T.I. talks to Monica Pearson about his legacy, marriage and his nicknames

One of his songs claims he’s the “King of Da South,” but T.I. is a man of many titles. This week on “The Monica Pearson Show,” Monica uncovers more about the rapper, actor, director, producer, and philanthropist.

T.I., who goes by “Tip” with family and friends (and now Monica, too), explains the origin of his nicknames, and tells the story of his childhood as a poor boy in Atlanta. T.I. shares the reason he became a drug dealer at age 14 and how those experiences and hard-fought lessons fuel something he calls trap music.

>>Stream this episode from the Monica Pearson Show

Find out which Atlanta leader is T.I.’s greatest mentor, and how he feels about his own legacy. T.I. gives an inside look at how he and singer Tiny, his wife of nearly 14 years, achieve balance in their marriage and whether any of their seven children plan to follow in mom and dad’s footsteps.

Since T.I., who also owns a clothing line and a record label, has built quite the resume, Monica asks if there’s anything left on his to-do list. Fans of Stevie Wonder, Ron Isley, Alicia Keys, and Beyoncé will want to tune in for his answer.

Stream “The Monica Pearson Show” at ajc.com/monicapearson.