Reporter:  Your 10-year deal with Atlantic expired, and recent reports said you were looking for a massive new deal. What’s your label situation now?

 

T.I. – “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. We Master-P-ing this shit right now. Everything we putting out we paying for it. It’s the grind. It’s put me back to where I was when my first record [2001’s “I’m Serious”] didn’t sell, when I got dropped [from Arista] and I had to prove that I was worthy of a record deal. That’s what I’m doing right now. Back then I was proving I was worth $2 million. Right now, I’m proving I’m worth $200 million. I ain’t doing no deal if it ain’t eight figures. I don’t even wanna sit down with you.”

 

Full Interview: Billboard