T.I. was instrumental in helping launch the career of Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, but now he's suggested that was a misstep for him. In a recent interview with The Root, the Grand Hustle rapper explained that Iggy tarnished his legacy as a tastemaker in rap.
"I’m still actively looking for another female rapper who can undo the blunder of Iggy Azalea," Tip explained rather bluntly. "That is the tarnish of my legacy as far as [being] a [music] executive is concerned. To me, this is like when Michael Jordan went to play baseball." Harsh words considering how poorly Jordan's brief minor league baseball career went.
In a since deleted comment, Iggy Azalea responded to what T.I. had to say on her Twitter. "Imagine thinking I was his biggest blunder," she said. "Tip. Sweetie. We have a whole list for you." The two haven't worked together since she cut ties with him in 2015, but their relationship goes all the way back to 2011 following the release of her debut mixtape Ignorant Art.
T.I. served as an executive producer on her breakthrough release, The New Classic, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Her second studio album, In My Defense, dropped earlier this year and peaked at No. 50.
