when t.i was first signed to laface records in 2000 he was known as tip. but due to a fellow label mate Q tip he shorten his name to t.i
T.I. was born Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. on September 25, 1980, in Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia.[2] He was raised by his grandparents and was a drug dealer as a teenager.[3] He stated "I carried guns...
T.I. is his stage name and he's better known by his stage name.
his grand father as a child called him tip
his grandad used to call him T.I.P so he got his inspirational from there