T.I., real name Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., released his record Kill the King last month (Jun26), and said that it would be his last drop before he officially retires from the music industry.
T.I. wants his final album to be a thank you to fans for all their support.
The 45-year-old rapper, real name Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., released his record Kill the King last month (Jun26), and said that it would be his last drop before he officially retires from the music industry.
Speaking to People about the decision, T.I. said that he’s been considering stepping back from his career for some time.
He mused: “So I had been living a retired life for some time, probably since the pandemic. I just kind of got used to being home and being around, and I just didn’t want to do so much, for lack of better words, work.”
And while he wanted to bow out, he admitted he felt as though he owed his fans another record before doing so.
He said: “I don’t think that I could just disappear all of a sudden and nobody know why I’ve never put nothing out [again].
“So I think that to have a project and say, ‘Hey man, this is it. Thank you for all the love and support.’ I’ll catch y’all on the flip side.”
T.I. carefully considered the title of the record too, and opted to refer to the nickname he gave himself – the King of the South.
He continued to admit that the album title was one that he’d had in mind almost since the beginning of his career.
He said: “I consulted with many of my respected predecessors when I decided I would present myself to the world as the King of the South.
“I asked them all how they felt about it and asked them for their blessings and they all gave it.”
Outkast star Big Boi also offered T.I. some advice, but he admitted he didn’t understand it until he grew up.
He said: “Big Boi said, ‘just understand you going to put a bullseye on your back. You going to put a bullseye on your back and ain’t nobody going to be looking to do no favours for you’.
“He said, ‘Chess is a game of life. The game of the game in chess is to kill the king.’
“And at that moment, I knew that that would be the title of my last album.”
Now, T.I. is hoping that he can pass the microphone onto his sons, who are both rappers.
He concluded: “I still enjoy recording and performing but I think maybe because my sons and stuff are getting so much older and they entering into the business and it just feel like, man, I’ve gotten everything I prayed for, man, from the game.”
T.I. thanking fans with final album before retirement
