"Rubber Band Man" By T.I. Showed His Hit-Making Ability

BYZachary Horvath2.8K Views
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T.I. trap muzikT.I. trap muzik
T.I. set the trap genre in motion with this all-time classic.

T.I. is a name in hip-hop that should be considered as one the most influential in the history of the genre. The Southern rap music scene might not be the same without him and his sophomore release Trap Muzik is all the proof you need. Released on August 18, 2003, it has now been 20 years since it came out and there are some classic hits that have aged like fine wine. One in particular is "Rubber Band Man."

An interview with MTV revealed what the meaning behind the halo track is. T.I. said, "We used to wear rubber bands to signify how much money, how much blow we had." He went on to explain the Rubber Band Man nickname further, "I would wear three rubber bands, and that would probably hold $5,000. If you anticipate making $20,000, you gonna have eight, nine rubber bands on both wrists." This hit, along with many others is just one reason why he needs to be mentioned with the other greats in rap history.

Does T.I. Deserve Credit For Kickstarting Trap Music?

"Rubber Band Man" was a foreshadowing moment in the career of the Grand Hustle Records co-founder. Chart-toppers such as "Whatever You Like," Live Your Life," "What You Know," and "Bring Em Out speaks volumes to the legend's discography. He can deliver grimy come-up stories, or produce effortless anthems. This is exactly why Trap Muzik by T.I. deserves all the respect.

What are your thoughts on "Rubber Band Man" by T.I.? Is this one of, if not the greatest trap album of all time? If you still do not have this record in rotation go to Spotify or Apple Music to relisten to this masterpiece. We want to hear what you have to say, so be sure to put all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, keep it locked with HNHH for all the latest news around the music world and for all the most legendary throwbacks in hip-hop.

Quotable Lyrics:

(Ay, who I'm is?) Rubber band man, wild as the Taliban
9 in my right, 45 in my other hand
(Ay, who I'm is?) Call me trouble man, always in trouble man
Worth a couple hundred grand, Chevys all colors man

About The Author
Zachary Horvath is one of the Music Freelance News Writers at HotNewHipHop and has held that title since August 2023. Prior to this position, he held another freelance gig covering local high school football, girls and boys varsity basketball, in addition to recapping Cleveland Cavaliers games remotely. He's taken the previous experience and used it to become a jack of all trades at HotNewHipHop. Zach has thoroughly enjoyed tackling some of the trending topics in sports, with a larger focus on hip-hop and pop culture. Some of those include Bronny James's draft stock, a multitude of angles swirling around the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, as well as Diddy's arrest and lawsuits. Separate from the headlines that everyone wants to hear about, he was fortunate enough to help spread Zaytoven's current thoughts at the time around mid-December in 2023. Even though being able to give his expertise on these stories is fulfilling, being able to share his passion for releases trumps that ever so slightly. Having the chance to express his excitement indirectly about what he thinks our readers should be checking out/revisiting grows his passion for writing that much more.
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