T.I. released Da’ Nic EP today (September 11) under the name TIP. The Atlanta rapper tells Shay Diddy from San Francisco radio station KMEL that the name change and coincides with the direction for his tenth studio album, The Dime Trap.

“At this point in my career, my tenth album, it’s time for me to really, really dedicate the attention that is deserved by the fans who were here first,” he says. “At this point in time, at this point in my career, if I can’t make the music that I want to make to satisfy them, them being here first, them being down with me the longest, I might as well stop making music.”

T.I. broke away from his signature trap sound with radio-friendly songs like “Whatever You Like” and “Blurred Lines,” which he says he made a lot of money from. However, he understands his fans not appreciating that type of music from him.

“I can see that just cats who really grew up or who became familiar with my stuff, I just saw them, ‘Ok, yeah, that cool, man, I’m gonna wait on you. I’m gonna wait on another “U don’t Know Me” or something,'” he says. “Rather than just sprinkle it to ’em a song at a time, I just wanna dedicate an entire album to it. And now I gave ’em an EP and an album.”

He says The Dime Trap will be out before year’s end and projected a November release date.

TIP also details his work on Sleepless Night, a forthcoming movie with Jamie Foxx and Gabrielle Union.

“Me and Jamie play police partners that find ourselves in a very, very sticky situation,” the rapper says.

Sleepless Night is due out in theaters next year.

For additional TIP coverage, watch the following DX Daily: