T.I.: Does he actually watch NBC? Straw poll!

I was both pleased and a little puzzled when I read that T.I. would be participating in that NBC promo campaign where they get musicians to reinterpret their signature three-note chime. Pleased, because Tip is a reliably dope rapper; puzzled, because I couldn’t quite envision how his talents as a lyrical beast would mesh with that hokey G-E-C chord sequence. And after watching the weird promotional video NBC just put out featuring T.I. (below — h/t), I am only more confused. First, he tells the camera that he “spoke about NBC as I would speak about myself.” Not sure what that means, but okay, sure…. Then comes a mad vague rap verse which is allegedly about NBC’s current programming lineup: “From the comedies/To the mysteries/To the greatest sitcoms in history/High dramas got primetime sizzlin’/Anything interesting….” Wait, what network were we talking about again?

Look, don’t take this the wrong way. Those are clever rhymes as always, and the flow is on point. But that verse could be about any television station at any point in the past 50 years! T.I., you’re better than this. I demand a new verse with specific references to storylines on 30 Rock, Heroes, and possibly Knight Rider before I will stop thinking out loud about this very important issue. Go ahead, tell me I’m wrong.

More on T.I.:
His album Trap Muzik is one of EW’s 100 New Music Classics
EW gave his album Paper Trail a B+ review
EW visited him in the studio with Timbaland in ’07
He was PopWatch’s Winner of the Week on October 10