T.I. vs. T.I.P. is the fifth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on July 3, 2007 through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took a year and a half to record towards early 2007, as T.I. stated and confirmed in an interview with MTV News. Production was handled by several record producers, including Kannon "Caviar" Cross, Just Blaze, Mannie Fresh, Lil' C, Wyclef Jean, Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, Sedeck "All Hands on Deck" Jean, Keith "Lil' Wonda" Duplessis, Kevin "Khao" Cates, Timbaland, Bao Quoc Pham, Steve Holdren, Nate "Danja" Hills, The Runners, Tony Galvin, Eminem, Jeff Bass, and Keith Mack, among others. Notably, it is also his first album not to feature production from his frequent collaborator DJ Toomp.

Upon its release, T.I. vs. T.I.P. received mixed reviews from music critics, but was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart and selling over 470,000 copies in its first week.Brendan Grimaldi (July 11, 2007). Off the Charts: T.I. Is Still the 'King' AOL. Accessed December 31, 2007. It also achieved nearly respectable international chart placements, produced three singles that attained chart success (including the lead single "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)"), and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). T.I. vs. T.I.P. was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album,List of Grammy Award Nominess. Retrieved on 2011-5-10. losing to Kanye West's Graduation at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.Grammy Award Winner 2008. Retrieved on 2011-5-10. The album won the American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the American Music Awards of 2007, with T.I. also winning the American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist that year.

Background Shortly after the release and major success of his 2006 efforts (his big screen acting debut ATL and his critically acclaimed fourth studio album King), T.I.'s friend, personal assistant, and an employee of his Grand Hustle Records, Philant Johnson was shot dead after a nightclub brawl between T.I.'s entourage and some Cincinnati thugs. After Johnson's death, T.I. mentioned that the business of rapping no longer felt good and admitted that he was seriously considering quitting music altogether. In the leaflet included with the album, T.I. dedicates the album to Philant "Big Phil" Johnson as well as his daughters Leiah Amoré Harris (who was born stillborn) and Deyjah Princess Harris; his three sons Messiah, Domani, and King Harris, and the mother of his children Tameka "Tiny" Cottle.

Recording On March 19, 2007, via phone from Atlanta with MTV News, T.I. revealed some of the album's collaborators. T.I. stated that he was anticipating going in recording with Eminem. He also stated that he and Eminem had a hot concept that they spoke about over the phone. T.I. stated "It's gonna be on some real creative shit. JT, Justin Timberlake, we're just waiting on the proper song to get him on my album as well." That's just the beginning, the two-time Grammy Award winner said that he had about 60 songs in the can and will again be working right up to the deadline to turn the album in. T.I. stated that he was working with everybody who he had an opportunity to work with, he added, He confirmed that he was working with Timbaland working with Danja Timbaland protégé Nate Hills on that same day. Scott Storch, Mannie Fresh, and he stated that Wyclef Jean came through with some real worldly music and great vocals. Nelly, Lil Wayne, R. Kelly. T.I. stated that he reached out to R&B singer Ciara.

He confirmed that Akon had contributed to the album, along with most of the Grand Hustle Records producers including Kevin "Khao" Cates, Black Mob and others. T.I. confirmed that Just Blaze, did a song called 'Help Is Coming.' T.I. stated that the song was basically talking about how they say the industry is suffering. Well, help is on the way. Fret not." T.I. vs. T.I.P. is undoubtedly the film/mic star's most conceptual album to date. T.I. is the persona we hear in songs like "My Love" and "Why You Wanna". T.I.P., on the other hand, takes care of the much more gutter material like "Bring Em Out" and "You Don't Know Me". T.I. stated that the LP would give you doses of T.I. and T.I.P. solo records as well as the two collaborating on the same track. There will be interlude's throughout the LP, telling a story — and don't be surprised if more than one single from the project is released at once. T.I. stated "I'm not just making an album, I'm making f---in' opera here," he chuckled. With such a high concept, he says that he's making sure to take extra time and critique every song to be sure he doesn't lose anyone, it'd be easy for me to go over people's heads," he rationalized. "Sometime people might see me act a certain way one time and another way one another time. They might not believe the same cat you see dressed so sharp and winning awards and speaking eloquently is the same cat you see fist-fighting with hoodlums outside a nightclub. This album will be an explanation of all of this" he states.

On April 12, 2007 T.I. stated that he was just about done with his T.I. vs. T.I.P. album. He's stated already that he recorded with Eminem, Nelly and Ciara among other guest stars, and the first single is ready to hit radio, officially debuting April 17, 2007 the song is another collaboration for the King of the South and Mannie Fresh and was called "Big Things Poppin' " — the clean version of the record, anyway. T.I. stated "Big Shit Poppin' is really just him talking to these people who say things and can't back it up," T.I. said, referring to the song's title as it will probably appear on the album. Mannie Fresh stated that he and T.I. clique up and the songs are magic, who's was in Atlanta working on a bunch of LPs that T.I. was overseeing, like B.G.'s new album. T.I.P. even has co-production credit on "Big Things Poppin'". The songs we're doing for his album are definitely right, yes indeed Mannie Fresh added. The beat Mannie Fresh and his accomplice came up with is another energetic brouhaha in step with some of their proven street ditties such as "Top Back". One of the more recent sessions he held for the album was with Eminem, someone who has his own dual-identity issues. T.I. stated that it was an experience, about working with Eminem. T.I. also stated that Eminem is probably one of the most lyrical cats in the game right now. T.I. stated being known as one of the most lyrical cats in the game, he stated that he had to get himself up. also stating He lived up to all his expectations. He's a rappin' fool. T.I. stated that Eminem made him step his game up. T.I. stated that he did three records with Eminem. T.I. said that he did one for him. You know how Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady have their beefs? Well on that song, T.I. is trying to tell Marshall how to deal with Slim based on how he deals with Tip. Then Tip butts in, like, 'You can't tell nobody nothing.' Then Em comes in and tells me, 'Who are you to tell me anything?' I was like, 'I'm just trying to help, homie, T.I. added. Their other two collaborations could end up on T.I. vs. T.I.P., including a song called "Touchdown".

T.I. also stated it's out of Eminem's norm, if Eminem has a norm," T.I. said of the track. T.I. stated it's a record you wouldn't expect to hear him on, kinda like how you heard him on 'Smack That' for Akon or [Em's] 'Shake That' with Nate Dogg. You'll be like, 'OK, he's switching it up.' ['Touchdown' is] basically [him] talking about when you touch down in everybody's city, what you do. Hit the mall, buy a car or leave the club with all the girls. We have yet to finish that one. T.I. stated the one we finished is 'Whatever You Want It to Be,' " he added. "It's saying, 'I'm a man, if I ain't nothing else. Before I'm a rapper, before I'm anything else, I'm a man. If you don't respect that, it can be whatever you want it to be.' The producer Tip went the most in-depth with for this project, however, was — of all people — Wyclef Jean. It has yet to be determined if all their records will make the cut, but two front-runners are "Swagger" and "U Know What It Is". T.I. stated that you can quote me," Tip burst out with a grin. " 'U Know What It Is' will tear the clubs up this summer." T.I. stated that he and Wyclef got together over a weekend, he explained about the collaborations. "We wasn't on each other's itinerary to work with each other. He hit me one day when I was in L.A. and was like, 'I gotta come to Atlanta. You got anywhere I can record?, T.I. graciously turned over the main room in his studio and it was on from there. T.I. came home about a day into Wyclef's sessions and immediately started snatching up tracks for himself. T.I. stated he started pulling up beats and he was like, 'Who is that for?' He said, 'You, if you want it.' We wound up knocking seven songs from Friday to Monday. It's just us having a good time. We just bonded, T.I. added.

Show It 2 Me," which features Nelly, sounds like it could easily be a sequel to their previous teaming on Urban Legend's "Get Loose." The two go back and forth at points and Nelly uses an old-school flow like UTFO on "Roxanne Roxanne." Lil Wayne appears on "Yeah" and drops lines such as, "I'm flyer than a vampire. T.I. also stated Andre 3000 could also possibly check in, on a song called "Life of the Party." On that track, Tip talks about maturity, why he's now "too grown to be the life of the party," and how he has no time to argue with bouncers, overzealous fans or pestering playa haters. On May 16, 2007 T.I. stated that he was putting the final touches on his forthcoming personality-splitting project, T.I. vs. T.I.P.

Music

Concept T.I. vs. T.I.P. is a concept LP on which the rapper uses both sides of himself — the suave, level-minded CEO and the 'hood-friendly former dope boy — to express his thoughts on everything from the Grammy Awards to sideways-talking bustas to making dough. Sometimes the two sides duel, and occasionally you'll catch them on the same track. More often than not, though, each personality gets his own song. "Big Shit Poppin'" showcases the Grammy winner rapping in his grittier T.I.P. persona. Dominated '06 and I'm going right back," he rhymes. T.I.P. also says he's "doing it" for his children, family and friends. On March 1, 2007 T.I. stated that all the albums prior to this one, T.I.P. would work harder to make the album, T.I. would work harder to sell it," he said. On T.I. vs. T.I.P. — a conceptual LP about his life — they battle each other on six tracks. Another third of the project is dedicated solely to T.I. and the remainder goes to T.I.P. "This is my life, this is the struggle I had to go through to bring myself to release another album," said T.I., who lost both his newborn daughter and personal assistant within the last year. "After all the stuff I went through following the success of King, it took a lot to even muster the effort or even care enough about the world outside my circle to even care about doing another album. "All I did was take notes and record it along the way," T.I. reflected.

Release and promotion

Promo singles "Touchdown" was the first and only official promotional single to be released from T.I. vs. T.I.P.. The single entered the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 9, and it charted at number 96 on the Pop 100 chart."Touchdown" Billboard chart listing. Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-20. The song was only released as an airplay single in 2007, and not as an official single, it featured Eminem. It received considerable airplay on Monday Night Football during the 2007 NFL season. The song was Produced by Eminem and Jeff Bass, the song features the use of electronic keyboard giving a trumpet-like sound. As well, hi-hats and bass drums are the main rhythmic instruments used in the song.

Singles