T.I. continues to build his comedy chops, trading his bars for laughs.
Throughout the year, the rapper, actor (and now) comedian performed several comedy sets across the country with his Haha Mafia collective.
On Christmas Eve, T.I. self-released his first comedy special: “Cheaper Than Therapy,” filmed at Center Stage in January.
Now, he’s closing the year with more hometown shows.
Credit: BRANDON ROBINSON
Credit: BRANDON ROBINSON
Friday — the first of his three-night takeover at Alpharetta’s Helium Comedy Club — T.I. had a commanding stage presence while tackling topics like aging, his distance from rap music and hypocrisy in the church, all while keeping the crowd thoroughly entertained.
Throughout the night, the hip-hop legend, whose legal name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., proved he’s making a nifty transition into his three-year comedy career.
Before he took the stage, the packed room (a nice size even on the day after Christmas) was treated to members of the Haha Mafia, including Kelly K-Dubb, Erica Duchess and Ronnie Jordan (with Duchess being the funniest among them). Around 8 p.m., with the crowd on its feet, T.I. began his set to the tune of his Grammy-winning 2006 hit “What You Know.”
“That ain’t what we came here for,” he jokingly told the audience, which rapped along to the song.
He began the show by discussing his new relationship with comedy and the materialism of the holiday season, noting that Jesus wasn’t actually born on Christmas.
“Things like these and more is why I choose to do stand-up comedy … because I can’t put this in no rap. What I look like rapping about Jesus not being born in December. I got more in my head than I can put to a beat.”
The 45-year-old later talked about aging. Mocking himself, T.I. addressed a recent viral photo of him with a bald spot, although he later clarified it was photoshopped
Speaking of aging, T.I. reflected on his status as a rap veteran. He argued that trap music is “different now” because of the rise of violence within it.
“I think about me and Jeezy and Gucci and Yo Gotti and Boosie,” he said. “Back then, we were rapping about things we had gotten away with and moved on from. These young (ones) today are rapping about things they’re going to do tomorrow.”
The most interesting part of the 50-minute set arrived when he questioned the self-righteous nature of some preachers, given that Jesus hung out with “heathens and thieves and prostitutes.”
“How can you change the word to suit your personal needs? How can you enforce the rules on others, but don’t enforce them on yourself?”
It was a stronger note (also ironic, considering he’s up for his first Christian music Grammy at next year’s ceremony) of the night that displayed T.I.’s skill in using comedy to call out social issues. He even gave a vulgar take on the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, which offered a nice transition to his next topic: men needing a woman who is “willing to love you for who you are.”
He devoted the end of his set to praising his wife, singer and reality star Tameka “Tiny” Harris. Although T.I. acknowledged he’s faced a lot of struggles throughout his 15-year marriage, he referred to Harris as his “best friend,” crediting her with his growth as an artist and father.
“I don’t care how well you’re doing your life,” he said. “If you don’t have a woman beside you, loving you, pushing you, you’re not doing as good as you could be.”
Credit: BRANDON ROBINSON
Credit: BRANDON ROBINSON
T.I. ended the show by thanking the audience for supporting him along his comedy journey. His set wasn’t laugh-out-loud hilarious, but it was a sturdy showcase in his ability to win over any crowd with his charm and growing comedic wit.
He’ll perform three more shows at Helium Comedy Club: two Saturday and one Sunday. Tickets are available on the Helium Comedy Club website.
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