T.I. Gave This Solid Advice To A Young Rapper Who Wanted Him To Sign Her On The Spot

T.I. attends the 2024 Black Effect Podcast Festival at Pullman Yards on April 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network

In this day and age, most people settle for a selfie, but there are still loads of aspiring rappers who try and get signed on the spot when they run into artists they admire. T.I. recently ran into someone looking to join Grand Hustle, and he chose to keep it real as to how she should move.

An artist named Trapicana ran into the Atlanta rapper outside of what appears to be a restaurant. She immediately began rapping, hoping that he would be impressed and sign her. TIP was silent after she finished, and when she asked how he felt about her bars, he simply said, “I don’t.”

She told him that she was trying to be a part of Hustle Gang, and he quickly countered with, “Let me tell you something. Stop running up to ni**as think they gon’ change your life. Ain’t nobody gone change your life but you.”

Trapicana asked again if T.I. was willing to change her life, and he said with honesty, “Hell nah, you are. I’m helping you by telling you don’t look for a ni**a like me to change your life. You got everything you need already. It’s in you, don’t look to me.” She was relentless in her pursuit and began to rap again, which he reacted to with a look of disapproval.

He stressed that it wasn’t him that she needed to impress, but rather the fans, and when she picked up steam, someone in his position would come find her. Trapicana finally gave in and expressed that she was thankful for the advice. “Appreciate it. I needed that talk,” she said. Still, she was curious about the quality of bars and asked the “Big Thangs Poppin” rapper to rank them. He simply answered that she could be better.

The father of six has been vocal about the current landscape of Hip-Hop. He recently joined Shaquille O’Neal’s The Big Podcast, where they both offered their perspectives on the modern-day generation of their respective fields.

“This generation reminds me of every other generation,” T.I. said. “You got some people who are exceptionally dope, and some people who are just alright. You know what I mean?” He acknowledged that the space has grown and there are more artists than ever before. Shaq interjected and said in an exhausted tone, “Too much.”

“I feel that, actually, what they’ve done with music is equivalent to if they were to open up the doors of the arena and say, ‘Anybody think you can play basketball? Come on out the stands out here to the floor. Here go you a jersey, man. Get in the game,’” TIP said.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend took issue with what he deemed a lack of deference in new NBA players and rappers. “I just don’t like that they don’t respect people like us who paved the way for them,” he said. Watch the full episode below.

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