T.I. SAYS WHAT UP BLOOD: "THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF GANGSTA SH*T"

Grammy-winning rapper T.I. discusses the motivation behind his latest solo album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head, in the new issue of The Source.

Within his feature, Tip cites a lack of gangsta music in the mainstream for fueling the LP's content.

"The main thing I noticed was that there was a shortage of gangsta sh*t. That's what I came into the game admiring, and that was the genre I wanted to dominate: gangsta rap music. ... I felt like my genre was dying, you know? If not dying, extremely injured, in critical condition like a [motherf*cker]. ... It just made me anxious to get out and do something to re-energize the soul of what we grew up listening to." (MTV)

Back in December, Tip confirmed his "Addresses" gangsta recordtakes a direct shot at a certain hip-hop artist but would identify who.

"Nah, it was direct," Tip told DJ Drama. "Yeah, it was direct. Now the thing about who it was directed to, it benefits them more than me for me to put that out there. So I made it directly to them in a way so only they will know. Therefore, so they cannot get any shine off of it. So I'ma make a prediction here, everybody, on Shade 45, on Drama's show. There shall be a few rappers that feel they will be benefited by accepting that burden and they will step into that line of fire knowing that it is not them but they feel it is better for them to step into that line of fire, be hit and receive the benefits of what comes with being hit by a T.I. bullet. That will be the greatest thing that ever happened to them in their life, man. They mama gonna say, 'Oh, my baby got hit by a T.I. bullet. Proudest moment of my life.'" (Shade 45)

He also credited himself for paving a lane for the real street hustlers from his neck of the woods.

"Had it not been for their just outright disrespect and disregard for the G-Code and what is known to all just to be just real, they just lack integrity," Tip added. "When you just disregard the man, I did this for you, bruh. Trap Muzik is a genre that I created, holmes. Before me, it was Lil Jon, crunk music and OutKast. You don't fit in nowhere. The closest thing to come to what you do is what I created, holmes. So for you to come out your face bad about me dog, when I ain't try to do nothing but help you and lames like you, I ain't try to do nothing but uplift n*ggas like you, and you try to come at me this way?" (Shade 45)

Since dropping in late 2012, the "King of the South's" newest solo effort has sold over 300,000 copies.

"King of the South" T.I.'s Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head fell 14 spots to No. 28 with 15,300. With six weeks in the books, Tip's new LP has pushed out 345,700 records. (SOHH Sales Wrap)