T.I. is a certified legend. His run in the 2000s is one of the best put together by a Southern rapper. If he retired a decade ago, he would still go down as a GOAT candidate to many. And it seems like the notion of packing up is finally sounding good to T.I. based on his recent radio appearance. The rapper went on 96.1 to discuss his future, and he announced that he will no longer be putting on concerts for fans. In a surprisingly sincere display, T.I. stated that Jingle Ball 2024 will mark the last time he steps foot on stage.
T.I.’s announcement was prefaced by him wiping his eyes. “I appreciate y’all,” he told the 96.1 hosts. “Offering me my last working gig. I do not need the money anymore and I will not be performing.” The hosts were taken aback by the rapper’s stance, and proceeded to ask additional questions. The man born Clifford Harris was steadfast in his plan. “I don’t wanna do it anymore,” he asserted. “I don’t want people to pay me to hop around and sweat for they entertainment anymore.” T.I.’s last performance will take place at State Farm Arena on December 19. The rapper is slated to perform on a Jingle Ball lineup that includes T-Pain, Sexyy Red, Tinashae and Khalid.
T.I.’s decision to step back from performing should not be too much of a surprise for fans. The rapper has been teasing his retirement for a while. He told Baller Alert that he planned to drop two albums to mark his retirement back in 2023. “My last album is Kill the King, which will be, you know, it’s gon’ be edgy, energetic,” he explained. “So I’ma end up doing two albums. One will be Kiss the King, and the other will be Kill the King.” It’s taken a while for these albums to come together, and we’ve yet to get release dates for either, but T.I. seems serious.
T.I. alluded to the other reason he won’t be performing live during the 96.1 interview. He told the hosts he didn’t have to anymore, and he wasn’t kidding. T.I. and his wife recently won a $71 million lawsuit against MGA Entertainment. The couple alleged that the company had violated the intellectual property of a girl group they’d previously launched, OMG Girlz, and MGA was forced to pay up. “I mean, wow,” T.I.P. told Rolling Stone after the ruling. “They did more than I thought they would. They blessed us more than beyond.”
On this date in 2001, the self-proclaimed “King Of The South,” rapper/actor T.I., released his first album entitled I’m Serious.
Produced by several behind the board legends including ATL’s DJ Toomp, Jazze Pha, Lil Jon, The Neptunes, and few others, with features from Pharrell, Bone Crusher, Too Short, Pastor Troy, and many other South and West icons still did not garner him the commercial success that he would eventually be recognized for his music as well as in the cinema.
With this being T.I.’s lowest-selling album, Arista Records made the heartbreaking move to cut him from the label after selling less than 300K copies. This was the obvious silver lining in the cloud because T.I has not only went on to become one of the top-selling Hip-Hop artists to date but has also made his mark on the silver screen starring along with the likes of Denzel Washington, Ruby Dee, and many others.
Regardless of what the critics have to say, salute to T.I. for offering up this underground Hip-Hop classic!
Last night, Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum recording artist and New York Times best-selling author Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins hosted the highly anticipated 4th Annual Sno Ball Gala, an unforgettable evening that combined elegance, entertainment, and philanthropy. This exclusive, invite-only event gathered a star-studded lineup of celebrities and influential leaders, all coming together to support Jeezy‘s Street Dreamz Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth.
In a heartwarming moment, Jeezy made his first red carpet appearance alongside his oldest daughter, Amra, marking their debut together at the event and adding a special, personal touch to the evening’s celebrations. Among the evening’s high-profile attendees were Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, comedian Mike Epps, rapper T.I., and many more.
The event, held at a private venue, featured an array of luxurious experiences —from gourmet dining to a thrilling live auction. Guests had the chance to bid on exclusive, high-end items, with all proceeds going directly to Street Dreamz Foundation’s initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, and community development for at-risk youth. Comedian Mike Epps had the crowd roaring with laughter as the gala’s master of ceremonies, while DJ Cassidy kept the energy high with a mix of crowd-pleasing hits that had attendees dancing into the early hours.
The night’s real success came from the funds raised, which will further the foundation’s mission to uplift the next generation of leaders. Reflecting on the event, Jeezy stated, “The Sno Ball Gala is about more than just a great night—it’s about creating real change. I’m grateful to everyone who came out, contributed, and helped make this event impactful. Together, we’re giving our youth the tools to succeed and thrive.”
As the 2024 Sno Ball Gala wraps, it solidifies Jeezy’s legacy—not just as a music icon and author, but as a philanthropist devoted to making lasting, positive change in his community.
Suge Knight and Diddy were polar opposites in the 1990s. The former was the head honcho for Death Row Records on the West Coast. The latter spearheaded Bad Boy Records on the East Coast. They were enemies, and there has been no love lost between them in subsequent decades. Suge Knight and Diddy have succumbed to similar fates in recent years, however. Knight is behind bars, and Diddy is locked up while he awaits a criminal trial. The irony is not lost on Knight, who went on News Nation to discuss what he suggested was an open secret in hip hop.
Suge Knight has watched Diddy rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in music since the 90s. Some of these artists include people that Knight worked with on Death Row Records, like Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. The former label boss alleged that none of the people who were friendly with Diddy have spoken up, however, because they know he’s guilty. Suge Knight didn’t tip toe around the topic, either. He referenced some of the biggest rappers in the game by name, including his former associates.
“Facts is there,” Knight told News Nation host Chris Cuomo. “Where we’re at now, I don’t care if it’s T.I., I don’t care if it’s Rick Ross, I don’t care if it’s Jay.” The convict went on to name other artists on the West Coast with Diddy affiliations. “I don’t care if it’s Snoop, I don’t care if it’s Game, I don’t care if it’s Dre,” he added. “Nobody stepping up on the fact that you know what’s going on.” The name game didn’t stop at musicians, either. Suge Knight proceeded to call out other industry figures who field power.
The Death Row co-founder alleged that people like Clive Davis, Jimmy Iovine and Russell Simmons are also engaging in criminal behavior behind the scenes. This is not the first time that parallels between the Bad Boy founder and icons like Davis and Simmons. Diddy’s former bodyguard, Gene Deal, told The Art of Dialogue that both men served as influences on his employer’s lifestyle. “They was heavy into beating women, and doing things at that crazy stage,” Deal claimed. “That’s gonna make him think that he can get away with the same thing.”
Happy born day to Mr.Clifford Harris Jr. aka T.I.!
Throughout the years, T.I. has become one of the most relevant forces in hip-hop. Besides his music career, T.I. is an actor, spokesperson for the AKOO clothing, and the leader of Hustle Gang, which includes Iggy Azealia, B.O.B, Young Dro, and more.
Today, we celebrate Tip’s 44th birthday by showcasing jams that highlights his growth as an artist.
Fuck Da City Up Feat. Young Jeezy If T.I. wanted to, his mixtape game would be a lot more extensive. The title track of his first mixtape Fuck Da City Up was finally able to breathe, even if it was an online release. But since the tapes are beneath him, you got to appreciate when he makes a collabo with Young Jeezy pop off.
Rubberband Man Before he was the kang, Tip was known as the “Rubber Band Man.” The hit put T.I. on the map around the country. It was one of the few tracks that initiated Grand Hustle into the game.
U Don’t Know Me Mr. Harris kept his head in the game. Though there were a few signature hits to come off Urban Legendz, “You Don’t Know Me” went hard and made room for tracks like “ASAP” and “Motivation” to gain heavy momentum amongst the masses.
What You Know The Kang of the South put himself on hip-hop’s pedestal with his smash single “What You Know.” The Southern anthem highlighted his King album and was on repeat in every major hip-hip radio station in the country.
Big Shit Poppin (Do It) T.I. wanted to showcase his battle against himself for his fifth album T.I. vs. TIP. “Big Shit Poppin (Do It)” hit the Billboard Top 100 chart at #9, eventually obtaining certified gold.
Live Your Life Feat. Rihanna Paper Trails put T.I. at a plateau with the success of the hit single “Live Your Life” with Roc Nation’s Rihanna. The memorable O-Zone sample created an international buzz that had new fans copping the album just the hear the Tip and RiRi collaboration.
Welcome To The World Feat. Kanye West & Kid Cudi His film ‘Takers’ with Michael Ealy and Paul Walker hit theatres yet he still made the effort to release his sixth studio album, No Mercy. Though his single “I’m Back” sparked some hype, his collaboration with G.O.O.D Music soldiers Kanye West and Kid Cudi remains one of the highlights of the album.
Pimp Feat. Pimp C & Too $hort For a mixtape, Fuck Da City Up featured work from huge names in the game like Dr. Dre, Hit-Boy and Young Jeezy. Too $hort spit along with an appearance by Pimp C in their collaboration “Pimp.”
T.I. and Tiny Harris have prevailed in their copyright infringement lawsuit against toy company MGA over its O.M.G. doll line. They won $71 million after a jury decided the toys did, in fact, infringe on the concept of the pop group OMG Girlz, which was created by Tiny and featured her daughter Zonnique “Star” Pullins.
According to Law360 (via Billboard), the couple was awarded $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages after one day of deliberation following the three-week trial.
The couple first sued the company in 2021, alleging “cultural appropriation and outright theft of the intellectual property” in the design of the O.M.G. dolls, which recreated the look of a group of “young multicultural women.” While MGA argued that few would remember the “short-lived” pop group, the Harris’ case presented side-by-side images of their OMG Girlz, comparing dolls to each of the group’s four members: Pullins, Bahja “Beauty” Rodriguez, and Breaunna “Babydoll” Womack.
This latest trial was the third in the saga; the first, in January 2023, ended in mistrial after inadmissible evidence was presented in court, while the second was overturned on appeal after finding MGA not liable for copyright infringement. MGA can still appeal this latest decision.
The win was the second legal victory for the couple in as many months, after a judge dismissed the sexual assault case against them in August — the second such case to be dismissed.
T.I. and Tiny Harris have prevailed in their copyright infringement lawsuit against toy company MGA over its O.M.G. doll line. They won $71 million after a jury decided the toys did, in fact, infringe on the concept of the pop group OMG Girlz, which was created by Tiny and featured her daughter Zonnique “Star” Pullins.
According to Law360 (via Billboard), the couple was awarded $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages after one day of deliberation following the three-week trial.
The couple first sued the company in 2021, alleging “cultural appropriation and outright theft of the intellectual property” in the design of the O.M.G. dolls, which recreated the look of a group of “young multicultural women.” While MGA argued that few would remember the “short-lived” pop group, the Harris’ case presented side-by-side images of their OMG Girlz, comparing dolls to each of the group’s four members: Pullins, Bahja “Beauty” Rodriguez, and Breaunna “Babydoll” Womack.
This latest trial was the third in the saga; the first, in January 2023, ended in mistrial after inadmissible evidence was presented in court, while the second was overturned on appeal after finding MGA not liable for copyright infringement. MGA can still appeal this latest decision.
The win was the second legal victory for the couple in as many months, after a judge dismissed the sexual assault case against them in August — the second such case to be dismissed.
T.I. recently revealed with a lot of pride (and light jabbing) that his son King Harris is expecting his first child. “Yeah, I got two granddaughters [and] I got a grandson on the way,” he told Young Dro during a HOT 107.9 interview, throwing some jokes in there as well. “King is about to have a son. And I told him I am going to make [his son] the greatest gangster of all time. I am going to raise this one to torture you the way you tortured me. I promise you there will be an indictment in this young one,” Tip concluded, laughing at his brashness. For those unaware, his son Domani recently welcomed a daughter and his stepdaughter Zonnique has a kid too.
Furthermore, we don’t really know much about King Harris’ situation or about the woman that he’s having a baby with. Regardless, his alleged baby mama apparently appeared online according to fans, posting up and showing off her growing belly in the process. Other than this new post, there’s not really much else we know about the whole situation, as we’re in the early stages of the announcement. Maybe the near future will hold answers for these questions as Harris tries to claim credit for “standing on business.”
Elsewhere, King Harris fomented his more combative relationships in his life recently, such as a spat with Foolio. “Ion get why jit wanna be gangsta u grew up up wit a silver spoon,” the Jacksonville rapper said of him. Then, King went all out, demanding that they meet in a boxing ring to settle their difference. Of course, given Foolio’s recent passing, this whole situation didn’t really age well, and we’re sure that he regrets fueling this animosity in the first place.
Meanwhile, this family announcement is kind of funny, because Tiny would also say that King Harris has “terrorized” her and her mother in a joking way. “Why was @the_next_king10 terrorizing my mama like this,” she captioned a clip of King rapping Bobby Shmurda’s “Hot N***a” to her mom. “This why his a** always wanted to be over there cause Mamaw don’t know nothing about give me neck till I pass out!! My wild card by far! There’s always one in the family!! He got my [heart emoji] in a choke tho.”
@thebeatatl pic.twitter.com/ucege6qvsK
