This Week at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios: Rapper T.I., Miley Cyrus, Meek Mill

T.I. at the listening party for his new album, Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head

By A.D. AMOROSI

Rapper and reality star T.I. made an appearance this past Wednesday at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios for an “album playback experience” for his new CD, Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head. The event was a coming-out party of sorts for Tip; he was released from an Arkansas prison in September and laid low while finishing Trouble Man. Wednesday’s event was just another bash in a busy week for Sigma; Meek Mill and Miley Cyrus also worked in the studio.

T.I. at Sigma Sound Studios in Philly

The Grand Hustle Records label boss showed up at Sigma with his lady, Grammy winner Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, also known as his co-star on VH1’s T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle. T.I. hit the studio and went into a long, humorous rant about his “haters”. From T.I.’s viewpoint, some dissed him for his repeated stays in jail (“I know y’all gave up on me” he laughed), others for his lackluster last CD, No Mercy (“Don’t feel bad, I didn’t like all of it either,” he told the crowd). T.I. assured the assembled revelers that his heart was in the right place when he recorded his new album Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head and that the proof would be in the music. From the sound of Trouble Man that night, he was telling the truth.

There were high-profile guests at T.I.’s Sigma Sound party: Philly’s Meek Mill who raps on Trouble Man (and was, at one time, signed to T.I’s record label), and producer Pop Wansel, son of Dexter Wansel, whose legendary Philly International label album Life on Mars was recorded in that very space.

The night before T.I.’s gig, Mill held a show in the same Sigma Sound studio party space with a special visiting dignitary in the house: Miley Cyrus. After starting her recording process this summer at Milkboy Studios with Oren Yoel (of Asher Roth fame) and Stacey Barthe (Rihanna, Britney Spears), Cyrus hit up Philly’s Sigma Sound Studio (for the first time) in August with the young Wansel for additional recording on her new album. This past Tuesday (Dec .18), while her man Liam Hemsworth was around the corner filming Paranoia on 12th Street at Loews Hotel, Cyrus wrapped up two recording sessions at Sigma. Her new album is due out before spring 2013.

As for Sigma Sound Studios, it is famous for being the official home of Sound of Philadelphia architects Gamble & Huff and their PIR label hits, as well as playing host to Hall & Oates, Elton John and David Bowie.

Photos ©A.D. Amorosi 2012

Posted on Monday, December 24, 2012 10:45 AM