When the sub-genre of trap music becomes a topic of discussion, names like Gucci Mane, Future or Waka Flocka Flame often get thrown in the mix. But if you ask T.I., his name should definitely be at the top of the list. In a recent radio interview with Angie Martinez on Monday (April 10), Tip made some bold statements, claiming to be the creator of the infectious genre, HotNewHipHop reports.
“A lot of people they don’t really […] know that I created trap music,” he told the Voice of New York. “There was no such thing as trap prior to… no such thing, it didn’t exist.” During the 30-minute interview, the Us or Else artist claimed to have started the genre when he released his second studio album, Trap Muzik back in 2003. Prior to that, melodies often fell into the category of “crunk.”
“Because of the first album I did, people who heard it didn’t know where I was from,” he continued. “‘Is he from Atlanta? He raps too good. Is he from New York? Where is he from.’ So, Trap Muzik was establishing a sound—like, this is who I am.”
While we can all agree that trap music is native to Southern artists, it is hard to say T.I. is the sole originator of the genre. To many, he might share the crown with Guwop, Tity Boi (now known as 2 Chainz) and Three Six Mafia.
Around the seven-minute mark, T.I. also shared his honest thoughts on why marriage is a thing of the past. “Marriage is going to distract me and deter me from taking my family onward and upward,” he said. “…I don’t always have time to do the thoughtful things a husband does.”
Watch T.I.’s full interview below.