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Rap artist T.I. got candid during a recent sit-down interview with Billboard. He opened up about what he calls one of the “worst decisions” of his career.
T.I. Opens Up About the ‘Worst Decision’ Of His Career
That decision was when he decided to depart from music industry giant, Atlantic Records, in 2013. When discussing his decision to depart from the label, Tip said that he needed to find out for himself how much he actually needed the label.
“One of the reasons why I made one of the toughest decisions, arguably one of the worst decisions, in my career — I made the decision to leave Atlantic, quite honestly, because I just got tired of wondering, ‘Was my success predicted on me or them?’” he said during the interview. “I had to know.”
After leaving Atlantic Records in 2013, T.I. spent two years with Columbia Records before going fully independent in 2015.
Being an independent artist has its benefits. However, T.I. said that he got a reality check not too long after leaving the label. He quickly saw how having the backing of a major label contributed to his overall success as an artist.
“I stepped away, and I almost immediately could see and tell there were a lot of things being done, you know, on my behalf, for my benefit, that I was probably oblivious to,” he added. “The realization, he added, sparked a different kind of curiosity. “At that moment, once I found that out, I was eager to learn what those things were and how to identify and execute those things on my own behalf.”
Going independent has become increasingly popular among artists. Especially because they can keep more of their earnings in-house. However, after listening to Tip’s interview, it appears that there are pros and cons no matter which direction an artist decides to go.
