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Home > Atlanta Music Scene > Archives > 2008 > August > 06 > Entry
On The Video Shoot(s) with T.I.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With one (“No Matter What”, see the YouTube video above) already topping BET’s daily 106 & Park countdown — and another for “Whatever You Like” debuting tonight at 8 p.m. on BET — Atlanta rapper/actor T.I. has already been busy putting No. 3 and 4 from his upcoming CD, “Paper Trail,” in the can.
T.I. just completed shooting the videos for singles “What’s Up, What’s Haapnin’ ” and “Swing Ya Rag” in his hometown.
“What’s Up, What’s Haapnin’ ” was actually shot “all around Bankhead,” where he grew up. “We shot at my grandmamas house, all in my old hood — Cedar Avenue, Center Hill, Baker Road, Bankhead, Bowen Homes and [his establishment] Club Crucial — of course. We rode [dirt] bikes up Bankhead [Highway, now known as Metropolitan Parkway]; the Mongoose bikes like I used to ride when I was hustling, before I got to be a rapper. But we were doing something positive this time.
(Director Kai Crawford — also known as Fly Kai — adds that the concept, like the song, “is [T.I.] trying to make a point…putting a stop to the rumor that he’s not involved in the community anymore. He totally, totally proved that wrong and makes the point that that was basically coming from one source. Not the people. So in way it was a documentary of what his day’s like when he’s off. Reliving his childhood.”)
“This is more of an interior, studio performance video,” T.I. said on the set of “Swing Ya Rag”, in downtown Atlanta on Krog Street. “It’s moreso about the influence of Gucci and Louis Vuitton in the hood. Of course everybody knows how prominent Gucci and Louis is in Hollywood, but we want to show them how we add it to our swag. And how it flavors our flavor. And I’ve got a meeeann rag swag in this video.”
While we had him during his lunch break (six beef patties, six coco breads and some jerk chicken and rice for him and two of his sons, in case you were wondering), T.I. also caught the Atlanta Music Scene up on some of his other ongoing activities.
“[His clothing line] Akoo is launching October, that’s when we’ll be unveiling our baby to the world. Also, there’s the movie ‘Bone Deep’; we’ll start shooting that in September with me, Chris Brown and Idris Elba — and that’s my first film as a producer. And Sept. 30 ‘Paper Trail’ is in stores, along with Big Kuntry King (whose debut solo CD is titled “My Turn To Eat”). It’s going to be Grand Hustle day!”
And what about that talk about him also doing an album with Nelly? (See the Rap-Up story HERE ).
“We’ve had conversations about it. We have to speak again on it… I mean, we’ve recorded songs together just because we have a great relationship. But we haven’t finalized anything. I wish I could do records with a lot of people in the industry. Me, [Lil] Wayne and [Young] Jeezy have actually talked about doing a project together; because our birthdays are like all in the same week. There’s a lot I would like to do, hope to do.”
Interested in either one of these possible collaborations? What about the singles T.I. has released so far, making you anxious for “Paper Trail”?
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