T.I.’s five favourite Atlanta rappers of all time
T.I. is considered to be one of trap music’s godfathers and among the best rappers Atlanta has ever produced. But which of his fellow Atlanta rappers does T.I. himself admire most?
He was pinned on this very question by an interviewer from ESPN, in a clip uploaded as a YouTube short. Tip can be seen struggling for an answer, but, when pushed for it, he offers five names: André 3000, Big Boi, Future, Young Thug and Killer Mike.
T.I. has always been open about his admiration for André’s skills. After they collaborated on the 2012 song ‘Sorry,’ he was the first to admit that he had been outshone by Dré. Speaking on The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show, he admitted that the Outkast rapper had handed him “an ass-whooping.”
T.I. said he had been “confident walking in” to work with Dré, but he was duly humbled by watching Three Stacks’ process. He had come prepared, bringing with him to the studio “stacks of paper,” which ultimately formed the basis of his verse. T.I. was blown out the water on that one.
Tip has also been close to several of the other rappers he named. When he was in jail in 2011, during one of many stints behind bars, he was in regular contact with Killer Mike, who was seeking his advice on music matters. Speaking to MTV about his incarcerated friend at the time, Mike was full of praise for his character.
Noting his dedication to his work, despite being in jail, Mike said that while “the public perceives him one way,” T.I. is an “amazing man” who cares deeply about other people.
Tip has long been an admirer of Young Thug, too, having worked with him several times. Thug even apparently pulled T.I. out of an ostensible semi-retirement from music, with Tip linking up with Thug following his release from prison in 2024.
T.I. has spoken highly of Future in the past, too, claiming to AllHipHopTV in 2023 that he deserves to be added to the “Mount Rushmore” of trap music. He includes himself in that, but what’s interesting is the other two he highlighted.
Tip also claimed Jeezy and Gucci Mane deserve a place on trap’s Mount Rushmore, but he didn’t include them in his picks for top-five Atlanta rappers. The competition to make that shortlist is tough, admittedly, but it’s still a surprise.