T.I. has admitted that parting ways with Atlantic Records almost 15 years ago was a tough decision that came with a little regret.
During a recent appearance on Billboard’s In Conversation, the Grammy Award-winning rapper said it was his curiosity that lead him to leave the powerhouse label.
"One of the reasons why I made one of the toughest decisions, arguably one of the worst decisions, in my career — I made the decision to leave Atlantic, quite honestly, because I just got tired of wondering, 'Was my success predicted on me or them?'" he explained. "I had to know."
T.I. ended his 10-year relationship with Atlantic in 2013, months after he released his eighth studio album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head. He then inked a deal with Columbia Records before going independent in 2015.
Tip said that working under an established banner came with many advantages, some of which he failed to acknowledge until after they were gone.
"I stepped away, and I almost immediately could see and tell there were a lot of things being done, you know, on my behalf, for my benefit, that I was probably oblivious to," he said. "At that moment, once I found that out, I was eager to learn what those things were and how to identify and execute those things on my own behalf."
T.I. didn’t provide specifics but said the Atlantic team had, what he called, a "magic wand," which was essential in cranking out commercial hits.
"I recorded the music," he said, "but when I handed it off to them… [they] turned into the success that we all knew. I enjoyed the success and appreciated it… I just wanted to see what it took for me to do it myself."
T.I. said his success "feels better" as an independent artist, but he’s still learning how to navigate the industry.
"I mean, you know, it’s still a machine, but the machine is boutique," he said of his music imprint, Grand Hustle Records. "It’s very insulated and it’s more focused. It isn’t as broad… It’s taken a minute. I think we’ve identified it, and now we’re working on the execution."