Photo credit: T.I
T.I. is stepping away from music. The Atlanta rapper, born Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., confirmed his retirement to PEOPLE in this week’s issue following the release of his final album Kill the King. He is 45 years old. For the self-proclaimed King of the South, the decision has been building for some time.
“So I had been living a retired life for some time, probably since the pandemic,” he tells PEOPLE. “I just kind of got used to being home and being around, and I just didn’t want to do so much, for lack of better words, work.”
Why T.I. made one last album before stepping away
Despite already stepping back from the industry, T.I. felt he owed his audience a proper farewell. Simply disappearing without explanation felt wrong to him. He wanted to release a project that served as a formal goodbye and a thank you to everyone who supported him throughout his career.
The title Kill the King carries meaning that traces back to the very beginning of his rise. When T.I. first positioned himself to the world as the King of the South, he consulted respected veterans in the industry and asked for their blessings before doing so. Big Boi of Outkast gave him something more than a blessing. He gave him a warning. Big Boi told him that calling himself the king would put a target on his back and that nobody would be doing him any favors. He then told T.I. that chess is a game of life, and that the goal of chess is to kill the king. T.I. says that moment stayed with him and that he always knew it would be the title of his last album.
The Pharrell collaboration that hit No. 1
One of the standout moments on Kill the King is “Let Em Know,” a Pharrell-produced single that reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B and hip-hop charts. T.I. says he knew the song had something special. However, he did not anticipate quite how fast or how far it would travel once released.
The recording process for the track was anything but conventional. T.I. and Pharrell recorded the song on a yacht in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. He describes his creative process as one driven by life experiences, memories, interactions and moments of personal clarity, noting that inspiration can strike anywhere.
Family is at the center of T.I.’s decision
Beyond the pandemic and the title’s symbolism, family plays a central role in why retirement feels right at this moment. T.I.’s sons Domani and King have both entered the rap industry, and watching them grow into the business has given him a sense of completion.
He says he still enjoys recording and performing. Nevertheless, seeing his sons step into the game and reflecting on everything he prayed for when he was coming up has made him feel that the time has come to hand things off. He describes having received everything he asked for from the game. That sense of fulfillment, more than anything else, is what makes this goodbye feel natural rather than forced.
T.I. has released numerous chart-topping projects since entering the industry as a teenager, with hits including “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna among his most celebrated songs. Kill the King marks the end of that chapter.
Source: PEOPLE
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