For Myself & Others: The Five Steps to the Top
By Bomani Jones, AOL BlackVoices columnist
It’s apropos that Atlanta’s T.I. named his label Grand Hustle Records. The record industry is all about hustling, artists and suits finding ways to get records into our ears and homes. Great executives figure out how to give those records legs, and smart artists figure it out without them. In the last three years, T.I. has proven to be a genius in that regard, rebounding to become the South’s hottest prospect after being dropped from a major label. With his new LP, ‘Urban Legend,’ in stores, it’s a good time to look at the five-step manual for success T.I. has used.
1. A debut album should lock down its home region.
T.I.’s first record, ‘I’m Serious’ was a regional classic, an album that spent most of its time reflecting the worst of Atlanta’s west side over strong, funky production. His label, Arista, envisioned T.I. as something larger, though, and tried to sell him to the masses by having the Neptunes produce the record’s title track and adding Beenie Man on the hook. That didn’t work, prompting Arista to release T.I. from his contract. Even though tracks like ‘Dope Boyz’ bumped down South, T.I. was without a home.
2. With or without a deal, an artist must continue to grind.
No deal? No problem. Instead of waiting for a deal to find him, T.I. put out a series of mixtapes that circulated from Atlanta to New York. By doing that, T.I. kept himself in the game and became a hot commodity. A record company loves nothing more than an artist who doesn’t need a record company to promote them. It wasn’t long before T.I. had a new deal, this time on Atlantic Records.
3. Avoiding the sophomore jinx requires that an artist take chances.
T.I. released ‘Trap Muzik’ in 2003, and its momentum remained steady for more than a year after its release. While he brought the noise on every track, the most interesting thing about the record was the quality production that T.I. was able to coax from unknown producers. Sure, he had tracks from Kanye West, David Banner, and Jazzy Pha, but some of the strongest beats on the album were produced by cats like San (Chez) Holmes and DJ Toomp. When many A&Rs were going for the “in” producer, T.I. was going for the hot beats. Taking that chance gave ‘Trap Muzik’ a unique sound.
4. A little controversy never hurts.
Nobody’s recommending that one take a trip to jail just for record sales, but T.I. was entered into the upper-echelons of newsworthiness by the fallout from an inmate escaping from a Fulton County jail while a then-locked up T.I. was filming a video there. Details are sketchy on what happened that night, but in terms of hip-hop publicity, the incident could’ve only been trumped by giving or taking multiple gunshots.
5. If steps 1-4 have been achieved, the third album should be the breakout.
‘Urban Legend’ is T.I.’s ride to the top. ‘Bring ’Em Out,’ an incredible Swizz Beats production, has already scored on radio, and more singles are coming. ‘Get Loose’ with Nelly sounds ready for airplay, and ‘Get Yo Sh!t Together’ with Lil Kim might not be far behind. Tracks like ‘ASAP’ and ‘U Don’t Know Me’ are bangers that are true to his roots. With a moderate guest list, above-average lyrics, and an all-star staff of producers -- Scott Storch, Mannie Fresh and Daz Dilinger, to name a few -- ‘Urban Legend’ is positioned to make T.I. a star from coast to coast.
Since getting dropped from Arista, T.I. has become a grand hustler. Even though ‘I’m Serious’ wasn’t a smash, it served the purpose of making him a backyard star. From there, he’s used remarkable savvy to get to the top of the game. Being good -- which T.I. undoubtedly is --can earn a rapper respect, but fame and fortune are functions of intelligence. It’s in that department that T.I. is way ahead of the game.
Dec. 10, 2004