No Mediocre
by T.I.

Album: Paperwork (2014)
Charted: 49 33
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track finds T.I. telling us his type of girl over DJ Mustard's electrified steel drum beat. "Bad bitches only, ain't no mediocre hoe," he spits on the hook.

    Tip goes on to list his desirables, which includes for his lady to be well-groomed and manicured. "It's denouncing mediocrity, man; all things substandard or below average or even moderately average should be set aside, man, and I think it starts internally," he explained to MTV News. "You must first have confidence and security within yourself, it goes from the heart, to the mind and then it is conveyed through your actions and your presentation of yourself."
  • Iggy Azalea jumps in towards the middle of the song with a boastful verse on which she declares herself to be "Grand Hustle's First Lady." T.I. signed the Australian rapper to Grand Hustle Records in March 2012 and though she later left the label she has continued to work with Tip collaborating with him on her "Change Your Life" single.
  • The Director X-helmed video features T.I. and Iggy Azalea enjoying the scenery in Rio De Janeiro, together with several Brazilian beauties.
  • T.I. said in a video track-by-track: "I just chose women as a topic because women are my favorite things to observe. And if I like to observe something, I would like to motivate what I like to observe to raise the bar of excellence to denounce mediocrity for themselves so that my observations would be pleasant ones."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne CashSongwriter Interviews

Rosanne talks about the journey that inspired her songs on her album The River & the Thread, including a stop at the Tallahatchie Bridge.