Quotes from T.I.

You have to surpass the levels of success that you have already achieved, and that's the challenge. But, it's a welcome challenge. I appreciate it because it brings the best out of me.

You know, when I put out records that may not work or connect with the audience, it's because I'm pushing myself as an artist creatively, because I'm just bored doing what everyone wants me to do.

I'm happy to be on a winning team. My individual success, that lasts for a short period of time. The success of being a part of the South, of Atlanta, which is now the hot bed of music, that's what's gonna last the longest. The fact that I contributed to planting our flag and moving music to my city, that's what I'm most proud of.

I know what it's like to be told by your teacher that you'll never amount to anything.

People see me doing something so all of the guys from my walk of life feel like if he can do it, I can do it. That just keeps spreading and spreading and spreading.

You're gonna be your best salesman. If you don't sell yourself, nobody else is gonna have a better time with it than you. You've gotta get up for it, every day.

This is a time where fashion and style go against what I would rather do myself. So I have to pick and choose from people that share my enthusiasm when it comes to certain things.

Acting in film, you know, I hear all the time, people say 'You did so much better than I thought you would.' So there's an added element of surprise in film, different than in music.

Nobody is gonna love you like you.

People put me on a box, and I love when people think they know what I am capable of or not capable of. I thrive off of that.

The one thing we all have in common is that we're human. Why pay more attention to the things that make us different over the things that bring us together?

I wasn't nervous at all. I applied the same amount of efforts to the love scenes as I did to the skating and the acting and everything else.

I wouldn't mind going somewhere and taking a president position and signing acts and taking the attention off of me and taking what I've learned in my career and applying that to another person's.

I'm an 'in the shower' or 'in the booth' kind of singer. I can sing, but I need either nobody to be able to hear me, or for me to be able to redo it.

Nobody is gonna love you like you. You're gonna be your best salesman.

I'm not going to do red jeans. No green jeans. I don't do Vans and that's the style right now. I don't want to show my socks when I'm wearing jeans.

I think my first hit was probably '24 is a Rubberband Man,' which was my second album. My first project, it was very well received in the Southeast region, all throughout the South and parts of the Midwest. It was very well received, but I didn't get national exposure on my second album.

I, myself, I am not interested in reality television; just me, myself, speaking.

It is a lot of responsibility. But I enjoy being a father. Thats one of the best parts of my life. I feel like, man, thats one of the greatest things Ive got going on, being a father.

My childhood name that my father gave me, my mother, my grandmother, grandfather, family and friends all call me T.I.P.

Let it be known: I am a free agent. I'm operating as an independent label. I do not have corporate sponsors. I don't have no corporate backing. I don't have no major distribution.

The possibilities of success are limitless, as long as you're willing to put the work in.

I always tried to work hard and stay focused, and just use one opportunity to contribute to the next.

Hawaii ain't a bad place to work.