S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper T.I. has opened up about his new Trouble Man solo album gearing up to hit stores in early 2012 and what state of mind he had during the recording process.
Tip said he focused a portion of his album on being free from jail after an 11-month bid for a probation violation.
“My life inspires my lyrics at all times, so at that moment in time, when I first came home, I have about 15 songs just totally focusing on that,” T.I. said. “Out of those 15, I probably picked the two or three most significant, most compelling, impactful ones, and after I’ve been out for a minute, then I’ve got records totally focusing on speaking to people who can only focus on that and telling them I’m ready to move on. The name of the album is Trouble Man, and every song on here is about things that can get me in troubl — I’m reminiscing on the days when I used to run wild and do my thing the way I used to do it. I’ve got records that are just totally intellectually ignorant.” (MTV)
Last month, the “King of the South” said his unreleased project had nearly 50 songs in the books.
“I always do a lot of recording, so I have around 45 songs right now. I’m diversifying the project, just recoding different types of music,” T.I. told Billboard’s The Juice of “Trouble Man.” “A lot of times, I’m taking myself out of my element,” Tip continued. “This is the first project where I’m talking about things that I’ve experienced before that I’m not necessarily experiencing now, ’cause I’m not doing a whole lot of partying. I do a little bit, but not a lot … nothing like when I was in that life.” (Billboard)
A few weeks ago, he announced his new LP’s official title.
“I’m embracing it,” T.I. tells me of the persona that is the title of his eighth studio album, “Trouble Man.” A minute into the title track, before I could ask why, Marvin Gaye‘s “Trouble Man” comes through the speakers of Atlanta’s Darp Studio Inc and we both nod our heads in understanding. As Marvin smoothly croons of personal struggles, T.I. smiles and nods his head yes. … “I have this one record [titled] ‘Pyro’ that I’m proud of,” T.I. told Billboard.com’s The Juice. “‘Pyro’ is a straight party record. It’s nostalgic of those crazy nights, early mornings [but] just turned up.” “Pyro” will come after the release of T.I.’s two singles, “I’m Flexin’,” featuring Big K.R.I.T. and “Hear Ye’ Hear Ye’,” feat. Pharrell Williams. (The Juice)
In October, Tip revealed being split over his two album titles.
“The first of two album titles I’m debating is Kill the King because in all that I’ve gone through I’ve observed how people respond to my circumstances, and I always wonder ‘Why y’all coming at me like this?’ But I thought, ‘How do you expect them to act?'” he explains. “Life is a game of chess and the object is to kill the king. If you anoint yourself king, you have made yourself a target. The second one is self-explanatory – Trouble.” Keen on reclaiming his Southern hip-hop crown, T.I. has little patience for skeptics who believe his star has dimmed. (Rolling Stone)
T.I.’s Trouble Man is slated to hit stores in early 2012.
Check out some recent T.I. footage down below:
