Ahead of the Daytona 500, T.I. hit 150 mph in a NASCAR ride with the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The rapper followed an instructor around the track building up speed before breaking 150 mph, confessing to a bit of nerves seeing the outside wall going around the turns.

“I always wanted to drive a NASCAR racecar on the track, and I’m about to go Ricky Bobby fast,” T.I. said. “Listen, I’ve been trained by professionals. I watched a 7 1/2 minute instructional video. It’s extremely instructional, so I’ve been doing this as long as it needs to be done for me to do this. You don’t try this at home, okay?”

Talking about his approach, the rapper said, “When I was driving I was really just trying to get a feel for the car. It doesn’t drive like a normal street car, so I was really trying to estimate how much of the wheel I had to turn to maintain a safe distance around that curve. I could tell with the second round of laps, I was a lot more comfortable, and as I got more comfortable with it, I could accelerate and pick up speed.”

Would he consider doing it professionally? “Naw, I would consider doing it more so I could get better at it. There’s cats who have been out here doing it since they were like 3 and 4 years old. They’re probably as good at this as I am at what I do.”

Before heading out, T.I. told the professionals, “It takes real nerves of steel. I respect what you guys do.”

Watch the webisode via YouTube below.

The second episode of ‘Countdown to T.I.’ captures the days leading up to the release of Tip’s new album, ‘Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head’. The rapper talked about the meaning behind the album title, collaborations with Pharrell, Cee-Lo Green and Andre 3000, and his favorite track on the disc.

The rapper was asked what fans could expect from the new album, responding, “All of your favorite ‘Trap Muzik’ and I’m serious moments and sounds, mixed with a lot more diversified mainstream commercial sound. I’m gonna try to take ‘Trap Muzik’, ‘King’ and ‘Paper Trail’ and ball them up into ‘Trouble Man’.”

On adding ‘Heavy Is The Head’ to the album title, he said, “I think one of the truest things I’ve ever heard is ‘Heavy is the head of he who wears the crown’. Considering the fact that I’m wearing the crown, I can expect my head to be heavy, you know what I’m sayin’? I did like 127 songs while recording this project.”

As for a favorite track from the album, T.I. explained, “Listen, I’ma say somethin’ to ya, I, myself, am like the father to all of these songs, and no proper parent chooses a favorite child.”

Discussing his favorite collaboration on the album, Tip responded, “All of my collaborations for this project have been extremely memorable, and I appreciate everybody’s contribution to the project. I would have to say because of how long it actually took to get this done and how long it’s been in the works, I would have to say the Andre 3000 collaboration for the record ‘Sorry’.”

Watch the webisode via YouTube below.

T.I. is featured in a series of webisodes called ‘Countdown to T.I.’, with the first following the rapper as he does promo for his new album ‘Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head’. Tip is seen doing a full day of promo in New York City with stops at Atlantic Records, then BET and MTV, where T.I. plays back and discusses his new album for the staff.

“This album I’m going for vintage T.I. sound, ‘Trap Musik’ and street sh**,” T.I. explained, “with the diverse mainstream commercial records say a la ‘Paper Trail’. We are looking to find as many ways to align ourselves with you. We are open to collaborating with worthy collaborators, financiers.”

Introducing a track, T.I. explained, “This is called ‘Sorry’ and it features Andre 3000. Probably one of the most sophisticated, introspective jewels on the album. The best Andre 3000 verse outside of an Outkast album, ever. Ever, ever.”

As for his strategy releasing material, Tip advised, “The hit comes when you have the perfect marriage between jammin’ ass music and timing. Timing has a lot to do with everything, like if you release a certain record when it’s not time to, it won’t receive, it won’t be embraced as it should be. I just wish I could drop everything all at once and y’all pick it, tell me what to do.”

Watch the webisode via YouTube below.

T.I. released the music video to his new single ‘Love This Life’, off the Atlanta rapper’s eighth studio album ‘Trouble Man’, out September 4h on Atlantic Records. Asked about the song’s concept, the 31-year-old told XXL, “People who find themselves in a situation where the woman might say she wants to part ways with the man, but the man [is] like, ‘Let’s be sensible about this. You gonna leave all this? And go where?'”

Watch it via YouTube below.

T.I. has posted the audio to his new single ‘Like That’, which was produced by Lil C and Lamar “Mars” Edwards. ‘Like That’ is the second song released from the Atlanta rapper’s upcoming eighth studio album ‘Trouble Man’, which is currently scheduled for a September 4th release on Grand Hustle. Listen ot the song at T.I.’s official web site, trapmuzik.com.

Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist T.I. has released ‘Love This Life’, the first single off his upcoming, eighth studio album titled ‘Trouble Man’, due later this year. The single, produced by Mars of 1500 or Nothin’, is available for purchase at iTunes and all other DSPS today. Listen to ‘Love This Life’ below.

Last month, the Atlanta-native took Austin, Texas by storm, performing alongside fellow Grand Hustle/Atlantic rapper, B.o.B at ‘The Warner Sound Captured By Nikon’ SXSW showcase for a performance which included his hits ‘Whatever You Like’, ‘U Don’t Know Me’, ‘Rubber Band Man’ and ‘On Top Of The World’, a collaborative track with B.o.B. To watch T.I.’s performances from ‘The Warner Sound Captured By Nikon’ show, visit YouTube.