Iggy Azalea’s popularity has skyrocketed over the past year. Releasing her debut album The New Classic earlier this year with the hit single “Fancy,” Iggy has been able to provide her fans a major label version of herself.
Recently sitting down with Big Boy’s Neighborhood on Power 106, someone who was very influential in her start, T.I., talked about discovering Iggy Azalea and showcasing her to a larger audience.
“I knew that with the proper planning and execution the sky was the limit for her,” he said when asked about Iggy. “She has a killer instinct, kind of like a ‘if you like me or not I’m going to make it’ so you can see it now or kick yourself in the ass later. That’s called star shit, that’s superstar shit. People like me in the business, I guess the gatekeepers or the leaders of the new school, those who accept the responsibility of sighting talent and when we see it it’s our job to recognize it and to package it appropriately and that’s just what we took the time to do correctly.”
When asked what he saw in Iggy, T.I recalled when he found out about the female rapper turned pop star.
“She had already put out a couple of records that was doing things on the Internet with views through the roof,” he said. “She got a look. I sat with her and Travis Scott the same day and this was when I came home the second time, the last time, I’m really trying to rebuild Grand Hustle as a record label and as a entity in the industry. So I’m seeking new talent, surfing the whip, ‘Yo, this is a white chick, ok, get her on the phone man, lets see when we can sit down.”
T.I. has had a long affiliation with Iggy Azalea. In 2012, she initially signed to T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records and released her album, The New Classic under the label’s imprint and Island Records. Tip has also produced and made guest appearances on many of her records.
