Taking the street route back

"I think I diversified myself a lot more," T.I. said. "I became a lot more open to what mainstream America wanted to see. They want a variety, and they don't want to see so much of the ghetto that it's depressing. But then, they don't want to see so much of the suburbs to where it's not realistic. I feel like I can blend with both. You've just got to bridge the gap and straddle the fence without tipping over to either side too much."

He has parlayed his success into guest work with some surprisingly disparate artists. He collaborated in 2003 with New York rapper Memphis Bleek and in 2004 with R&B star Destiny's Child, appearing on its "Soldier" single. He also made the seemingly obligatory jump from rapping to acting with a recent appearance on the suburban drama "The O.C."

Next he will test his acumen as a talent scout. In July, "25 to Life," the debut album from the rap group P$C, will be released on Grand Hustle-Atlantic. It features T.I. rapping alongside the rest of the group members, who are also his friends: Big Kuntry, Mac Bone, AK and C-Rod.

T.I. is in Los Angeles to shoot the music video for "ASAP," the third single from T.I.'s "Urban Legend," and "Set It Out," the debut single from the P$C album. During the interview, T.I. played several songs from an early version of the P$C album. The songs are much more gangsta-influenced than T.I.'s.

"It's a lot more street, a lot more hard-core," T.I. said. "Not to say that my stuff is watered down, but I try to be mindful of who I want to listen to my stuff when I make it. I try not to make something that only people that live that side of life can listen to, whereas P$C was like, 'Forget it. We're making this album for them.' "

Big Kuntry, for one, is confident fans will appreciate P$C's music. "We make music like eight-tracks," said the personable rapper. "Eight-tracks, you couldn't rewind them. You had to listen to that whole eight-track. That's how we make our music, from beginning to end. Period. No skipping. You don't need to skip with us."

Soren Baker can be reached at weekend@latimes.com.

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Nelly, with T.I. and Fat Joe

Where: Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City

When: 8:15 p.m. Friday

Price: $29.50 to $49.50

Info: (818) 622-4440