T.i

For other uses, see TI.
Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., (born September 25, 1980), better known by his stage name T.I., and also by his alter ego T.I.P., is a Grammy-award winning American rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records. As of January 2009, T.I. has had nine Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with three of them reaching number one ("My Love" with Justin Timberlake, "Whatever You Like", and "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna).


Early life and career beginnings
T.I.

on September 25, 1980 in Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia. He was raised by his grandparents and was a drug dealer as a teenager. T.I. explained the origin of his nickname Rubber Band Man, saying, "We used to wear rubber bands to signify how much money, how much blow we had." He was nicknamed "Tip" after his paternal great-grandfather. Kawan "KP" Prather, a record executive, discovered and signed T.I.

when he was a teenager. Upon signing with Arista Records subsidiary LaFace Records in 2001, he shortened his name to T.I. released his debut album, I'm Serious, in October 2001 through Arista Records, which spawned the single of the same title which featured reggae musician Beenie Man.

His debut album included Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes (who named him the Jay-Z of the south), Jazze Pha, and Youngbloodz. Production was by The Neptunes, DJ Toomp, Madvac, and The Grand Hustle Team.

asked for a joint venture deal with Arista or to be let out of his contract; he was subsequently dropped from the label.
T.I. The label would not release another single or video for the album, so T.I.created a video for "Dope Boyz", which had not a video nor single released, but can be seen on YouTube.
He released several mixtapes with the assistance of DJ Drama, which created an underground buzz. He resurfaced in the summer of 2003 on Bone Crusher's song "Never Scared".
Trap Muzik (2003)
T.I.

released Trap Muzik in the summer 2003 through Grand Hustle Records and debuted at number four and sold 109,000 copies in its first week. It spawned the singles "24s", "Be Easy", "Rubberband Man", and "Let's Get Away". The album featured guest appearances by Eightball & MJG, Jazze Pha, Bun B and Macboney and producers include Jazze Pha, Kanye West, David Banner, Madvac and DJ Toomp.

The success of the album was followed by some controversy; while on tour, T.I. was charged with violating his probation over a 2003 drug charge, and turned himself in.

While there, he was granted rights to film the music video for "Let's Get Away". received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Song Collaboration ("Soldier" w/ Destiny's Child & Lil Wayne) and Best Rap Solo Performance for "U Don't Know Me" at The 48th Grammy Awards.
King (2006)
His fourth album, King debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the first half of 2006, selling 522,000 copies in its first week. T.I.

released his promo-singles "Front Back" and "Ride with Me" before the album's release date. The singles had small attention, but it helped promote the album and his debut movie ATL.The album also included other singles, "What You Know," "Why You Wanna," "Live in the Sky," and a remix of "Top Back." King earned numerous awards and nominations including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album.
"What You Know" won a "Best Rap Solo Performance" and was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 49th Grammy Awards.
T.I. collaborated with Justin Timberlake for "My Love," which proved to be a worldwide hit.

It earned him a Grammy Award for Best Collaboration with Justin Timberlake at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.
T.I. The first single from the album was "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)" which was produced by Mannie Fresh and was released to radio stations on April 17, 2007.

released a second single "You Know What It Is," featuring Wyclef Jean, on June 12, 2007.
T.I. sold 468,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The Grand Hustle/Atlantic set is T.I.'s second chart-topper in the past year-and-a-half; King opened at number one on the Billboard 200 with 522,000 copies in late March 2006. The album included guests by Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, Nelly, and Eminem with productions by Eminem, Jeff Bass, Mannie Fresh, Grand Hustle, The Runners, Just Blaze, Wyclef Jean and Danja. This is his first album without production by long time producer DJ Toomp or The Neptunes.
On October 3, 2007, T.I.

The title of the album refers to the lyrics he had written down on paper. "He wanted to take more time to really put something down ," explained his rep. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 568,000 copies in the United States.
The first promo single off the album, "No Matter What," was released on April 29, 2008.The second promo single was "Swing Ya Rag" which was produced by and featured Swizz Beatz. The first main single off the album "Whatever You Like," was released on July 29, and became his most successful single of his career so far, breaking the record for the highest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, jumping from number 71 to number one. The second single, "Swagga Like Us", featuring Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne, debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

The movie was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Antwone Fisher, produced by Timothy M. played the character Rashad Swann, an orphaned 17-year-old senior in high school.

The first project from the movie division of his Grand Hustle brand is titled Once Was Lost. appeared as himself in the Entourage episode "The All Out Fall Out" as one of Ari Gold's clients.
Producing
T.I.

Then it was said a fight broke out with the two sets with Lil' Flip swinging on T.I. punched Zulu in the face and choked him and a small, brief melee ensued.
T.I.

says "So you up and coming rappers wanna diss, just kill it. I'm officially the realest, point blank, period." which is directed to Shawty Lo.The album also features a song called "What Up, What's Haapnin'" that directly disses Shawty Lo with lines such as "Still I hear you loud and clear on ya lil' song, go on get ya dissin' on while the king gone" and "'Cause I yell Bankhead and you felt left out, I ain't mention yo name that's what all this 'bout?"
On May 16, 2008, Shawty Lo released a video asking anyone who knows T.I. because he is successful. Shawty Lo officially ended the beef in the song "Roll The Dice" saying that he and T.I.

was performing at Club Crucial, Shawty Lo came on stage and performed with him.
Personal life
T.I. four hours before the BET Hip-Hop Awards. He was charged with two felonies — possession of three unregistered machine guns and two silencers, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.

According to federal officials, the witness had been cooperating with authorities since Wednesday, when he was arrested on charges of trying to purchase guns from a federal agent. worked with troubled youths at Paulding Detention Center in Atlanta, provided scholarships for single parent families at Boys and Girls Clubs, and headlined the Boost Mobile Rockcorps concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall, which featured such performers as Fat Joe, Slim Thug, and Kanye West, and was held exclusively for community service volunteers.

has come to a number of middle-grade and high schools in Georgia, where he speaks with the students in an assembly holding a positive message, while maintaining a philathropic view about morals and growing up in the same areas as himself.