The two rappers T.I. finds ‘tedious’ to work with: “A nerve-wracking process”
Some of the best musicians in the business are difficult to work with. While the output might be impressive, the attention to detail can sometimes be frustrating for others in the studio. This has been the case for T.I. during some of his collaborative experiences.
Tip has established himself as one of the biggest Atlanta rappers since the early 2000s, earning many number one albums with Urban Legend, King, T.I. vs. T.I.P., and Paper Trail. While he might not be as prominent in music these days, he’s put together a stellar catalogue that includes collaborations with the most talented names in hip-hop.
T.I. has collaborated with Dr Dre several times throughout his career. They’ve teamed up on songs like ‘Popped Off’ and ‘Back to Business’, with Dre also producing his ‘Dope’ record with Marsha Ambrosius. Working with a legend like Dre is something he cherishes, but with that comes a trait of being careful and precise.
He sees those same characteristics in Dre’s protégé, Eminem, whom he signed to Aftermath Entertainment in 1998. The pair have been around each other long enough to bounce off one another’s mindsets of not accepting anything less than perfect.
“Dre’s the homie, to be honest with you,” T.I. told Rolling Stone. “I’ve never seen somebody so meticulous about music before. The only thing that I can say was a similar experience was when me and Eminem did those songs together.”
He continued, “The way Em is about a verse, that’s how Dre is about production. It’s a very tedious, meticulous, nerve-wracking process. But the outcome is immeasurable. You just can’t describe the difference in the magnitude of production that goes from what we’re used to doing and what he’s used to doing.”
T.I. has teamed up with Eminem on two occasions. The first time was ‘Touchdown’, which appeared on his 2007 album, T.I. vs T.I.P., while ‘That’s All She Wrote’ came about on his 2010 effort, No Mercy. Just like Dre, T.I. considers Em as one of the greatest to ever do it. Being next to him in the studio left him in awe, comparing his ability to one-half of Outkast.
“Eminem is probably one of the most talented, capable, intellectual technicians of wordplay I have ever experienced,” he explained to Montreality. “Both times we worked I had the opportunity of watching him actually put this shit together, and it was truly of another world. Eminem and André 3000 are the most meticulous artists I’ve ever worked with, and they’re very critical of themselves.”
The amount of stellar verses T.I. has acquired from legendary MCs speaks volumes. As a rapper born and raised in Atlanta, collaborating with Three Stacks would have been a dream come true, especially given the fact that he received one of the best guest verses of André’s career. The pair joined forces on ‘Sorry’ from Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head in 2012, and it remains one of the best moments in 2010s hip-hop. In the end, the meticulousness is always worth it.