Rapper T.I. has publicly pushed back against suggestions that Lil Wayne influenced his music, even as he acknowledged his longstanding fandom of Lil Wayne’s early group, the Hot Boys. In a recent appearance on DJ Whoo Kid’s Whoo’s House podcast, T.I. reflected on growing up listening to the Hot Boys during his youth and detailed how he used their music as part of his own hustle, recalling selling crack while listening to albums like Get It How U Live! and Guerrilla Warfare — the latter featuring a young Lil Wayne before he fully developed his signature style.

During the conversation, T.I. called Lil Wayne “legendary” and praised the evolution of his career but was emphatic about maintaining that Wayne did not directly influence his own artistic direction. When asked if Lil Wayne shaped his style, T.I. responded sharply, insisting that wasn’t the case. He explained that while they motivate each other — with T.I. striving to “do something doper” when he hears Wayne drop something impressive — they occupy separate creative spaces, stating, “Wayne got his own lane, and I got mine.”

T.I.’s remarks come amidst ongoing discussion in hip-hop about influence and legacy. Both artists have collaborated multiple times over the years on songs including “Wit’ Me,” “Ball,” and the celebrated Swagga Like Us with Jay-Z and Kanye West, projects that spotlight their shared Southern rap prominence but also underscore their distinct artistic identities.

The conversation about influence in hip-hop remains active as both veterans continue their careers and new generations of artists enter the scene. T.I.’s latest statements reinforce his stance on the individual paths he and Lil Wayne have carved out within the genre.