One of the things that everyone seemed to notice right away about T.I. was the smooth swag combined with intoxicating cadence, so much so that he was once dubbed “the Jay-Z of the South” by Pharrell Williams. T.I. gradually came into his own and established himself as one of rap’s most successful MCs during the early 2000s. 2001’s I’m Serious didn’t shoot him out of the gate à la Reasonable Doubt, he consistently grew and launched a string of major hits with 2003’s “24’s.” Throughout the six following years, T.I. maintained a consistent presence on urban radio stations in America: 2003’s Trap Muzik, 2004’s Urban Legend, 2006’s King (released in tandem with T.I.’s debut screen appearance in ATL), 2007’s T.I. vs T.I.P., and 2008’s Paper Trail — all released through the MC’s deal with Atlantic — were Top Ten albums, with the latter three even spending time at the very top of the chart.
