Men's Fitness, November 22nd, 2007
MF: We've got you in front of a TIS edition Chevy Tahoe. You're also in a trio of new commercials for Chevy with Mary J. Blige and NASCAR stars Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.
T.I.: Well, the Chevrolet is an all- American truck. I've always been partial to the "bow tie" [the Chevy logo]. Making the commercials was definitely a phenomenal experience for me. It was a no-brainer
And if we opened your garage today, what would we find? Lots. [Laughs] Benzes, Range Rovers, Cadillac trucks, and several others as well.
Do your vehicles have some customized T.I. flavor? I don't actually make that many after-market changes to my vehicles, except new wheels; I'm really selective with my customization.
Ever restore a classic car? Several, like my '69 Camaro. Once you do that to a car, it's kind of like putting a piece of yourself in that car.
It sounds like you definitely have a need for speed. What's the fastest you've ever driven? [Laughs] Ahh, man. It's gotta be like 170 to 180 miles per hour. Crazy!
Tell us about your first car. An '86 Cutlass. I'll never forget that car. I had it before I was old enough to drive.
You have dual personalities on your album T.I. vs. T.I.P.—one is cool and calm; the other isn't. Which car would T.I. roll in, and which would T.I.P. cruise around in? T.I. would definitely take out a Mercedes S65 because it's sleek, fast, sexy, and luxurious. As for T.I.P., he'd be rolling in a muscle car—probably a '68 Camaro, because it's just so iconic.
What type of music would we find in your car right now? Do you ever listen to your own tracks? You'd fi nd a really diverse bunch of music. I listen to everything from Sade to Snoop Dog to Tupac, the Isley Brothers, Biggie—everything. Sometimes I listen to my own music, but it's usually only when I fi rst make it.
How big an influence do you think cars have on hip-hop? Man, the influence is huge. I think that cars and hip-hop are like one and the same.
