Line #48 Music/TI - TV Tropes


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/600x6001.jpg]]
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3	Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. (born September 25, 1980), better known as T.I (originally, and still known as Tip) is an American rapper, producer, entrepreneur, and actor from UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, Georgia. He's been around since TheNineties, but didn't break through until 2003, when he founded his own label Grand Hustle Records. He is notably a GenrePopularizer of [[SouthernRap southern hip-hop]], being that he found great success at a time when most rappers that didn't hail from east or west coasts were considered a novelty (Music/{{Outkast}} notwithstanding). His success opened the gates for many later southern rappers to become hugely successful in the mainstream, and has been named "King of the South" for this reason.
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5	He also popularized TrapMusic. At a time when it was primarily limited to the dirty south, he helped broaden the appeal of the genre (which would later be fused with {{E\|lectronicMusic}}DM in the '10s and become unexpectedly popular). Tip is a member of the Pimp Squad Click (P$C), a southern hip-hop group that's had little success compared to him.
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7	As the founder of Grand Hustle Records, he has discovered and mentored many popular acts in the Southern United States. These include [[Music/BoBRapper B.o.B]], Trae tha Truth, Music/TravisScott, Young Dro and, most notably, Music/IggyAzalea. In 2016, he signed with Music/JayZ's Creator/RocNation label.
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9	Outside of that, he's become rather notorious for his numerous arrests by the police and his multiple run-ins with the law; he has been jailed for nearly a year at one point. However, he has since cleaned up his act and has managed to maintain a stable career.
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11	Tip is also known for occasionally acting, the most famous examples being his roles as Rashad Swann in ''Film/{{ATL}}'' and Dave in ''Film/AntMan1''.
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13	[[MemeticMutation Also, he wants]] UsefulNotes/JoeBiden.
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15	!!Discography:
16	* ''I'm Serious'' (2001)
17	* ''Trap Muzik'' (2003)
18	* ''Urban Legend'' (2004)
19	* ''King'' (2006)
20	* ''T.I vs. T.I.P.'' (2007)
21	* ''Paper Trail'' (2008)
22	* ''No Mercy'' (2010)
23	* ''Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head'' (2012)
24	* ''Paperwork'' (2014)
25	* ''Dime Trap'' (2018)
26	----
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28	!!Tropes:
29	* ArchEnemy: He had a longstanding feud with Music/{{Ludacris}}.
30	* BreakoutCharacter: His first hit was a guest spot on "Never Scared," alongside fellow Atlanta rappers Bone Crusher (the main artist) and [[Music/RunTheJewels Killer Mike]]. While Crusher himself turned out to be a OneHitWonder, Mike and Tip both went on to far longer-lasting success.
31	* ClusterFBomb: He's a rapper, what do you expect?
32	* IntercourseWithYou: A common theme, many songs are about how he can have sex. Some range from objectifying the women as being "bitches", while others are more in the sensitive light. For the sensitive, "Whatever You Like" is probably the best example. The best objectifying version would be "No Mediocre".
33	* {{Mentor\|s}}: To several rappers, Music/IggyAzalea being the most famous example.
34	* MoodWhiplash: From ''Paperwork'', "About that Money" is followed by "New National Anthem". The sudden shift in mood is a bit weird when listening to the album in full.
35	* NewJobAsThePlotDemands: He's a rapper, producer, entrepreneur, actor, author, TV personality, and nightclub owner.
36	* NWordPrivileges: He's not shy about using them, as expected from a rapper.
37	* OdeToIntoxication: "At the Bar" and "Poppin' Bottles", most obviously. Some songs would reference drug use such as smoking weed, but these references are virtually absent from his later material ([[RealLifeWritesThePlot mainly due to Tip cleaning up]]).
38	* OneSteveLimit: When T.I., then still known as Tip, first got signed to Creator/AristaRecords in 1999, [[Music/ATribeCalledQuest Q-Tip]] was also signed there under a solo deal. Due to marketing conflicts, and out of respect for Q-Tip's legendary career and reputation, he shortened his name to T.I., but still uses the "Tip" monkier on occasion.
39	* PoliticalRap: "New National Anthem" is a TakeThat against America's political system.
40	* ReallyGetsAround: "No Mediocre" portrays Tip as this. There are probably others as well.
41	* RedBaron: '''King of the South'''. When you consider the sheer number of rappers who hail from there, that is an impressive title to go by.
42	* RhymingWithItself: He's rather guilty of this. "Live Your Life" features him rapping an entire verse where "way/away" is rhymed with each other many times. Also, "Swing Ya Rag" features this:
43	-->''Shorty, I can show you how to spend this bread real fast''
44	-->''Then get a group of chicks to give you head real fast''
45	** Also, from "No Mediocre":
46	-->''No, you won't get no dick if there's a bush down there''
47	-->''Girl I should see nothing but pussy when I look down there''
48	** "Bring 'Em Out" ends four lines with "shit".
49	* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Until he sobered up in 2011, he had shades of this.
50	* SouthernRap: Well, duh. He's sort of a pioneering act for it after all.
51	* TattooedCrook: Averted, he doesn't have any tattoos despite being rapper (where hip-hop and tattoo culture go hand-in-hand).
52	* TrapMusic: The TropeNamer and the TropeMaker. His second album is widely regarded as the origin of trap music as we know it.
53	* AWildRapperAppears: He makes guest appearances in Music/JustinTimberlake's "My Love", Music/LadyGaga's "Jewels n Drugs", Music/{{Kesha}}'s "Sleazy" remix, and Music/RobinThicke's "Blurred Lines".
54	* WolverinePublicity: He's one of the biggest rappers in the game, and the proclaimed king of southern hip-hop. Naturally, he's appeared in ''a lot'' of other rappers' songs. Listing them would take all day, but thankfully Website/{{Wikipedia}} has a convenient one if you want to know.
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Context Music / TI