Taxstone’s murder trial is underway. He is accused of killing Troy Ave’s bodyguard, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, at Irving Plaza amid the crossfire of his beef with Troy. Taxstone already pleaded guilty to gun possession, with sentencing expected to be decided after the trial. The Trial Underway Former rapper-turned-television and Twitter personality, Taxstone is facing a […]
When the Super Bowl was held in Atlanta, T.I., unfortunately, didn’t get to hit the stage but perhaps, he’ll make up for it during Rihanna’s highly-anticipated halftime show. The “Born Again” singer recently held a press conference where she provided a bit of information. From what we know, it’ll be a thirteen-minute set filled with some of her biggest hits. However, the specific details haven’t been revealed as of yet, including the potential surprise guests she might bring out.
Over the past few months, fans have speculated that she’ll bring a few artists out on stage. Given the number of hit records she has in her arsenal, specifically with hip-hop’s elite, it seems possible that she might bring out some A-Listers. Previous reports indicated that Jay-Z’s had a role in helping Rihanna with her performance. However, one might wonder if he’ll hit the stage. The two have collaborated on massive records like “Run The Town” and “Umbrella” – two massive singles that would be fitting for the Super Bowl stage.
Is T.I. Performing At The Super Bowl With Rihanna?
Billboard recently asked T.I. whether he’ll appear during the halftime show with Rihanna to perform, “Live Your Life.” After all, the Paper Trail banger topped the Billboard Hot 100 and later, was certified platinum. “Zip it. Ay man, I will not confirm or deny any potential appearance. It’s an awesome opportunity,” he said. “It was awesome to have the opportunity to work with such an iconic figure and such a prolific individual and such a beautiful spirit altogether. We’ll see what happens.”
It seems like we’ll have to wait until Sunday to see if T.I. and Rihanna will reunite on stage. However, if not this weekend, then perhaps, down the line. Rumors began floating this week that Rihanna’s currently plotting a tour. So, if she ends up in Atlanta or the surrounding area, hopefully, we’ll see her bring out T.I. to perform their chart-topping single. For now, we’ll have to see what Rihanna has up her sleeves for her performance this weekend. Sound off in the comments with your predictions for Rihanna’s halftime show performance and let us know what songs you want to hear.
The “Free Thug” movement hasn’t ceased since Young Thug was arrested with dozens of others on RICO charges. The hitmaker has remained incarcerated as eight others have accepted plea deals, including Gunna. Thugger and 13 other co-defendants hope for freedom after fighting their case in court. On the outside, the rapper’s celebrity peers have continued to rally for his release. While on Drink Champs, longtime friend T.I. advocated for Young Thug.
“He kinda consider—he like, ‘Yo bro, you were the first major artist to rock with me, to believe in me,’” said T.I. “That was a major look for him. At least, according to him. And, you know, he just always express his gratitude and that’s more than I received from a lot of my own artists that’s on my label that I had a hand in they career, for real.”
“And, he just…he a real good dude, bro. I don’t think—everything that’s goin’ around, I think it’s a test,” T.I. further said. “It’s a test, and it’s gon’ become his testimony. All he gotta do is continue to stand tall and stay solid, and I believe God gon’ work everything out.”
T.I. shared similar sentiments about Young Thug during his recent appearance on Club Shay Shay. The Rap mogul spoke kindly about Thug to Shannon Sharpe, even revealing that he passed on giving the rapper and 21 Savage money in the early stages of their careers. According to T.I., it wouldn’t have benefited them the way they believed, but now, both artists expressed gratitude for giving them wisdom instead of shelling out money.
“Because if I give you a million, I gotta take back some that’s gon’ be way more, and we ain’t gon’ be able to be friends no more,” he said at the time. “And I always tell them, don’t worry about the money up front ’cause it gon’ come. I remember telling that to Slime, I remember telling that to 21. And even Savage, anytime he see me now, ‘Hey, it came.’” Check out the clip of T.I. on Drink Champs above and stay tuned as the full episode drops later this week.
Last year Tiny Harris filed a lawsuit against the makers of the L.O.L Surprise! dolls after accusing them of copying their look from her defunct all-girl singing group the OMG Girlz. The judge has just declared a mistrial.
Bloomberg Law reports:
The maker of the popular L.O.L. Surprise! OMG Dolls was granted a mistrial in an intellectual property dispute with rapper T.I. and former teen pop group OMG Girlz, after a California federal judge determined that prohibited testimony on cultural appropriation was introduced.
Prior to trial, which began Jan. 17, Judge James V. Selna of the Central District of California barred testimony about the dolls’ alleged racist cultural appropriation.
MGA Entertainment originally sued OMG Girlz, Clifford T.I. Harris, and Xscape singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris—whose daughter, Zonnique Pullins, was a part of the music group—in December 2020. It sought a declaratory judgment that its OMG Dolls didn’t infringe on the intellectual property rights of the former band after receiving a cease and desist letter.
The OMG Girlz—who performed from 2009 to 2015—responded with counterclaims alleging misappropriation of their name and likenesses, trade dress infringement, and unfair competition. They also sought damages and an order blocking further sale of the infringing dolls. They claimed that the dolls’ names and appearances are similar
to the members of OMG Girlz, and a comparison “makes it clear that the OMG Dolls were intentionally designed to trade on the OMG Girlz’ likeness and brand.”
The OMG Girlz’ original counterclaims also alleged cultural appropriation, accusing MGA Entertainment and its CEO Isaac Larian of using his “doll business to misappropriate the likeness of Black female artists.” Those claims were removed in subsequent filings, and Selna granted MGA’s motion to exclude mention of that claim at trial.
His interview with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay has offered several takeaways, but Hip Hop reacted swiftly to T.I.’s this particular soundbite. T.I. has never been one to mince words when he speaks on his legacy, and he discussed artists he likens himself to in Hip Hop.
“I see myself as a hybrid kind of between, I guess, [Jay-Z], [Tupac Shakur], Puff, and like a Snoop. You know what I’m saying?” he said.
“I kind of hop in and out and take pages out of the book of legends,” he further stated. “And I’ve been fortunate enough and blessed enough to be able to have these relationships where I could sit and engage and soak up game.”
He also shared the names of artists who have helped him over the years. “People like E-40, people like Too $hort, people like Master P, people like J. Prince, people like Russell Simmons, people like Puff, people like Jay.”
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 27: T.I. and Jay-Z attend Roc Nation THE BRUNCH at One World Observatory on January 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Elsewhere in the interview, T.I. also shared stories of his jump into acting. The Rap mogul has a successful career in several aspects of entertainment, making his acting debut in 2006’s ATL.
However, T.I. revealed he had an opportunity to be added to the cast of 2002’s Drumline. He auditioned for the role but dismissed having to learn the drums. In the end, the part he read for went to Nick Cannon, and the rest was history.
Check out what other gems T.I. shared with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay above. Additionally, let us know if you agree with his assessment of being a mix of his famous peers.
Video network Vevo teamed up with Public Enemy’s Chuck D to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. There will be programming including “Legends In Concert,” “Hip-Hop International,” “2K Hip-Hop Legends,” and more. The world’s leading video network will also collaborate with a hefty, yet, impressive list of hip-hop artists with appearances throughout 2023 from legends such […]
T.I. is undoubtedly the King of the South and a Hip-Hop legend. If you were to ask him who he is a combination of, his answer would be four titans of our genre: JAY-Z, 2Pac, Diddy and Snoop Dogg.
During an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, T.I. revealed that he sees his legends in his composition.
“I see myself as a hybrid kind of between, I guess, Jay, ‘Pac, Puff and like a Snoop, you know what I’m saying?” T.I. said. “I kind of hop in and out and take pages out of the book of legends, and I’ve been fortunate enough and blessed enough to be able to have these relationships where I could sit and engage and soak up game.”
T.I. would give more love to people like E-40, Master P, Jay Prince, and more in the conversation.
In the same conversation, T.I. recalled the year 2007, when he found himself alongside Denzel Washington in the film classic American Gangster.
T.I. played the nephew of Washington’s character, Frank Lucas, who was ditching a promising baseball future aside to join the family drug business.
T.I. recalls the moment Washington coached him through a scene and helped him combat his nerves.
“As we’re rehearsing I’m pacing back and forth,” T.I. said. “And he said, ‘What’s up, n-gga, You nervous?’ I’m like, ‘Man, I’m just making sure I don’t mess it up.’
“He said, ‘Here man, listen. They could have had anybody in here doing what you’re doing right now. They could have anybody in the world, they could have called anybody right here to do what you’re doing.’”
You can check out the full conversation below.
Flash forward to today, T.I. is still in his acting bag. Hitting theaters this weekend, T.I. will star alongside Power’s Joseph Sikora in the psychological horror film, Fear.
This psychological horror film follows a group of friends who gather for that typical friends weekend getaway at a remote and historic hotel. Their celebration takes a terrifying quick and sudden turn as each one of the guests has to face their own worst fear one by one thanks to a powerful force inside the hotel. The trailer shows the group sharing their biggest fears—some of which we can all relate to.
T.I. has undoubtedly held down his own among those we consider to be the greatest of all time in hip-hop. He later branched out into film but he didn’t necessarily leave the greatest impression on Morgan Freeman.
During his recent appearance on Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe asked T.I about the time “a famous actor got mad at you during a table read.” Tip chuckled before responding, “Say no to drugs, kids.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 25: Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris attends the premiere of Disney And Marvel’s “Ant-Man And The Wasp” on June 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
T.I. confirmed that the famous actor was Morgan Freeman, though he regarded it as one of those hard-learned lessons.
“Just to be honest, I wasn’t prepared,” he said. “That was an opportunity I should’ve taken more seriously. I completely accept accountability and I’ve grown from that.”
Tip added that Morgan Freeman made him feel terrible once he called the rapper out in front of everyone. However, he understood that he needed to grow from that situation.
“That’s something I needed in my journey because that – it was like a shock to the system,” he said. He added it was a wake-up call to ensure that no one would be able to chastise him again.
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 23: Morgan Freeman backstage during the American Black Film Festival Honors Awards Ceremony at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 23, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
T.I. previously discussed landing a role in 2013’s Las Vegas during an episode of expeditiously. He explained that he left a studio session and got to the table read where he began nodding off. That’s when Morgan Freeman called him out in front of everyone. He later received a call from his manager who told him, “Morgan Freeman said he won’t work with you. They don’t want you.”
During his conversation with Sharpe, he said that he does feel as though he could’ve had a positive contribution to the film. However, Tip said Morgan Freeman didn’t deserve blame for the outcome.
T.I. and Tiny’s lawsuit against MGA on the L.O.L. Surprise dolls’ similarity to OMG Girlz ended in a mistrial. The outcome came after a customer said she couldn’t “support a company that steals ideas from Black people.” Updated By: Kendall Parks (1/26/23 at 3:28 pm) The Family Hustle couple caught a bad break when the […]
Over 20 years ago, Nick Cannon starred in Drumline, a fan favorite that helped spawn a franchise. It’s difficult to envision anyone else other than the media mogul tackling the lead character, but according to T.I., he was also up for the role.
Tip sat down with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay and spoke about the development of his film career. Initially, he was a Rap star immersed in Atlanta’s music scene, which opened him up to lucrative relationships. This included connecting with legendary producer Dallas Austin. At the time, Austin was dabbling in movies, and T.I. wanted in.
“He was telling me about his first film,” T.I. recalled. “I was always like, ‘Yo bruh, put me in it.’ And he was like, ‘Aight, yeah man. Say less.’ He sent me to go read and I read and they were like, ‘Man, you got to learn how to play the drums.’ And I was like, ‘I could play like I could play the drums.’ They were like, ‘Nah, you gotta learn how.’ I was like, ‘Man, I don’t wanna do that.’
When T.I. seemingly rejected the role, he wasn’t aware that it was for Drumline.
“I just didn’t want to commit myself to it at the time. It wasn’t there,” he further said. “But I read, and I didn’t get it, and that movie went on to be Drumline. Yeah, I was reading for Nick Cannon’s part.”
Looking back, Tip doesn’t see it as a missed opportunity but as a stepping stone. Additionally, the Rap mogul said he and Cannon joke about the Drumline debacle.
“Look, that opened the door for me to do ATL,” he also revealed. “After I didn’t get the role for Drumline, I went back to Dallas and said, ‘Man, next time, bruh, just give me the role. I ain’t going to read or nothing. Just give me the role.’ And he was like, ‘Cool,’ and he just gave the role for Rashad in ATL.”
“All things happen for a reason. What God got for you can’t no one take from you.”
