T.I. brings his own experiences to the big screen

T.I.

Those two letters stand for Grammy-nominated, Atlanta-based rapper with a platinum album. T.I., born Clifford “Tip” Harris. T.I. is one of the big names in the world of hip-hop and the self-proclaimed “King of the South.”

T.I. — Tip — got his nickname from his dad when he was younger.

T.I. said he wasn’t even sure why his dad nicknamed him Tip; he just remembers his dad called him that growing up. T.I. started spelling out his name because many didn’t understand him with his thick southern drawl. Eventually T.I.P. was shortened to the name T.I. that he is known as today.

T.I. has a list attached to his name — charity work, a few successful albums and, now, a new film career.

Whether this will become another singer-turned-actor flop is up to the critics, but T.I. said he is excited about his film debut. He also said that if the opportunity arises, he will be doing more movies in the future.

The movie ATL is based on a group of kids in their last year in high school in the poor suburbs of Atlanta. The movie, according to T.I., was a collaboration of the actors’, producers’ and director Chris Robinson’s experiences growing up in Atlanta.

“Once we got on the set, everyone started putting their own life experiences in the story,” T.I. said. “Not specifically mine, not specifically Chris’ — everyone gave their input on how they thought things should go.”

T.I. plays the main character, Rashad Swann, who has to be the man of the house after his parents die in a car accident and leave him and his little brother with an uncle who does nothing to raise the two of them. Rashad has his school and money problems not to mention the added pressure of keeping his little brother, Ant (Evan Ross), out of trouble.

T.I. said he relates to his character, Rashad, only in the fact that he is “a young man in a grown man’s situation.”

“I wasn’t set on doing the right thing,” T.I. said. “I was more about any means necessary, and he’s just driving by doing the right thing.”

In ATL, the high school hangout is a place called Cascade, a roller skating rink. T.I., like his character Rashad, grew up in Atlanta and often went to places during his younger teenage years like Rashad and the group of kids in ATL did.

“I went to Cascade growing up,” T.I. said.

Even though T.I. said there is room for movies in his future, this does not mean he will be sticking to either the film or music industry.

“I have equal admiration for both,” T.I. said.