Atlantic and Sprint Launch Exclusive T.I. Campaign

Only Sprint Customers Can Own and Experience Exclusive Content – including Full Tracks - from T.I.’s New Album "KING" Before Its Release Anywhere Else

Exclusive Video of T.I. During the Launch Week of "KING" Will Appear on Sprint TV(SM)

NEW YORK CITY and RESTON, Va. — 03/13/2006, As part of an exclusive campaign, Sprint (NYSE: S) customers will be the first and only ones to download songs from multi-platinum recording artist T.I.’s new Grand Hustle/Atlantic album "KING" before its release, and have access to exclusive ringers, Call Tones and images. In addition, "Life with T.I" during the album’s launch week can be seen only on Sprint TV(SM).

Atlantic Records, a division of Warner Music Group (NYSE: WMG), and Sprint have announced the launch of a major, exclusive campaign in support of T.I. and his eagerly awaited new album. The campaign will offer an extensive selection of unique mobile content that features an artist who is already very popular with many Sprint customers – T.I. is one of only six artists to ever receive a Sprint Platinum Award, which is presented after more than a million Music Tones have been downloaded from one album (from his #1 album, "URBAN LEGEND").

From now until the release of "KING" on March 28, the following mobile content from "KING" will only be available to Sprint customers:


Full Song Downloads. The nation’s first wireless music download service, the Sprint Music StoreSM, will offer "What You Know" the smash first single from "KING" along with another album track, "Ride Wit Me" on Sprint Power VisionSM phones.
Music Tones and Call Tones. Every track from "KING" will be offered for both Music Tones, which play a song instead of a traditional ring when a call is incoming, and Call Tones, which play a song for a caller while waiting for someone to pick up the phone instead of the traditional tone.


Following the album’s release, T.I. will be Sprint’s "Featured Artist of the Month" for April. In support of this high-visibility program, three unreleased non-album tracks, plus instrumental versions of "What You Know" and "Ride Wit Me" will be exclusively available for Sprint Music Store downloads, Music Tones and Call Tones. Sprint will also offer T.I. screensavers, as well as voice ringers and Call Tones, uniquely created by T.I.
Sprint TV customers will have exclusive access to video that is shot by T.I.’s crew during the launch week, or "street week" of "KING" They will also be able to watch full music videos from T.I. on select video-enabled phones, as well as clips from T.I.’s upcoming motion picture "ATL" which Warner Bros. will release on March 31. Additionally, Sprint will offer several T.I. video ringers, including one from the smash new hit, "What You Know"

"We are very excited to be partnering with Sprint to launch T.I.’s new album" said Atlantic President Julie Greenwald. "It is through innovative campaigns like this that we are redefining our release strategy, as we are constantly seeking out unique, non-traditional ways to capture the consumer’s attention and drive new music sales. T.I. is our next big superstar, and we are thrilled that Sprint has come to the party with such an amazing rollout"

"Sprint is breaking ground with mobile music with the exclusive and extensive T.I. content offering – including full tracks from his new album that are available now only on Sprint. We are providing customers early access to a multi-platinum entertainer, T.I. With Sprint, customers can get the music entertainment they want, when they want it… and now they can get it first" said Nancy Beaton, director, entertainment and personalization for Sprint.

The March 28th arrival of T.I.’s "KING" follows the breakthrough success of 2004’s RIAA platinum-certified "URBAN LEGEND" which spawned such smash hits as "Bring Em Out" and the Grammy-nominated "U Don’t Know Me" That same week will mark another landmark in T.I.’s explosive career, as he makes his big screen debut as the star of the Overbrook/Warner Bros. Pictures feature film "ATL" set to open nationwide on March 31st.

"What You Know" the first single from "KING" was the #1 most-added track at both CHR/Rhythmic and Urban radio nationwide upon its release and is now nearing the top of the airplay charts. The single’s companion video, which was added this week to both MTV and MTV2, was directed by veteran hip-hop video director and Atlanta native Chris Robinson – who also directed "ATL"

In conjunction with both the release of "KING" and "ATL" T.I. will make appearances at exclusive album listening events and movie premieres in Houston, Dallas, Chicago and Detroit the week prior to the projects’ release dates. The rapper also plans to be on hand for larger premieres in Atlanta and Los Angeles the week of March 27.

Having exploded into the hip-hop mainstream with 2003’s RIAA gold certified "TRAP MUZIK" the Atlanta-based T.I. has become one of rap’s hottest artists. The self-proclaimed "King of the South" followed up his Grand Hustle/Atlantic premiere in late 2004 with "URBAN LEGEND" The acclaimed album made a top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 on its way to RIAA platinum certification for U.S. sales exceeding one million units. T.I. was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance for his song "U Don’t Know Me" He also walked away from the Second Annual VIBE Awards with a win in the Street Anthem category for the same song.

About Sprint Music
Sprint continually provides wireless data services that are first, better and unique, and Sprint’s music offerings are a distinct example of this leadership. Sprint was the first U.S. mobile carrier to provide:

a service that allows full-length songs to be downloaded over the air via the Sprint Music Store, which soon afterwards became the first mobile music service to announce a million song downloads,
live TV and exclusive video and audio of a full-length rock concert (Bon Jovi),
streaming music and continues to provide exclusive streaming music channels, including SIRIUS Music and Rhapsody Radio,
video ringers, which play clips from music videos instead of a traditional ring,
ringers that sound like actual song recordings via Music Tones and to allow customers to create their own original ring tones via ToneMaker DJ, and
gold and platinum awards when artists’ albums sell 500,000 and one million Music Tones respectively.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/mr.

Contact Information

Aaron Radelet

Media Contact

Sprint Nextel

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