T.I. Says "Recognize I'm Back!" On First Post-Prison Single

T.I., the self-proclaimed "King of the South," has kept his word by releasing a new song called "I'm Back"(March 8).

Released online Monday afternoon, Tip reminds fans and critics of his return into the music spotlight with his post-prison first release.
"N*gga probably seen Wayne, Gucci Mane, me and Boosie all go to prison, now he flippin'," Tip raps, "Nowadays I don't know what's up with n*ggas in the 'A,'/Guess they think he's in the game but he really in the way/Violatin -- I'm disappointed in you dog, you ain't hold it down at all/But I ain't going in ya jaw just to show you how to ball/Standing tall through the storm, on the yard or in the dorms/cats in prison who's expecting me to rep for 'em..." ("I'm Back")

Produced by duo Trackslayerz, the track was set-up to place emphasis on Tip's lyrics.
"This record right here kinda reminds me of the Urban Legend T.I.," said Trackslayerz's Price, referring to the rapper's 2004 album. "But it's from the point of when he got locked up. It's no fall off [with] the lyricism. It's like he's completely focused. T.I. went extremely hard. He went in."

Trackslayerz's Inf also said fans would appreciate the record's street feel.
His production partner, Inf, added, "The track is hard. It brings you back to the old T.I. It's like a 'U Don't Know Me' type track. It's pretty hard. He's coming back with the aggressive, mean kind of swag. It's definitely a [street single]. It's a combination of things. He's kinda addressing that he's been on a little hiatus with the jail sentence and don't worry about that [because] he hasn't fallen off. [Some] people feel a certain way about his situation and his sentencing and that he may have gotten off easy, but really it's just the man saying don't even worry about that, he's the King of the South."

T.I. is expected to be released from criminal confinement later this month.
The rapper announced new single "I'm Back" through a promotional Twitter account, and his lawyer confirmed to MTV News on Thursday (March 4) that Tip will be released from prison later this month. Federal Bureau of Prison records list the rapper's release date as March 26. "That date is correct," lawyer Steve Sadow said via e-mail. "T.I. is now serving the remainder of his sentence in home confinement under the supervision of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons."