hear that

[T.I.]

before the word drove raw in hell, bro. Always, man. I Always felt like he was the Southern Mace.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Okay, but you know what I call him? What I call him down South Cameron.

[T.I.]

All right, well, that's the same.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That's the same shit. That's why that's funny.

[T.I.]

Yeah, but. But the thing is, so what Mace would do and what DRO was doing back then, before any of that shit became, like, in style, he was like, using, like, melodies he'll sing, you know, like. Like when goddamn major horse and carriage, you know what I mean? Like, bro, were doing that type shit in the trap. I'm like, man, this nigga hard. You know what I'm saying? But when I heard him, he wasn't doing that. He was just straight rapping. I'm like, man, I need to get in there with him, man. Bring that nigga back to what he do for real. And every time, dro, you know what I'm saying, dude? Like, the shoulder lean. When I was saying let me let your shoulder lean, I meant for him to say that, right? That shit was for him to do. And he was like, nah, man, you might as well gonna stay on there

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

TI

[T.I.]

I got me a TI feature. You might wanna stay your ass on on that TI Nah, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And. And you could run that first verse that he spit anywhere in the world and know that word for word, man.

[T.I.]

I've never drove. And you know who else Rocco drove and Rocco the Got versus. You could just cut the music out. Just hold the mic out there and they'll just say that, yeah, yeah, I mean that hard as to me, man. My man, you know, I don't know. I think I talk too fast.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You know, I thank you for the. I cuz when I went to did 85 south before we even. Of course, we walk in on a. On a Southern rap debate.

[T.I.]

And then you talking about the homies Carlos and.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, yeah, 85 South. Yeah, money B was there. It was me, Moneybad, Carlos and D.C. and we was talking, like, we was debating about we start in Atlanta. And then we go, well, shit, where you gonna put TI In Atlanta? I was like, shit, we gotta put TI in rap, period. I don't wanna hear no South Atlanta. Woo, woo, woo. This nigga DC come with. I'm illy. And then it was the whole first 30 minutes, we was just rapping your shit and drove shit.

[T.I.]

Damn.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And then we was like, all right, well, that's the ranking. We know where the shit start at. And then we'll work our way back.

[T.I.]

Now, what did. Is there like a generation or a time period that we talking About. Because all y' all are relatively young, you know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I'm 35.

[T.I.]

Yeah. That's young. 45.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Okay. Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying? So y' all grew up on that shit. And that's what makes shit important, no matter who it is that you are. Yeah. And them fundamental development years where you are being shaped and formed into the character or the man, woman, or person that you are meant to be. These songs and narratives and ideologies, that's what connects with you most. Because them your formidable years. Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And you malleable, too. So this might be you gonna.

[T.I.]

You.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I would say it's either two things that happen for me with music growing up. It was either I seen niggas gravitate towards what resonated with them or what they want it to be. So when that nigga talking about, oh, it's the rap music, it's the rap music, it's like, it ain't the music. It's that this nigga ain't comfortable with who he is, so he want to live through these raps, and he think that gonna make him more whatever the fuck he got going on.

[T.I.]

That's true, but I think people also don't love themselves.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That what I'm saying, that a lot of people point in case you don't want to be yourself. So it's like, well, let me adopt a personality and. But rap music is 16 bars.

[T.I.]

If they get to believe in that shit, though, that what I'm saying. That shit. But that. But see, that. That. That Persona can outgrow the human to

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

the point where they lose identity.

[T.I.]

Well, I mean, it's like the person. They're doing things because they feel that's what the Persona should be doing. You know what I mean? Like, it's not that that's genuinely what they'd like to do, but before they lose that Persona, they just gonna do whatever that is. You know what I'm saying? I think a lot of is out there.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Like, man, you probably ain't been asked this question, what, 20 years. What was that for you, as far as your formative years, what you was

[T.I.]

listening to, man, this is Outkast, UGK8 by MJG, NWA. You got Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, Biggie, Scarface. If I ain't say that 2 Live Crew. I can't forget the 2 Live Crew. Yeah, don't stop. Get it, get it Pop that Doo

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Doo Brown you gonna hear too loud. Yeah.

[T.I.]

Gonna be some loot now.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, that's what we get to get loose from.

[T.I.]

Gonna be some of that. Yeah, gonna be some of that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Hey, kp, you. It's so you snatch him early on, right?

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

Sounds crazy.

[T.I.]

Hell no.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Damn, man.

[T.I.]

Yeah, man, we was at you guys. You got your own showcase. Yeah, we was a sharing showcase, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Listen, bro, hold on, hold on. I ain't know you had your own big cat. Big cat be like, hey, yo. But you. You discovered him early on.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

I met him.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Met him. You met him? Yeah. You tell the story. Because I. The question I have is a lot of people, when they looking to manage an artist or at least discover artists in that space, man, they'll cycle through. They might spend their whole career doing that. They might not never find that one. How is it for you to find that one so early on and then just ride it right until the wheels fell off?

[T.I.]

I mean, it wasn't that hard.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

He came in and we were in the studio. He came in and rapped well, like off rip. And it was like, okay. With the confidence of somebody who had been there and. And you know, I didn't know that he hadn't been in the studio like that before. I knew him, I knew he could rap, but he also just stood in the room like a man. And I felt like, okay, cool. Like that part works. And then I took him. We went to la. That like a week later. And it was around the Source Award. So it was. It was a year that watch for the hook was like being performed.

[T.I.]

That was big.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

So I was like, hey, you want to roll with me to la?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

What's that? What's that?

[T.I.]

You don't know that they got that cool breeze?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[T.I.]

Where they were dressed like Reservoir Dog.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. Oh, okay. That was something. You was rapping on Tyson?

[T.I.]

Well, no, they were out there to perform.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

I don't know if that works.

[T.I.]

I feel. Then what if, like, you know what I'm saying, when they're having a. If you got a performance on an award show, like, they got to come drill rehearsal. They got to rehearse, like, camera blocking and all this.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Kubri was driving from Atlanta. He didn't fly. So while they doing it, he was going to be there for the actual show, but they needed someone who knew his part for the camera blocking. And one of everybody was like, I'm like, hey, I know it. I knew and I didn't know nobody. They were like, who this talking about? You know what I'm saying? That sure did.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

He performed the verse.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

So it gave that, like, if they

[T.I.]

Would add me to do Cujo poor, I'd have been up.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. They gave you the one part that you knew, Tyson.

[T.I.]

Yeah, that. The part I knew. Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. That's hard. Yeah. So you had the performance. Now that is another thing. Yeah, go ahead. Audacity on your part or his?

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

Probably both.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, just the, just the audacity to believe in it too. Yeah, probably. Yeah.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

Like it's, it's a, it's a under like it's. Being from Atlanta, you could, you see certain people, you're like, oh, he won too.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Got you. I know exactly what you mean. Yeah. 20, 25 years, bro. You go from having to do it the traditional way of being discovered and working it to now transitioning through to the Internet era where any given day we might hear a new song, a new song might get hot. That might.

[T.I.]

120,000 songs a day.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

A day.

[T.I.]

I think that what you mean.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And that shit might be hot today and it might be gone tomorrow. So do you take the traditional route? The route that, you know, works for you?

[T.I.]

Yes.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

In this given time? Yes.

[T.I.]

Yeah, I do dope shit.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. But you still take. When I say you still take the traditional. Like I'm gonna do the press, I'm gonna do the rollout, I'm gonna do the everything.

[T.I.]

That's what works for me. Yeah, I think that's what. Even again, the fans that came up listening to my music, enduring those formidable, fundamental, those, those, those personality shaping years though, this is the way that they consume their media.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

You know, I mean, so this to see you somewhere doing an interview, preferably a morning show podcast. They expect to see you on, on the magazine cover. They expect to see you hear you on the radio. They expect certain shit. Like that's just, that's the expectation. And if I know that and that's my consumer, why would I avoid those mediums?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, because it's about, it's about the punctuation. Being with the people that been riding with you.

[T.I.]

Absolutely.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. It ain't about no new listeners. I mean, if they do, if the new listeners come, it's fine.

[T.I.]

The intention is always to, to, to bring people who weren't aware of your art. To bring them in, make them aware. Absolutely. And, and invite them to enjoy it. That's always the intention.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

And the way we do that is focusing on the core.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Right.

[T.I.]

You hopefully somebody who been fucking with Tip is listening to a Tip song and it's somebody standing next to them while they got their headphones in. Like who with that?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I like that.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying? And that is the way you get new listeners, you know?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely. Yeah. Cause I don't think. It ain't nobody that ain't long.

[T.I.]

You don't get new listeners trying to cater to new listeners. You don't do that. Yeah, that ain't the way.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

No, it gotta start with what you do.

[T.I.]

Right.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And they gotta get hip to what you do, not the other way around.

[T.I.]

Absolutely.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Earlier you were saying, like, you ain't want to leave no stone unturned. Is there anybody in your career?

[T.I.]

Yes.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Whether it be an artist or a producer. Well, give me. You can give me one or a few of them.

[T.I.]

Outcast.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Outcast.

[T.I.]

I want outcast. I want outcast record. I can't get one, you know what I'm saying? Just like, like air in your hands.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, it's right there.

[T.I.]

It's right there. But you just can't do nothing with it, you know what I mean? I can go kick it with him. We can get there, go hang out and, you know, I can call them on the phone.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But you can't get records.

[T.I.]

But I can't get the fucking record, dog. You know what I mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And is that the only as far as artists go?

[T.I.]

Let me see. Outcast. I haven't actually worked as hard at this, but these are things I want to do. Stevie Wonder. Diana Ross. Diana Ross. Because she and I actually just had like a cool, a dope ass relationship. And, you know, I just would love to see that materialize in a dope ass song.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah,

[T.I.]

but. And Stevie, I don't know Stevie, but every time we see each other, like, we have a good ass time, laughing, joking, kicking shit, and I feel like he remember me, but I don't know, but he talk like he familiar with, man. Man, when's the last time I seen you? I say, hey, man, you need to stop. You need to cut your shit out, bro.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, they were trying to say it's a myth.

[T.I.]

Hey, man, but Stevie, cool as hell, bro. Stevie always cool. He ain't. I'm talking about interplayer.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. So what about producers?

[T.I.]

Producers? Mm. Oh, you know, someone else that I'm working on. Q tip this producer as well as artist. I'm working on that. I'm working on that, though.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

How much pressure you done put on cast, though? Like, come on, bro, let me get

[T.I.]

a lot more than I'm comfortable sharing, you know what I'm saying? Like, I even like. You know what I'm saying? Like, for instance, the Sorry record, when I got the Sorry. Record. And I saw he was talking about Big Boy, I was like, hey, what if we.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You know what I'm saying? Big.

[T.I.]

And he was like, man, you know what? I just won't even do it. Nah, man, it cool. It cool. It cool. All right. I got it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I just throwing it out.

[T.I.]

I was just. Yeah, you know, N. Got to try.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, for sure.

[T.I.]

What's up?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Producer.

[T.I.]

Producer. I always wanted to work with Rick Rubin. It ain't never really aligned properly, man. I would love to have a Jermaine Dupree hit that part, you know what I'm saying? We've done songs together, but I'm talking about just like a. I think you know what he means to the town, what we mean to the town. It would be great to have a meaningful record together. I don't know, man. That's how I'm gonna keep it right there for right now.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, that's good, though. That's it. But what you got, though?

[T.I.]

Oh, Battle Cat. I don't think I ever got got with Battle Cat. I don't think I ever got with Battle Cat. Not on my shit, at least. Hit Boy. I ain't never did nothing with Hit Boy. I don't believe. Yeah, I can sit and think all day all the time.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, I was. When I was talking to Damani, I was telling him that the thing that made me really start paying attention to him is when I started seeing his videos. Like how he would shoot his videos specifically on TikTok, where it wasn't necessarily low budget, but it was very much diy, you know what I'm saying? And as I paid more attention to him, I saw the quality of it just progress over time. And I was like, man, you ain't got your dad doing that shit now, man. Cause I'm seeing some of that same production style transfer, but it worked really well on Social.

[T.I.]

He's definitely like, you know, the, the, the, the digital marketing visual department.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying? Like, I, I don't. I, I, I'm. I'm oblivious. I don't know what the Going on.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

I don't know what. I don't know what the kids are looking at. You know what I'm saying? I really don't, bro.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I really don't.

[T.I.]

I'm golfing. You know what I'm saying? I ain't got time. I ain't got time.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You on yachts. You listening to Beats by Skateboard P on a yacht.

[T.I.]

You dig what I'm saying? I'm optimizing my level of experience in a different way.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

I'm actually out in the physical world doing things.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

I don't know what was going on in this digital virtual world, but that what I had, I got kids to make me aware and he, he kind of, he's definitely navigating me through the process.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, I, I, I've been, I always pay attention to it because for me, it's like the aspiration post podcast is definitely gonna be writing and directing. I'm already good with the writing. It's the directing and like seeing the vision through part that I wanna go to school for.

[T.I.]

Okay.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And so when he, even when he

[T.I.]

promoting the cake, man, you gotta go to school. Jay, go shoot something. Jake, go shoot some big facts check.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Go shoot something. I know that I be still doing

[T.I.]

that and go shoot.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I'm not gonna finish school. I'm just gonna go get something. I'm gonna keep it real.

[T.I.]

I've never seen someone aim to fail.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It's not about. That's not failure. That's not, that's not failure, bro. That's not failure.

[T.I.]

I walk in the third day and

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

say, I went, no, listen, listen. I'm telling you from this perspective is that it's a specific information that I want.

[T.I.]

Okay?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And I know once I get into the class, you can get that shit on YouTube. Yeah, but I like sitting in classroom.

[T.I.]

You like sitting in class?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. Cause when I was younger, you're a

[T.I.]

different type of nigga.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I ain't do it. When I was younger, when I went to truck driving school, I was like, damn, this what I missed out on. Just sitting in this motherfucking class.

[T.I.]

Sitting in there learning.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, cool, shit. Yeah. Hey, that's my testimony.

[T.I.]

That's what's up.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. But I would say even when it come to him promoting the candles, the latest promotion was like a more of a family hustle style environment.

[T.I.]

That's him too. He directed.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, it's all him. Right? How is that for you? Kind of building a legacy that turns into a family business, so to speak, with King Damani, buddy.

[T.I.]

Reddit, man, Bruh. I'm just happy to see them follow their passion, you know, Find things that wake them up in the morning that they're excited to work on and get better at, you know what I mean? I'm happy to see them find their thing. And if you find a way to get some money at it, that's value, you know what I mean? That's an asset. You did you get a chance to live your dreams, you Know what I mean? And have your dreams, support your life. That shit is. That's a blessing.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, I've been. I've been. Of course, this little skirmish has went.

[T.I.]

What are you talking about?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But I do think it, as a father, it's important to see certain, like, morals and values represented. Like to protect women and children in our family, especially when other people bring them in.

[T.I.]

Absolutely.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And the boy stood up to the plate. This something I talk to my sons about all the time. Like, I don't care what the situation is. Don't nobody talk to your mama crazy. Don't nobody fuck with your sister. I don't care what the situation is. If I'm there, I'll handle it. Right. But I need you to have my motherfucking back when I do it, so you can, you know. Cause you gonna have a wife and kids one day.

[T.I.]

True.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And it's gonna be the same story for you, man.

[T.I.]

To be honest with you, bro, it's community.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely it.

[T.I.]

Community, dog. Everybody got a place and a position in the community. And whatever it is you can do, do it. You know what I mean? Everybody ain't gonna be the toughest. Everybody ain't gonna, you know, have the best shit to say. Everybody ain't gonna, you know, whatever you do, whatever you best at, do that. If you bake pies, then bake one and throw it. You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Throw that.

[T.I.]

You know what I mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Fresh.

[T.I.]

What the you do. Goddamn, you do it. Yeah, but. Yeah, I. Man, bro, I just feel that it's unfortunate, though. I just think it's unfortunate that some. That, you know, intent, like, was intended in its conception to be so positive.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

For everybody. To be honest with you. Nobody loses in verses. Like, it ain't really, you know, catalog it really. For the fans more so than anything. So something that was meant to be so positive has taken such a negative shape. I hate to see that. You know what I mean? I just know that white folks somewhere laughing.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. Cause that's a.

[T.I.]

You know, I just feel like that shit is unfortunate, you know, but it's mandatory activity once a motherfucking line is crossed.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely. So my final question before we get into segment that I do.

[T.I.]

Oh, you got your. In segments.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Nah, this is. I just got one segment that I do with every artist. Yeah, you're trying to dissect my.

[T.I.]

Before we get into the next dimension.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I like that now. I tell you, I like that now. So. The. The ethos around Kill the King is to kill the ego. You come in, having to set a couple boundaries in this industry with what you was going for and what you wasn't, as far as. As far as them considering these beefs or whatever, when it's just really, you know, I'm gonna get my respect, right? Is it fitting that even though this doesn't turn into a beef, quote unquote, it's more of a skirmish, that on the way out, you gotta experience the same things you experience on the way in, Man.

[T.I.]

It paused for the course. It. Paul, for the. At least now is not. I, I, I expect this from this arena. This is what I expect from it. And this is the reason I'm on. I'm on the way out. You know what I'm saying? This is what I expect. I had no idea it would get here, but I know how silly get when you get to Dylan with egos, emotions and pride and just all this. It's your. Yeah, it's your. When you get down to it, or none of this shit, man, this shit don't matter. Don't amount to that. So this time has not been about me. This ain't about me. This is about women, children, family, community protection and defense. When motherfucker was saying shit about me, I was like, man, whatever, bro. I ain't really. I ain't tired. I ain't. I ain't got time. I ain't got time. I'm focusing on this. I got some good going on this. I'm gonna stay focused on it. And. But once you take it off of being about me and that becomes about, you know, the family, then, you know, I have no choice. My hands are tired at that point. Agree.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

We gonna wrap it up with this segment, build a hit record.

[T.I.]

Okay.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I asked all artists this, right? So you are Berry Gordy in the city.

[T.I.]

Nice.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I like that. You gotta build a hit record.

[T.I.]

I like that. I can get you.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You choose the producer. You choose producer.

[T.I.]

Okay.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

First hook, you say producer.

[T.I.]

What?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You choose a producer for the track, then first verse, hook and bridge. And then second verse, you artist for each.

[T.I.]

Okay, so is this in the.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It don't matter. Dead or alive. You take that card and you go with it.

[T.I.]

Okay. Dead or alive. And this is also like any era, not the Motown. They ain't gotta be signed to Motown.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

They ain't gotta be signed to no. Okay. You just build a hit, period.

[T.I.]

Build a hit. Now. What type of hit?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

God damn.

[T.I.]

I'm just saying. We gonna. We won't. We want numbers or we won't like what we.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

It'd be your choice.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Well, you decide.

[T.I.]

Okay. All right.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Okay. You do anything you want. I ain't gonna lie. What the money said. Didn't the money say, like, damn. I think the money said he wanted Diana Ross on one of the tracks, too. Hey, man, he went.

[T.I.]

He got in his bag, violated something else, man. Let me see here. Okay. Yeah. And it ain't no budget or nothing. I ain't got that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Ain't no budget. Then they can't even have fun. Okay. How much we spending on this motherfucker? Do we need a music video?

[T.I.]

Damn, bro. All right, all right, all right. So I'mma go gambling hoof.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

On production.

[T.I.]

Yeah, on production, nigga went, oh, I

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

don't even know who that is.

[T.I.]

You don't know. Google that.

[K.P. (Manager or Industry Associate)]

That's a lot of Teddy Pendergrass.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That's all right. Yeah. I'm pulling my phone out for you just to make sure.

[T.I.]

I'm gonna go gambling her.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Gambling her, bro.

[T.I.]

I'm going. I'm going. I'm going. Marvin Gaye, first verse. I'm going. Marvin Gay fervor. I'm going. I'm gonna go. Marvin Gay fervor. I'm going. Michael Jackson hooking bridge.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, y' all both did the same. You and Damani did the same.

[T.I.]

For real.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

He said, I'm going. Michael Jackson. It's a hit off the rip.

[T.I.]

Nah, you know what? All right, so wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm going. Wait, Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I'm going.

[T.I.]

R. Kelly hooking bridge.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Okay, that's gonna get. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? The thoughts and opinions of Clifford Harris. Right?

[T.I.]

We talking music, right?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

All right.

[T.I.]

We talking music. I ain't say he not my artist. I don't have to sign him. Making a song. Okay,

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

what would Barry Garden be? Htown.

[T.I.]

Nah, man. N. All right. Okay, okay. See, don't ask me no goddamn question, man. You're one. All right, so I'm going, R. Kelly hooking bridge.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Crazy, man.

[T.I.]

And then I'm going. I'm going. I'm going. Michael Jackson, second verse.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Michael Jackson, second verse. All right, I. I do one, too. Every time. Every time. All right. What now? And now what type of hit I want to make. We're gonna. Damn. That hard, though. The one you just.

[T.I.]

Especially if you ain't did it before, huh? Especially like you. I'm just thinking about. I'm thinking about some of the most unreachable. Yeah, that what I'm thinking. Some of the most un. Like some that can't happen.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know, I mean.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, that's what it got me thinking. A little abstract, like.

[T.I.]

Yeah, like what the can't happen it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

Yeah. You should know. Gambling her, man, they some bad man out of Philly.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I know the music. I just, you know, I don't know them by name out of Philly.

[T.I.]

They some bad. They like that. They like the 19 with 70s, 60s and 70s, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis type.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

All right, this what I'mma do. I'mma make a hip hop record.

[T.I.]

Okay.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I'mma get. I'mma get Alchemist.

[T.I.]

Okay?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Produce. I'm gonna go fur verse Sauce Walker. I'm put Future on the hook and bridge. That mean we gotta freak the beat. And then we're gonna put draw in the second verse.

[T.I.]

That's a hard. That's a hard record. I'd be. I'd be interested. The South Walker Alchemist collaboration. That's some shit that, you know, the world might not know. They need to hear.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I think they saw, I think the Alchemist, Yandro.

[T.I.]

We heard that. I think we heard that before. If I ain't mistaken. I think PSC got a record with Alchemist, if I ain't mistaken. I don't know if Drew is on that is it.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But is it one of them? Is it one of them? It's one of them, yeah.

[T.I.]

All right.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

We're gonna have to go check it. And you said the Gangster Girls PSC album was coming out.

[T.I.]

When it is, it's coming. Ask me no questions, I tell you no lies. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It's a single coming, though.

[T.I.]

Kirk coming Friday. The single coming straight from the 8. Coming Friday, man. Myself, Matt. No, excuse me, myself, big country young dro, D.C. young, fly. Matt, bone in on that one.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Hard, Hard, bro. Appreciate you.

[T.I.]

Shout out to Ghetto Mafia, you know, Nino and Wicked for clearing the sample. We appreciate you, Atlanta. We up. And this is. This is. We need an anthem. This is our anthem, everyone. You know what I mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And that's. That's this Friday. So by this time, this come out, it'll be out.

[T.I.]

Oh, it'll be out. Go see that? Go. Right now, I'm waiting on a nice sunny day so I can get me a park and shoot a video. I mean, we need. We need old Atlanta day type.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, Something in the park hood. Day in the park type shit, you

[T.I.]

know what I mean?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Well, when you find that motherfucker, let me know.

[T.I.]

Hey, man, I'm pulling up I know you gonna be there.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

All right. The truck finna get out.

[T.I.]

We gonna shine the sign. You know what I'm saying? We're gonna get the A town sign. Shine that motherfucker up. Motherfucker coming.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, for sure. Appreciate you pulling up, man.

[T.I.]

Man, hey, congratulations on all the shit you've been doing, man. You know what I mean? Cause you've been consistently building your brand and kind of positioning yourself in this as a force to be reckoned with.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely.

[T.I.]

And when you talk, you make sense. You know what I mean? And you don't talk in a way. You talk in a way to make white people uncomfortable. Good.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That was.

[T.I.]

You know what I'm saying? You talking a way to make white people. And it's entertaining for me to see someone else do that.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It'd be funny to see white people after the show. They be like, look, man, I know I'm not your target audience,

[T.I.]

but they be so cool, bro.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Man, the white niggas, the white folk

[T.I.]

that get it, bro. The white folk, the ones that get it, they. Man, they be so cool, man. It be so cool. Hey, look, it's so player to be round.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I was in the fucking publix the other day, man.

[T.I.]

The dude getting a sandwich.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, yeah. I get a little shop, and I like, y' all give me a sword

[T.I.]

before I get up out of here.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

So then the dude, he's stocking a bread. White dude, he got the man bun. So I'm like, all right. And he was like, hey, man, you deontay, Kyle. I was like, yeah, bro. I was like, how you know me? He was like, man, I watched the show, man. I really fuck with it, man. Woota woo woo, nah. And then he's like, man, can I get a pick? I'm like, let's do it. We took the pic. And I was like, that might be the fed shot, man.

[T.I.]

Feds ain't stacking stocking bread.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You don't know how they come. Look, I've been watching.

[T.I.]

Telling me they got a job just the way they got. Damn, the world you live in, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Look, I'm telling you, you live in

[T.I.]

like a GTA character.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I got brainwashed, bro. I got brainwashed because I've been watching this CIA whistleblower. I got brainwashed. I gotta stop watching that, man. But I talking. But, yeah, that would love. It'd be. It'd be cool to see. Especially, like, we just did a song, Minnesota, you know, it's a big Muslim community out there.

[T.I.]

Okay?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

So they all there, like right after the fast. And you know that with your love, bro. It bring a lot of folks out, bro. Bring a lot of people together.

[T.I.]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

And it's community as you speak to this community, bro. That's what this is about.

[T.I.]

Well, I'm happy, man. I'm happy to be an ally, you know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Absolutely, bro.

[T.I.]

Love and respect. All right.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Thank you.

[T.I.]

Oh, and also look forward to seeing Deontay on expeditiously. Oh, yeah, we also have an expeditious episode.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Me and Big Cat. Big Cat couldn't be here today, but, yeah, me and Big had on expeditions.

[T.I.]

Everybody was on expeditiously kicking shit, man. We had some.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

We had a good time that night. Yeah, that shit was fun.

[T.I.]

I got drunk. I did too.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I did too. I don't know what the fuck was we drinking, man? Yeah, that bamboo. That's what it's what did it, man. Shout out. Well, shout out to Bumbu.

[T.I.]

Yeah, man, send us some money.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Send us some bread.

[T.I.]

Send us some money.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

You know what I'm saying?

[T.I.]

We can put your product right here. You feel what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

That part.

[T.I.]

And anybody, if he don't want to do it, call me. And if you can't afford me, I'm gonna send you to him.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah. And I'm gonna meet you halfway.

[T.I.]

What tip charge. Okay, I'll take 50.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, man. Appreciate you, man. Love Kill the King.

[T.I.]

Coming soon.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Coming soon.

[T.I.]

Mm.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

Let him know. Out now. Stream that bitch.

[T.I.]

Love raps, man. Turn me up, man.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

It's just raps.

[T.I.]

I just wanna rap.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

I just wanna rap, man.

[T.I.]

Yeah. They say without the proper labor, faith don't stand a chance. I put my faith in faith and stand on fertile land I planted seeds that'll indeed turn into trees before rest in peace cheese teas get printed to me Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster, Zero Ultra, that's

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

the OG it kicked off this whole

[T.I.]

Zero Sugar energy drink thing.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

But Ultra is a whole lineup now.

[T.I.]

You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

So if you've been living in the white can branch out.

[T.I.]

Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe, and every single one is Zero Sugar. Tap the banner to learn more.

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

March is a time to celebrate women, especially with International Women's Day coming up. And I've really been thinking about how much women carry every single day. At work and relationships and families, in friendships, in leadership and caregiving, and in community. There are so many roles And a lot of the emotional weight women carry is invisible. So I want to take a second to celebrate Deanna, the mother of my kids. Because without her, none of this would be possible. Without her, I wouldn't be able to go on tour. Without her, I would have never had the ears that I needed in order to start this podcast in the first place. Before y' all ever heard one episode of this podcast, she's heard these ideas, opinions and theories 10,000 times over. And she sat there with me patiently. And she's raising three of my beautiful, beautiful children. So I want to thank her. She shows up for everyone and sometimes I wonder who makes sure she's okay. And that's why I think it's important to say this out loud. Women deserve support, too. Therapy can be a space to pause, to unpack expectations, to set healthy boundaries, to process pressure, to feel heard, to build balance. And honestly, that's something everyone deserves. BetterHelp has over 30,000 therapists and has served more than 6 million people globally. BetterHelp therapists are fully licensed in the US and work according to a strict code of conduct. They also do the matching work for you. You fill out a short questionnaire about your needs and preferences and with their 12 plus years of experience, an industry leading match fulfillment rate. They typically get it right the first time. And if it's not the right fit, you can switch therapists at any time. From their tailored recommendations. Your emotional well being matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] grits. That's betterhelp.com grits.

[Commercial Narrator]

Close your eyes. Exhale.

[T.I.]

Feel your body relax and let go

[Podcast Host (possibly Big Cat or a similar interviewer)]

of whatever you're carrying today.

[Commercial Narrator]

Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh, they're so fast.

[T.I.]

And breathe.

[Commercial Narrator]

Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order.

[T.I.]

1-800-contacts.