This week, T.I. re-entered the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 with “LET EM KNOW.” On Wednesday (March 4), the self-proclaimed Kang of the South reflected on the song’s success during an In Conversation interview with Billboard.
“It’s surreal, in a way,” says T.I. “It’s humbling that relevance still exists within this art that I’ve been able to present to the world after such a long journey. I just appreciate the fans receiving it.”
“LET EM KNOW” marks T.I.’s 58th entry on the Hot 100 (No. 38 this week) — his first since 2014’s “No Mediocre” — and will appear on his final album Kill The King. Produced by Pharrell, the song finds T.I. in prime form, allowing his bravado and steely delivery to take center stage while Skateboard P’s bristling production radiates nostalgia, transporting listeners back to the mid-2000s. The chemistry between T.I. and Pharrell dates back to their 2006 collaboration “Good Life” and their chart-topper on Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.”
“We both have an unwavering passion for the craft,” he says of his working relationship with Pharrell. “He has an enormous amount of success and things he can be doing, but music calls him. It urges him to create in so many different genres just out of sheer, genuine passion.”
Alongside his final album rollout, T.I. has also found himself in a clash with 50 Cent. The rap duel has dominated headlines, with 50 posting photos of T.I.’s wife Tiny on Instagram. T.I. and his children, Domani and King, responded with diss tracks. While 50 hasn’t replied lyrically, T.I. prefers to respond in the booth rather than online.
“Ultimately, the reason I took to the booth was because it was the most mature, level-headed, peaceful, and organized display of disdain that I could have done,” he explains.
Watch Billboard’s In Conversation with T.I. below, where he also discusses ATL 2, features on Kill The King, and more.
