T.I. tries to help Eminem deal with Slim Shady

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

T.I. has recorded over 60 songs for his forthcoming album, T.I. v T.I.P., which is scheduled to hit stores on July 3rd. The rapper recently recorded three songs with Eminem. He told MTV.com, "It was an experience. He's probably one of the most lyrical cats in the game right now. Me being known as one of the most lyrical cats in the game, I had to get myself up. He lived up to all my expectations. He's a rappin'fool. He made me step my game up."

T.I. added, "We did three records. One we did for him. You know how Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady have their beefs? Well (on that song), T.I. is trying to tell Marshall how to deal with Slim based on how he deals with Tip. Then Tip butts in, like, 'You can't tell nobody nothing.'Then Em comes in and tells me, 'Who are you to tell me anything?'I was like, 'I'm just trying to help, homie.'"

The other two songs the rappers worked on -- "Touchdown" and "Whatever You Want It to Be" -- may end up on T.I. v T.I.P. T.I. explained about "Touchdown," "It's out of Eminem's norm, if Eminem has a norm. It's a record you wouldn't expect to hear him on, kinda like how you heard (him) on 'Smack That'for Akon or (Em's) 'Shake That'with Nate Dogg. You'll be like, 'OK, he's switching it up.'('Touchdown'is) basically (him) talking about when you touch down in everybody's city, what you do. Hit the mall, buy a car or leave the club with all the girls. We have yet to finish that one."

T.I. added, "The one we finished is 'Whatever You Want It to Be.'It's saying, 'I'm a man, if I ain't nothing else. Before I'm a rapper, before I'm anything else, I'm a man. If you don't respect that, it can be whatever you want it to be.'"

In related news, T.I. has also recorded several songs with Wyclef Jean. The rapper explained, "Me and 'Clef got together over a weekend. We wasn't on each other's itinerary to work with each other. He hit me one day when I was in L.A. and was like, 'I gotta come to Atlanta, you got anywhere I can record?'"

After setting up shop in T.I.'s studio, Jean and the rapper began to crank out hits. T.I. said, "He started pulling up (beats) and I was like, 'Who is that for?'He said, 'You, if you want it.'We wound up knocking seven songs from Friday to Monday. It's just us having a good time. We just bonded."

T.I. v T.I.P. will also feature guest appearances by Nelly, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and Justin Timberlake.