T.I. has been one of the most consistent, successful and influential rappers of the past 15 years. The rapper — who officially changed his stage name to Tip in September with the release of his extended play "Da Nic" — is this year’s Gator Growl-headlining act.
In the spirit of Homecoming, I rounded up some of Tip’s best songs (in no order) that’ll be sure to get you ready for Gator Growl 2015.
Song: "Whatever You Like"
Album: "Paper Trail"
Ranked as the 16th-most-successful song of the decade in 2009 by Billboard, "Whatever You Like" was the lead single off Tip’s album "Paper Trail."
"Whatever You Like" is a classic song that almost everyone knows and is going to be great live.
Song: "Live Your Life"
Album: "Paper Trail"
"Paper Trail" is full of hits, and "Live Your Life" is another example of how great this album is.
The song features Rihanna and broke the first-week-digital-sales record when it was released with 335,000 downloads.
Song: "Swagga Like Us"
Album: "Paper Trail"
As one of the eight singles from "Paper Trail," "Swagga Like Us" is one of the dopest songs ever. The song features the G.O.A.T., Kanye West, as well as Jay-Z and Lil Wayne. With M.I.A.’s sample and features from three of the best rappers to ever do it, "Swagga Like Us" sure is full of swagger.
Song: "Dead and Gone"
Album: "Paper Trail"
With "Paper Trail," Tip basically lived on the Billboard Top 200 in 2008. Tip kept it real on "Dead and Gone," and getting Justin Timberlake on the song showed Tip’s versatility.
Song: "About the Money"
Album: "Paperwork"
Possibly the best song of 2014 and maybe the biggest banger of the past few years, "About the Money" is another T.I. masterpiece.
His dope verses mix perfectly with Young Thug’s bridge and hook. A year and a half later, "About the Money" can be heard almost anywhere you go and is guaranteed to get Gator Growl lit.
Song: "That’s All She Wrote"
Album: "No Mercy"
To this day, "That’s All She Wrote" featuring Eminem is one of the most fluid songs I’ve ever heard. Without missing a beat, the two legendary rappers going back and forth over the awesome instrumental is simply captivating.
Song: "What You Know"
Album: "King"
Tip made one of the most recognizable songs in hip-hop with "What You Know." Despite coming out in 2006, it seems like almost everyone still knows the hook word for word. This song still gives me chills, and we can only hope that it’s on the setlist for Tip’s performance at Gator Growl this year.
BONUS: Best Features
Song: "Ain’t I"
Artist: Yung L.A.
"Ain’t I" is probably Yung L.A.’s biggest song that was released in 2008 and features both T.I. and Young Dro. "Ain’t I" is still a good song, but talk about Throwback Thursday.
Song: "Fancy"
Artist: Drake
Tip teamed up with Drizzy and Swizz Beatz in 2010 to make "Fancy," which still has one of my favorite Tip verses.
Song: "Magic"
Artist: Future
Before Future completely dominated the rap game, he was making noise with bangers here and there, and the remix to "Magic" was definitely one of those tracks. The styles of the two Atlanta rappers blend together perfectly, and the remix to "Magic" is basically an American treasure.
Song: "Upper Echelon"
Artist: Travi$ Scott
Tip signed Travi$ Scott to his label, Grand Hustle, in 2013, and La Flame has been one of the best new artists since then. T.I. jumped on his artist’s track "Upper Echelon" along with 2 Chainz, and all three rappers snapped.
Song: "Blurred Lines"
Artist: Robin Thicke
Besides the song’s controversial subject matter and lengthy Marvin Gaye lawsuit, "Blurred Lines" was an extremely successful song. It was the second-most-played song of 2013 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. for 12 consecutive weeks, placed in the top 10 charts in 17 countries and reached more than 242 million listeners over the radio, according to Interscope Records.
