S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper T.I. has confirmed his new "Addresses" record is not a subliminal but rather a direct diss shot aimed at a fellow Atlanta hip-hop artist.
Rather than lead into speculation, Tip said his new track has someone’s name attached to it.
“Nah, it was direct,” Tip told DJ Drama. “Yeah, it was direct. Now the thing about who it was directed to, it benefits them more than me for me to put that out there. So I made it directly to them in a way so only they will know. Therefore, so they cannot get any shine off of it. So I’ma make a prediction here, everybody, on Shade 45, on Drama’s show. There shall be a few rappers that feel they will be benefited by accepting that burden and they will step into that line of fire knowing that it is not them but they feel it is better for them to step into that line of fire, be hit and receive the benefits of what comes with being hit by a T.I. bullet. That will be the greatest thing that ever happened to them in their life, man. They mama gonna say, ‘Oh, my baby got hit by a T.I. bullet. Proudest moment of my life.'” (Shade 45)
He also explained where the wrath of “Addresses” stems from and credited himself for paving a lane for fellow ATL artists to follow.
“Had it not been for their just outright disrespect and disregard for the G-Code and what is known to all just to be just real, they just lack integrity,” Tip added. “When you just disregard the man, I did this for you, bruh. Trap Muzik is a genre that I created, holmes. Before me, it was Lil Jon, crunk music and OutKast. You don’t fit in nowhere. The closest thing to come to what you do is what I created, holmes. So for you to come out your face bad about me dog, when I ain’t try to do nothing but help you and lames like you, I ain’t try to do nothing but uplift n*ggas like you, and you try to come at me this way?” (Shade 45)
On “Addresses,” Tip hints at his issues stemming from someone in the Atlanta area.
“Don’t bring that bullsh*t to me, bruh,” Tip raps. “Ain’t no back and forth, f*ck with me, I’m torchin’ n*ggas/Don’t go to war unless your money right — Hey look I can’t afford a gun fight/Ha! But I can afford one life/All that sucker sh*t, you broke and now you so upset/All the sh*t you kick around the city gets you no respect/I know a rap beef what you want, that sh*t I been did/You such a gangster, get some money out the street then/Been in the game for 11 years, if I was such a h*e, n*gga I’d a been exposed 10 years ago/Never been robbed, never got my chain took/Never even been hit in my face, don’t believe, then look…” (“Addresses”)
Recently, T.I. spoke on making the phrase “King of the South” popular.
“Eh listen, man, there’s no denying or disputing of that,” Tip said when asked if he still feels he is the “King of the South.” “Honestly, before me the term ‘King Of The South’ didn’t even exist. Just like when you think of freedom for black people, you think of Abraham Lincoln. Although there will be another King of the South one day, I’m about my wits to know that. However, that will happen when I say so. I’m going to determine [who it’ll be]. I’m going to determine when that happens and who it happens for.” (Ashley Outrageous)
Check out T.I.’s interview and “Addresses”:
