Sneak Peak: T.I. - Live Your Life video featuring Rihanna from the album Paper Trail

Yung LA - Ain’t I (Remix) video featuring T.I. and Young Dro

T.I. MAKES HISTORY WITH “PAPER TRAIL”; CAREER-BEST #1 DEBUT MARKS GRAMMY-WINNING RAPPER’S THIRD CONSECUTIVE CHART-TOPPING ENTRY IN THREE YEARS; “LIVE YOUR LIFE (FEAT. RIHANNA)” SHATTERS T.I.’S OWN RECORD FOR BIGGEST LEAP TO THE TOP SPOT ON BILLBOARD’S “HOT 100”; “WHATEVER YOU LIKE” CONTINUES REIGN AT RADIO

“PAPER TRAIL,” the new album from Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist T.I., has made a phenomenal arrival atop the Billboard 200, marking the multiple Grammy Award-winning superstar’s third consecutive #1 chart entry (following 2006’s platinum-certified “KING” and 2007’s platinum-certified “T.I. VS. T.I.P.”). With total first-week sales in excess of 568,000, “PAPER TRAIL” also enters at #1 on a number of additional Billboard charts, including “Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums,” “Top Rap Albums,” and “Top Digital Albums.” The album’s unparalleled first-week sales success represents a personal best for T.I., as well as Atlantic Records’ biggest-ever one-week scan since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991.

As if all that weren’t enough, T.I. has literally exploded into the top spot on Billboard’s “Hot 100” with “Live Your Life (Feat. Rihanna),” the second single from “PAPER TRAIL.” In only its second week on the chart, the single has ascended into the pole position from last week’s ranking at #80 – the biggest-ever one-week leap to the top. The #1 success of “Live Your Life” shatters the previous record for largest ascent to #1 – a feat set just six weeks ago by T.I.’s own “Whatever You Like,” the RIAA platinum certified first single from “PAPER TRAIL.” That track rocketed to #1 from #71 the week of September 6th and has remained there until this week. This remarkable achievement establishes T.I. as the first artist to replace himself at #1 since Usher in 2004.

With sales of nearly 335,000, “Live Your Life” has logged the biggest-ever first-week digital singles sales in history. “Live Your Life” is now rocketing up the airplay charts at Urban and Rhythmic, where it earned the week’s “Most Increased Plays.” What’s more, the single received this week’s “Most Increased Plays” at Urban Mainstream – T.I.’s biggest increase to date at this format. A companion video clip for “Live Your Life” is now in post-production and will premiere sometime in the coming weeks.

The first solo chart-topper of T.I.’s remarkable career – and second overall following “My Love,” his Grammy-winning collaboration with Justin Timberlake – “Whatever You Like” is currently dominating multi-format radio outlets nationwide. The single is now in its fifth week atop the Urban airplay ranking, as well as its fourth week at #1 on the Rhythmic airplay chart. “Whatever You Like” is also blowing up at CHR/Top 40, where it is poised to enter the top 10 after only four weeks on the chart. In total, the single’s combined national radio audience is nearly 140 million, with a cumulative audience for all tracks from “PAPER TRAIL’ exceeding 200 million.

In addition, the “Whatever You Like” companion video – directed by Dave Meyers (Missy Elliot, Kid Rock) – is in major rotation on BET, FUSE, and all MTV channels. Furthermore, “Whatever You Like” continues its #1 reign over Nielsen Ringscan’s “Top 200 Mastertones” ranking, with sales now approaching three-quarters of a million. The chart success marks Warner Music Group’s second-ever #1 ringtone, following Flo Rida’s record- breaking “Low.”

T.I. made a number of TV appearances celebrating last week’s release of “PAPER TRAIL,” including NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, MTV’s TRL, and BET’s 106 & Park. The ATL-based MC is now set to take the stage at the upcoming BET Hip-Hop Awards, which has nominated him in three categories, including “Best Live Performer,” “Lyricist of the Year,” and “MVP of the Year.” The third annual ceremony will be held at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center on Saturday, October 18th and then air on BET, Thursday, October 23rd at 8:00pm (check local listings).

Last Friday night, T.I. played to a sold-out crowd for his “MySpace Release Show” at the Key Club in Hollywood. Surprise guests included Rihanna, who joined him for “Live Your Life,” and Kanye West, who performed on “Swagga Like Us.” T.I. also received a special plaque, celebrating his historic passing of the 2 million friend mark on his official MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/trapmuzik) – a new record by a hip hop artist.

T.I.’s MySpace page has seen record-breaking traffic in recent weeks, with “Whatever You Like” having now earned over 26 million streams and counting. In addition, the page is among MySpace’s top five viewed pages daily. Earlier this year, T.I. found additional success in cyberspace, with the launch of the social networking website, www.streetcred.com.

Currently starring on the cover of Giant, T.I. has been featured in a stunning array of recent national publications, spanning XXL, Vibe, Blender, Rolling Stone, People, and King (where he will serve as “Guest Editor” on the upcoming November issue). In addition, “PAPER TRAIL” has drawn some of the most rapturous praise of T.I.’s already acclaimed career. “His best album since 2003’s ‘TRAP MUSIK,” declared the New York Times’ Jon Caramanica, “largely because it’s so serious.” “T.I. has managed to craft an album that gives listeners the standout moments they expect,” wrote Allhiphop.com. “(The album’s) achievements are enough to remind fans why they fell in love with T.I. back in 2003, and keep his tenuous title as ‘King of the South’ in place for the immediate future.” “(‘PAPER TRAIL’) shows a willingness to do something other than coast from hook to hook,” noted Pitchfork.com. “The album manages to be a more detailed manuscript of Tip’s complexity: An impending incarceration has lit a fire under him, triggering an impulse to challenge himself.” “’PAPER TRAIL’ starts and finishes strong,” hailed USA Today’s Steve Jones. “T.I. may be going away for a while, but his music won’t.”

* * * * *

“PAPER TRAIL” is T.I. at his best – melding emotive moments like the harrowing “My Life, Your Entertainment (Feat. Usher)” with celebratory anthems such as the cocky ”On Top Of The World (Feat. Ludacris and B.o.B.).” In addition to the aforementioned Swizz Beatz, the production roster includes such studio stars as Danja (Timbaland, Madonna, Usher), DJ Toomp (Kanye West, Missy Elliot, Young Jeezy) and Drumma Boy (Paul Wall, Rick Ross, Yung Joc). The result is T.I.’s most potent and important LP to date.

“No Matter What,” the first street track and video from “PAPER TRAIL,” proved an online blockbuster upon its release earlier this year, earning over one million views at T.I.’s official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/TIvsTIP. In addition, the clip – directed by Self and James Lopez – received a nod for “Best Male Video” at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

“PAPER TRAIL” follows T.I.’s two previous #1 RIAA platinum-certified blockbusters, 2007’s “T.I. VS. T.I.P.” and 2006’s “KING.” With an unparalleled track record of hit singles – including “Top Back,” “Big Things Poppin’ (Do It),” “Why You Wanna,” and the Grammy Award-winning “What You Know” – T.I. is without question one of hip-hop’s greatest stars. In addition to his multiple Grammy Awards, T.I. has been the recipient of a wide variety of honors, including BET Awards, BET Hip-Hop Awards, and Billboard Music Awards.

An accomplished actor as well as a gifted rapper and live performer, T.I. has played acclaimed roles in the major motion pictures ATL and American Gangster. He recently made a cameo appearance on HBO’s Entourage and will also be starring in the upcoming Screen Gems film, Bone Deep.

In 2009, T.I. will be tackling television with an inspirational documentary series for MTV. The yet-to-be-titled series will center on the rapper’s life on probation in the year leading up to his impending year-long jail sentence. Added to these endeavors is his much-anticipated clothing line Akoo, which will be in stores this fall.

T.I. TO PERFORM MYSPACE RELEASE SHOW AT THE KEY CLUB IN LOS ANGELES, CA, ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3

NEW ALBUM “PAPER TRAIL” IN STORES AND ONLINE NOW ON GRAND HUSTLE/ATLANTIC RECORDS

MySpace Music is proud to announce that the self-proclaimed “King of the South,” T.I., will be performing a free show for his MySpace friends at the Key Club in Los Angeles, CA, on Friday, October 3 - a show being powered by AT&T. 200 limited tickets will be available for pick-up for the 15+ show from 10 a.m - 1 p.m. on Friday, October 3 and no early line-ups will be allowed for the 8:30 p.m show. Admittance will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Releasing a string of consistent albums since his debut in the early-’00s, Atlanta’s T.I. has come to be known by hip-hop enthusiasts as “the Jay-Z of the South.” Now with his new Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records album “Paper Trail,” T.I. is aiming to further solidify his place in the upper echelon of hip-hop artistry and innovation. For the creation of the album, T.I. implemented a back-to-basics approach to his lyricism. Reverting back to the days where he would physically pen his lyrics, the new album maps out the journey he has taken since first emerging on the scene and hints at what’s in store for him in the future. As his most focused work to date, “Paper Trail” features guest shots and production by Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Usher, Rihanna, and Swizz Beats, among others, and is exactly what you’d expect from such a relevant, forward-thinking emcee of this caliber.

Key Club
9039 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA, 90069
310.274.5800

T.I. - What Up, What’s Haapnin’ video

Maino - Hi Hater (Remix) video featuring T.I., Swizz Beatz, Plies, Jadakiss and Fabolous from his new album If Tomorrow Comes…

T.I. ROCKETS TO THE TOP WITH NEW SINGLE; “WHATEVER YOU LIKE” BREAKS ALL-TIME RECORD FOR BIGGEST-EVER JUMP TO #1 ON BILLBOARD’S “HOT 100”; CHART-TOPPING SUCCESS SPURRED BY EXPLOSIVE SINGLE SALES; SINGLE SCORES “MOST INCREASED PLAYS” AT URBAN & RHYTHMIC; “PAPER TRAIL” DROPS EVERYWHERE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH

Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist T.I. has made history with his new single, “Whatever You Like.” The record-setting track has rocketed into the #1 spot on this week’s Billboard “Hot 100,” marking the biggest-ever one-week leap to the top of the chart. Now in its third week on the chart, the single has ascended into the pole position from last week’s ranking at #71. “Whatever You Like” is the first single from the Grammy Award-winning rapper’s much-anticipated new album, “PAPER TRAIL,” due in stores and at all online retailers on September 30th.

The single’s #1 success represents the first solo chart-topper of T.I.’s remarkable career, and second overall following “My Love,” his Grammy-winning collaboration with Justin Timberlake. “Whatever You Like” – produced by Jim Jonsin, whose many credits include Lil Wayne’s #1 smash, “Lollipop” – is also #1 on the week’s “Hot Digital Songs” chart, with stunning first-week sales exceeding 205,000 downloads.

“Whatever You Like” is currently exploding at radio, scoring the week’s “Most Increased Plays” at both Rhythmic and Urban outlets outlets nationwide. The track is already a bulleted top 10 smash at Urban and is climbing the top 25 at Rhythmic. In addition, the “Whatever You Like” companion video – directed by Dave Meyers (Missy Elliot, Kid Rock) – is in large rotation on BET and Rap City and maximum rotation of all MTV channels.

“No Matter What,” the first street track and video from “PAPER TRAIL,” has proven an online blockbuster, earning over one million views at T.I.’s official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/TIvsTIP. In addition, the clip has earned the ATL-based artist a nod for “Best Male Video” – directed by Self and James Lopez - at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards. The multiple Grammy Award-winning superstar will be among the live performers at the annual extravaganza, set to air on Sunday, September 7th on MTV (check local listings).

The coming weeks will see T.I. featured in a stunning array of national publications, XXL, Vibe, Blender, Rolling Stone, and King. The rapper will also be making a number of TV appearances in the days surrounding the release of “PAPER TRAIL,” including MTV’s TRL and BET’s 106 & Park – full details will be announced shortly.

T.I., has also recently passed the 2 million friend mark on his official MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/trapmuzik), setting a new record by a hip hop artist. In addition, T.I.’s MySpace page is among the top five viewed pages daily. Earlier this year, Tip found additional success in cyberspace, with the launch of the social networking website, www.streetcred.com.

* * * * *

“PAPER TRAIL” is T.I. at his best – melding emotive moments like the harrowing “My Life, Your Entertainment” with celebratory anthems such as the cocky ”What Up, What’s Haapnin.” In addition to the aforementioned Swizz Beatz, the production roster includes such studio stars as Danja (Timbaland, Madonna, Usher), DJ Toomp (Kanye West, Missy Elliot, Young Jeezy) and Drumma Boy (Paul Wall, Rick Ross, Yung Joc). The result is T.I.’s most potent and important LP to date.

“PAPER TRAIL” follows T.I.’s two previous #1 blockbusters, 2007’s “T.I. vs T.I.P.” and 2006’s RIAA platinum-certified “KING.” With an unparalleled track record of hit singles – including “Top Back,” “Big Things Poppin’ (Do It),” “Why You Wanna,” and the Grammy Award-winning “What You Know” – T.I. is without question one of hip-hop’s greatest stars. In addition to his multiple Grammy Awards, T.I. has been the recipient of a wide variety of honors, including BET Awards, BET Hip-Hop Awards, and Billboard Music Awards.

An accomplished actor as well as a gifted rapper and live performer, T.I. has played acclaimed roles in the major motion pictures ATL and American Gangster. He will be starring in the upcoming Screen Gems film entitled Bone Deep. He will also make a cameo appearance on the new season of HBO’s Entourage.

In 2009, T.I. will be tackling television with an inspirational documentary series airing on MTV. The yet-to-be-titled series will center on the rapper’s life on probation in the year leading up to his impending year-long jail sentence. Added to these endeavors is his much-anticipated clothing line Akoo, which will be in stores this fall.

SUPERSTAR T.I. HITS RECORD BREAKING 2 MILLION FRIENDS ON MYSPACE

MySpace Music is excited to announce Grammy award winning rapper, T.I., has recently passed the 2 million friend mark on his official Music page (http://www.myspace.com/trapmuzik), setting a new record by a hip hop artist. As T.I. gears up to release his highly anticipated Grand Hustle/Atlantic album, Paper Trail, which hits stores on September 30, this only further solidifies T.I.’s wide fan base across the world. With a new offering right round the corner and 2,035,117 friends and going strong, be sure to add T.I. to your friend list.

To date, MySpace Music has more than five million major, indie and unsigned artists and nearly 30 million unique monthly visitors to the Music channel. MySpace Music allows fans to engage and connect with their favorite artists and discover new music. MySpace Music empowers bands to share music and videos, announce tour dates and communicate with fans and others in the MySpace community. As the most trafficked music platform in the world, MySpace Music seamlessly integrates the web into shared online and offline experiences.

Maino - Hi Hater (Remix) video featuring T.I., Swizz Beatz, Plies, Jadakiss & Fabolous Behind The Scenes