T.I. has been a busy man over the years. The three-time Grammy winning rapper started off in the late ‘90s by hustling mixtapes on the streets of Atlanta. After rising to the tippy-top of the hip-hop world alongside other Dirty South acts such as Outkast, Gucci Mane, and Young Jeezy by the mid-2000s, he branched into acting and appeared in several Hollywood films, eventually landing a role in the multi-billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
T.I. has also headlined three reality TV shows, one of which included his family as co-stars. And somehow, in addition to a stellar career as a performer, he’s managed to run his own record label, a video production company, a nightclub, and a strip club — all while philanthropically giving back to ATL, the city where he got his start.
On a fresh episode of GGN, the Rubber Band Man gets things poppin’ with Uncle Snoop, starting with a discussion about the intersection of hustling and business acumen.
“Do you believe that ex-drug dealers are great Fortune 500 businessmen, if given the opportunity?” Snoop asked.
“Absolutely, if you can run a corner, you can run a business,” T.I. replied. “As much of a travesty as the crack era and the War on Drugs has been — as many lives have been lost, as much freedom has been taken away — I still say we would not have had as much of an opportunity to handle large funds and have entrepreneurial spirit if not for the dope game.”
T.I. then turned the discussion to Eazy-E of NWA fame. He noted that the late West Coast gangsta rap pioneer was “a well-known drug dealer” in the early ‘90s, which “allowed him the opportunity to invest in the dreams of one young Dr. Dre. Had it not been for the dope money, then—”
“That dream would’ve been a nightmare,” Snoop said.
T.I. agreed. “And Dr. Dre is now a billionaire. I think what the Devil means for bad, God uses for good.”
So, how can you live your life, raise a family, and still be about that money? Even Snoop wanted to know, considering the Doggfather is also a music mogul, TV and movie star — and now — a legal, licensed, and legit cannabis entrepreneur, too.
To find out how to go get it, catch the full GGN interview with TI and Snoop above, and stay tuned for new episodes of GGN featuring Michael Rapaport, Oh Geezy, Schoolboy Q, Lil Skies, Freddie Gibbs, Mike Tyson, Redman & Method Man, and other MVPs — all premiering here on MERRY JANE. You know what it is!
