T.I. Says He Began Reading The Newspaper Before Kindergarten

BY Erika Marie 943 Views
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The self-proclaimed King of the South says his grandmother would have him read the paper to impress her friends.

It isn't uncommon for T.I. to make declarations about his skills and talents, and he's delivered a story about his childhood that caused a conversation. Tip has dubbed himself the King of the South, and recently, Georgia's Royal Highness revealed he was working on his final solo album, Kill the King. While fans await its release, T.I. has been a regular on the comedy circuit, trying out new material to audiences who are used to hearing him belt out his hits.

Recently, T.I. caught up with Uptown Comedy Corner, and during the chat, he spoke about his development as a child. According to him, his talents were revealed at a young age. "Everybody knew I was smart when I started reading before I went to kindergarten," said Tip. "Don't nobody know how I learned how to read or who taught me how to read." The host was surprised. "Nobody. I just remember being passed the newspaper, asked to read. You know what I mean? And that was kinda like—my grandmama, to impress her friend, call me. 'Tip! C'mere! Read this!' You know what I'm sayin'?"

T.I. Is Serious About Comedy Career

Not everyone believed T.I.'s story regarding his reading skills, but the Rap icon isn't a stranger to critics. When he announced he was venturing into stand-up comedy, people quickly hopped online with questions. Soon, videos of Tip on stage cracking jokes make their way to social media. Veteran comedian Godfrey headlined a show where T.I. also performed but admitted he didn't watch the rapper's set. T.I. was said to have gone up after Godfrey, and because he headlined, Godfrey said he didn't stick around. He also questioned the seriousness of the rapper's interest in comedy.

Meanwhile, T.I. was made aware of Godfrey's comments and issued a clap back on Instagram. "Bro, I’m not your opponent. You been talking about how long you been doing this and for somebody to come on after you headlining," said Tip. He added, "You know how many of these comedians there is out there rapping right now? You know how many comedians there is doing rap? I’ve been rapping since I was eight years old, bruh. It took me probably 20 years to God damn get where I wanted to be.” Check out T.I. with Uptown Comedy Corner above.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.