06 February 2013
Newsdesk
T.I. was quick to take advantage of the “shortage” of gangster rap in the hip-hop music community.
The musician rose to fame with his second 2003 platinum album Trap Muzik.
T.I. released his newest LP Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head in December.
The star believes that Trouble Man supplies listeners with music that fulfills a certain declining rap niche in particular.
"The main thing I noticed was that there was a shortage of gangsta s**t,” he revealed in an interview with The Source magazine.
“That's what I came into the game admiring, and that was the genre I wanted to dominate: gangsta rap music.
"I felt like my genre was dying, you know? If not dying, extremely injured, in critical condition like a m'f**ka. It just made me anxious to get out and do something to re-energise the soul of what we grew up listening to."
T.I. also has a strong film career.
He makes an appearance as character Julian in upcoming comedy Identity Thief, which stars Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.
Although the hip-hopper has positioned himself as a pillar of gangster rap, T.I. is happy to be regarded in various ways by disparate individuals.
"Different people see T.I. in different ways,” he explained.
“As long as they ain't giving me a rapper. That's what I don't want to do. Anything else, I'd pretty much be open minded within reason of course."
Identity Thief will be released in US theatres this weekend.
