Iggy Azalea Isn’t Signed To Interscope Records, Says T.I. [Video]

Grand Hustle's Iggy Azalea may spark up a new record label bidding war with Atlanta's T.I. revealing the Australian newcomer is currently a free agent despite a perceived Interscope Records signing earlier this year.

According to Tip, record labels still have a shot at signing the XXL Freshman.

Iggy Azalea announced that she had signed a deal with Interscope Records earlier this year, but it may have been premature. According to her Grand Hustle boss T.I., the Aussie rapper is still unsigned. “Iggy is a free agent,” Tip told Bu Thiam, VP of A&R at Def Jam, on “MTV’s Hip Hop POV.” The blonde bombshell had touted a deal with Interscope and a summer release for her debut album The New Classic. “Interscope, if you were wondering,” she tweeted in January. “Get used to me + jimmy [iovine] smashing sh*t, cause thats the plan.” According to sources, a deal was never actually in place. However, she did release the T.I.-assisted “Murda Bizness,” which was billed as the lead single off the album. The Hustle Gang member is currently in talks with other labels including Def Jam. Her EP Glory is due this month. (Rap-Up)

In mid-April, she talked about restructuring her Interscope deal to join Tip’s Grand Hustle family.

“I didn’t know I was gonna sign to Grand Hustle,” Azalea told MTV News, explaining how she managed to stick with both imprints. “There’s no way I thought that would happen. Not because I didn’t like them, just because my deal was all sewn up, and I restructured the whole thing.” The 21-year-old Australian rapper revealed that Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine was “cool with it,” helping her tailor a new deal that pleased all parties involved. “[Jimmy] likes Tip, and they’re good friends, so it worked out,” she explained. “But it made everybody so confused, because everyone was like, ‘I thought she was signed to Interscope; Grand Hustle is with Atlantic.'” (MTV)

A month prior, Tip publicly announced Iggy’s addition to his Grand Hustle roster.

“Tip reached out just to meet me, to say hello, and I found a position for him, conveniently, where he could be used,” Azalea explained. “And he was down with it; that’s the truth.” Affectionately referring to Azalea as “The Iggamonster,” T.I. also added his recollection of their first conversation. “I think her exact words were: ‘It’s very smart of you to call me because I’m going to be smashing sh– for quite some time now and no one will be able to breathe if they’re not on my team. So it’s good that you’ll be here, so you’ll have oxygen.” In addition to working with Azalea and Trae, T.I. also added British rapper Chip (formerly known as Chipmunk) to Grand Hustle Records. It’s set to be a big year for the Grand Hustle family. (RapFix)

Prior to the deal, Iggy discussed joining forces with Interscope Records.

“I think they [labels] have things that they specialize in. Def Jam, I love. I was super close to signing with them. I think they’re just the best team. I think they’re really passionate about what they do and you can just tell that they’re so hungry over there. But then you look at who they’ve got signed to their label and it kind of makes you be like, ‘I don’t know. Am I going to be the guinea pig here for this?’ I don’t know. … I think once Jimmy [Iovine] saw that I was starting to pull away and be like, ‘No, I’ll just do my own thing,’ he was like, ‘What do you want lady?’ And I was like, ‘Alright, let’s cut the bullsh*t.’ … He’s crazy. He’s like, ‘You’re the next Tupac!’ I’m like you’re absolutely insane. But I love it!” (Billboard)

Check out T.I.’s interview below: