Controversy was imminent following the unveiling of T.I.’s Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head cover art. On the illustration, it appears T.I., who has experienced a few legal issues stemming form guns, is holding a pistol. However, according to the self-crowned King of the South, if you take a closer look, you may grasp the symbolism behind the gun.

”[It’s] a metaphorical, creative, conceptual gun that represents all of the things in life that can get a man in trouble in the form of what one can consider a gun, however not a real gun,” he told MTV. “And that was not even a real pose, that was an illustration. So if it was a real gun that would’ve just been a real gun that they drew in the hand of someone that looks very similar to T.I.”

He continued, ”But it was a drawing, there was not a gun being held in any photo shoot, anywhere and I want everybody to make sure that they know that and get that very, very clear and understood, OK.”

Got that?