While the state of Alabama might not be the first place most fans would look to for Hip-Hop’s next phenom, it’s exactly where some of today’s hottest stars have turned to for certified hits. More specifically, time and again, the industry has turned to Grammy Award-nominated songwriter and rapper Attitude, a native of Birmingham, AL. His love of Hip-Hop – nurtured in the 90s by the mainstream offerings of Miami, Atlanta, and New York – allowed Attitude to develop into one of the strongest lyrical voices in the South. His passion for music and musical versatility have made him one of the most sought out songwriting talents.

And the release of his nearly complete debut album T.I.M. [Time Iz Money] is bound to make him one of Southern Hip-Hop’s defining artists. Despite its widespread acceptance by Pop and R&B fans, the concept of songwriting still remains somewhat taboo in the worldof Hip-Hop, where it is more often referred to as ghostwriting. Rapidly growing from a go-to Hip-Hop ghostwriter to a certified Pop and R&B hitmaker has allowed Attitude to become one of the first rappers to step into the limelight while proudly claiming his writing credits without scandal. As one of multi-platimum producer Timbaland’s protégés since 2005, Attitude has crafted lyrics and melodies for artists including Keri Hilson, Nelly Furtado, Rich Boy, The Dey and Timbaland himself. Beyond the accolades of his peers, Attitude’s songwriting has earned him a few professional nods as well. As the pen behind Nelly Furtado’s number one hit “Promiscuous” featuring Timbaland, Attitude became a Grammy nominee and ASCAP Award winner in 2007. Repeating his success with Furtado and Timbaland the following year with “Give It To Me,” also featuring Justin Timberlake, Attitude landed his second number one hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. He is also responsible for two Top 40 singles from Timbaland’s latest offering, Shock Value 2: the Justin Timberlake assisted “Carryout,” and the hit single “Say Something,” featuring Drake.

His skill and popularity as a songwriter has granted Attitude the opportunity to appear on albums by Rich Boy, Nelly Furtado and longtime friend Bubba Sparxxx. His buzz also caught the attention of record executives. After honing his skills on stages and testing his growing talent against opponents in his Alabama, the decision to launch his own label would lead to a friendship with fellow rapper Bubba Sparxxx that would effectively catapult Attitude to the next level of his career. Their work together landed Attitude on Timbaland’s fledgling Beat Club imprint. Unfortunately, before any of the label’s bright young stars truly had a chance to shine, Beat Club lost its distribution deal with Interscope. Shortly thereafter, a strong working relationship with The Aphilliates, Atlanta’s premier DJ collective, resulted in Attitude becoming one of the first artists singed to the crew’s new label. Unfortunately, Attitude would see his dream deferred once again when DJ Drama and Don Cannon’s highly publicized legal woes halted The Aphilliates Music Group’s early operations. Luckily, AMG’s parent company Warner Bros. Records saw the promise in Attitude and offered him a deal. Still, with the entertainment industry entering one of its toughest fiscal years in 2009, Attitude was released from Warner Bros. before fans got the chance to experience his debut. “Each one of those situations was bad timing,” Attitude reflects. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault. The time just wasn’t right. But each one of those situations taught me the kinds of lessons EVERY up-and-coming artist should learn.

Remaining on course to become one of Hip-Hop’s defining artists, Attitude is preparing for the right time. As he continues to seek the right label home, he is putting the finishing touches on his debut, T.I.M. Already 85% complete, the project boasts production by The Runners, Danja, Drumma Boy, DJ Toomp, Justice League and, of course, Timbaland, who also lends vocals to the album. In addition, T.I.M. also features appearances by Yo Gotti, Bobby V, DJ Khaled, Rock City and Kevin Cossum. With each collaborator, Attitude’s mission has been to defy the norm, to create a sound just familiar enough to draw audiences in, while delivering an experience unlike any they’ve seen before. “Ain’t nothing new under the sun,” he says. “I’m just a better story teller with better conversation. I’m bringing my own sound from my own perspective. My music is gonna click something in the imagination. And hopefully inspire the next wave of artists after me to switch the game up again.”