T.I. Reworks his Act for Hollywood

"Yeah, no problem, no problem," said the rapper-turned-actor as he bent down to pull off his immaculately white sneakers.

It was only 1 o'clock in the afternoon last Friday, and T.I. -- born Clifford Harris -- was full-on doing the Hollywood rounds. That morning, he'd met with Academy-Award winning producer Brian Grazer. Now, the 29-year-old and his entourage (manager, publicist, security guard, driver, reporter) had arrived at Ratner's house, where he had been invited to discuss a role in the director's next film.

As he waited for Ratner to enter the living room, he sipped a cocktail and surveyed the filmmaker's expansive Benedict Canyon home. The setting, with its polished hardwood floors and plush couches, was undoubtedly far different than the one T.I. had lived in only last year. In December, he emerged from a federal prison in Arkansas after spending roughly seven months there for charges related to purchasing machine guns and silencers.

Since then, he's been busy making up for lost time: the Grammy winner had his first comeback show in New York earlier this month; his seventh studio album, "King Uncaged," will be released in September; and he's got a sizable role in "Takers," the heist film with an ensemble cast including Matt Dillon and R&B singer Chris Brown, out Friday.

"Just another day at the office," T.I. said, climbing into a black SUV after his meeting with Ratner had wrapped. "I just picked up where I left off [after prison.] Most times, you know, opportunities present themselves. I execute and take advantage. I wasn't planning on meeting with Brett Ratner today, but when the call came, I knew there was an opportunity. So I had to make [things] work. Champions find a way."

That they do. Even on the set of "Takers" -- in which he plays Ghost, a thief recently released from prison who's trying to get back in good with his former posse of bank robbers -- T.I. had to find a way to navigate the challenges imposed by a criminal sentence. The shooting schedule was complicated by his curfew, which required him to be in bed by 1 a.m. During production, he wasn't allowed to hold any gun that fired blanks -- all faux weapons had to be rubber. And during one scene shot at night, the ankle bracelet he wore to monitor his whereabouts was set off, lighting up and forcing a reshoot.

But he didn't find the various impediments distracting, he said.

"Nah, it's never difficult to focus for me, man. Once I commit myself to something, then I mean it. That's dead on that."

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