T.I.'s Road to Redemption

Last updated
T.I.'s Road to Redemption
GenreReality
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9
Production
Executive producers
  • Billy Taylor
  • Brian Sher
  • Chris Choun
  • Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.
  • George McTeague
  • Jason Geter
  • Michael Hirschorn
  • Stella Stolper
  • Tony DiSanto
  • Queen Muhammad Ali
Running time42 to 44 minutes
Production companies
  • Category 5 Entertainment
  • Grand Hustle
  • Ish Entertainment
Original release
Network MTV
ReleaseFebruary 10 (2009-02-10) 
April 7, 2009 (2009-04-07)
Related
T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle

T.I.'s Road to Redemption is an American reality television show that premiered on February 10, 2009, on MTV. The show was produced by T.I., Michael Hirschorn, Stella Stolper, and Chris Choun of Ish Entertainment. [1] [2] The series, focusing on the 45 days before rapper T.I.'s March sentencing, aimed to encourage teenagers to avoid spending a life of crime by showing seven teenagers a different path. [3] In T.I.'s Road to Redemption, T.I. shares mistakes he has made and lessons he has learned. The show includes events in his personal life such as the birth of his sixth son and the release of his album, Paper Trail . [1] [2] [4]

Contents

In 2007, T.I. was convicted of two felony gun charges. He served a sentence of one year and one day behind bars starting March 27, 2009. [4] He was also sentenced to 1500 hours of community service. [1] [2] The series started filming in June 2008 and continued until March 2009.

"We visited T.I. early in 2008 while he was under house arrest in Georgia and found a man utterly unlike his rap persona," Stella Stolper and Michael Hirschorn of Ish Entertainment said. "He felt that he was undergoing a karmic reckoning, a time when he would have to balance the scales of his life and integrate who he was with who he is. We've never seen someone so introspective, so smart about how who he was back in the slums of Atlanta is affecting who he is now." [4]

In the last days of filming, the show's star T.I. wrote a statement that was published in several news sites. In the statement "Responsibility Is a Lifestyle: It's Time to Bury Da Beef" T.I. reflected on bad decisions he had made, and thanked key figures for helping with the show and reducing his sentencing. "With many mentors and supporters by my side, including Rev. Al Sharpton, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, GlobalGrind.com, Political Swagger, Mobile Regime (Parent company of Nation19) and the C.H.A.N.G.E. Initiative to share the message that now is the time. Now is the time to speak out against gun violence. Now is the time to take responsibility for our actions. Now is the time to make our communities safer." [5]

The title of the show was updated multiple times to reflect how many days were remaining before T.I.'s sentencing (i.e. T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 38 Days to Go, T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 31 Days to Go, T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 1 Day to Go etc.). [1] [2] [4]

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"45 Days to Go: You Are Responsible for Your Own Actions"February 10, 2009 (2009-02-10)
2"38 Days to Go: Own Your Mistakes"February 17, 2009 (2009-02-17)
3"31 Days to Go: Your Environment Does Not Define You"February 24, 2009 (2009-02-24)
4"24 Days to Go: You Have to Focus on the Positive"March 3, 2009 (2009-03-03)
5"17 Days to Go: Reality Is Not Entertainment"March 10, 2009 (2009-03-10)
6"11 Days to Go: Revenge Is Not the Answer"March 17, 2009 (2009-03-17)
7"11 Days to Go: You Quit, You Lose"March 17, 2009 (2009-03-17)
8"4 Days to Go"March 24, 2009 (2009-03-24)
9"The Reckoning"April 7, 2009 (2009-04-07)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ja Rule</span> American rapper (born 1976)

Jeffrey Bruce Atkins Sr., better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known as a leading figure in 2000s hip hop for his blending of gangsta rap with commercially-oriented pop sensibilities. He signed with Irv Gotti's Murder Inc Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album Venni Vetti Vecci (1999), which spawned his first hit single, "Holla Holla". Ja Rule peaked the Billboard Hot 100 thrice in 2001 with his single "Always on Time" and his guest appearances on Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real " and "Ain't It Funny". His encompassing singles, "Put It on Me", "Mesmerize", "Livin' It Up" and "Wonderful" have each peaked within the top ten of the chart and spawned from commercially successful album releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nas</span> American rapper (born 1973)

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, known professionally as Nas, is an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker "Nasty Nas", and recorded demos under the wing of fellow East Coast rapper Large Professor. Nas first guest appeared on his group, Main Source's 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludacris</span> American rapper and actor (born 1977)

Christopher Brian Bridges, known professionally as Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age nine, where he first began rapping. Starting out with a brief stint as a DJ, he formed his own record label, Disturbing tha Peace in the late 1990s to independently release his debut studio album Incognegro (1999). The album was re-released by Def Jam Recordings as his major label debut, Back for the First Time (2000) after its single, "What's Your Fantasy", became a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The latter album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned his second top 40 single, "Southern Hospitality".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Wayne</span> American rapper (born 1982)

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and is often mentioned among the greatest rappers of all time. He was signed by American rapper Birdman to his record label Cash Money Records at age eleven, becoming its youngest member. In the following years, he emerged as the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the imprint in June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T.I.</span> American rapper (born 1980)

Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., better known by the stage names T.I. and Tip, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Harris is known as one of the pioneers of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers Jeezy and Gucci Mane. He first became aquainted with local music executive Kawan "KP" Prather, and joined his company Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment by the late 1990s. He was led to sign his first major-label record deal in 1999 with its parent company LaFace Records, an imprint of Arista Records. His debut studio album, I'm Serious (2001) was met with lukewarm commercial reception and became his only release with the label. He then signed with Atlantic Records, where he soon reached his mainstream breakthrough and co-founded his own label imprint, Grand Hustle Records by 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prodigy (rapper)</span> American rapper (1974–2017)

Albert Johnson, better known by his stage name Prodigy, was an American rapper and record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gucci Mane</span> American rapper (born 1980)

Radric Delantic Davis, known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences into the 2000s. His debut studio album, Trap House (2005) was released by the independent label Big Cat Records and entered the Billboard 200; it was followed by Hard to Kill (2006), which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 entry with its 2007 single, "Freaky Gurl". That same year, he released his third album, Trap-A-Thon before signing with Atlantic Records to release his fourth album, Back to the Trap House (2007).

<i>Trap Muzik</i> 2003 studio album by T.I.

Trap Muzik is the second studio album by the American rapper T.I., released on August 19, 2003, by Atlantic and his newly founded record label Grand Hustle. Due to the poor sales on T.I.'s first album, I'm Serious (2001), T.I. asked for a joint venture deal with Arista Records or to be released from his contract; he was subsequently dropped from the label. In 2002, T.I. launched Grand Hustle with his longtime business partner Jason Geter and signed a new deal with Atlantic Records.

<i>Urban Legend</i> (album) 2004 studio album by T.I.

Urban Legend is the third studio album by American rapper T.I., released on November 30, 2004, through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. The album debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200, selling 193,000 copies in its first week of release. It also debuted at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and the Top Rap Albums charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Joe</span> American rapper from New York (born 1970)

Joseph Antonio Cartagena, better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper. He began recording as a member of hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.) in 1992 until pursuing a solo career with the release of his debut studio album, Represent (1993) the following year. Cartegena formed the hip hop group Terror Squad and its namesake record label in the late 1990s, through which he has signed fellow New York artists including Big Pun, Remy Ma, Tony Sunshine, and Cuban Link, as well as then-unknown producers DJ Khaled and Cool & Dre.

Grand Hustle Records, also known as Hustle Gang Music, is an American hip hop record label, founded in 2003, by American rapper T.I. and his manager Jason Geter. The label was distributed by Atlantic Records until December 2012, and has since operated as an independent record label. Its roster has included acts such as 8Ball & MJG, B.o.B, Killer Mike, Young Dro, DJ Drama, Meek Mill, Chip, Travis Scott, and Trae tha Truth, the latter of whom also served as the label's vice president. The label also houses a roster of record producers, which has included Lil' C, Mars and Nard & B.

<i>King</i> (T.I. album) 2006 studio album by T.I.

King, is the fourth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on March 28, 2006, through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took one and a half years to complete in late 2005 according to T.I. in an interview with MTV News. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including DJ Toomp, Just Blaze, Mannie Fresh, Swizz Beatz, Keith Mack, Travis Barker, The Neptunes, Kevin "Khao" Cates, Nick "Fury" Loftin, and Tony Galvin, among others. The album also serves as the soundtrack to T.I.’s feature film debut, ATL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soulja Boy</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1990)

DeAndre Cortez Way, known professionally as Soulja Boy, is an American rapper and record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He rose to prominence after his self-released 2007 debut single, "Crank That " peaked the Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks. After its commercial re-release by Collipark Music, an imprint of Interscope Records, the song and its follow-up, "Soulja Girl" led to the release of his debut studio album, Souljaboytellem.com (2007). Despite unfavorable critical reception, it peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Yahhh!."

<i>Paper Trail</i> 2008 studio album by T.I.

Paper Trail is the sixth studio album by American rapper T.I., released September 30, 2008, on Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. He began to write songs for the album as he awaited trial for federal weapons and possession charges. Unlike his past albums, he wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious (2001).

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2008.

Carlos Rico Walker, better known as Shawty Lo, was an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2009.

<i>No Mercy</i> (T.I. album) 2010 studio album by T.I.

No Mercy is the seventh studio album by American rapper T.I. Originally titled King Uncaged, It was released on December 7, 2010, by Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2009 to 2010. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including Kanye West, Polow da Don, The-Dream, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, The Neptunes, TrackSlayerz, Jake One, T-Minus, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Rico Love, Alex da Kid, DJ Toomp, Jim Jonsin, Danja and Dr. Luke, among others. The album also features guest appearances from several prominent artists such as Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Scarface, Chris Brown, Eminem, The-Dream, Trey Songz, Pharrell, Drake, Christina Aguilera and Rick Ross, among others.

<i>Paperwork</i> (T.I. album) 2014 studio album by T.I.

Paperwork is the ninth studio album by American rapper T.I. It was released on October 21, 2014, by Grand Hustle Records and Columbia Records. The album is his first project under Columbia Records, after his contract with Atlantic Records expired, following the release of his eighth album Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head (2012). Paperwork derives its title from T.I.'s most successful project, his sixth album Paper Trail (2008). Paperwork features guest appearances from Chris Brown, The-Dream, Jeezy, Skylar Grey, Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross, Victoria Monet, Trae tha Truth and Pharrell Williams, the latter of which served as the album's executive producer. Aside from Pharrell, the album's production was handled by several high-profile producers such as DJ Mustard, DJ Toomp, Tommy Brown and London on da Track, among others.

Bankroll Mafia is an American hip hop collective from Atlanta, Georgia. The collective was formed in 2015, after southern rappers T.I., Young Thug and Shad da God began frequently working together. Other Atlanta-based rappers also joined the collective, including Label No Genre’s London Jae, and Young Thug's close affiliates Peewee Roscoe and Lil Duke. In an interview with Billboard, T.I. described the group's dynamic as "a collective that includes a lot of personal and professional constituents throughout the industry, in and out of our elements." The collective released their self-titled debut album in April 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "TI's Road to Redemption". Hip Hop Galaxy. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "T.I.'s MTV show "Road to Redemption" starting in Feb". Woooha, INC. 2009-01-12. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  3. Steven Roberts (2009-01-15). "T.I.'s 'Road To Redemption' Seems To Avoid Reality–TV Cliches". MTV . MTV News. Archived from the original on January 18, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "MTV Premieres "T.I.'s Road To Redemption"". Hip Hop DX. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  5. T.I., Grammy Award-winning rapper (11 June 2009). "Responsibility Is A Lifestyle: It's Time to Bury Da Beef" via huffingtonpost.com.