T.I. 'would rather act than rap'

T.I. has revealed that he would rather pursue a career in acting than continue doing music.

The rapper - who stars in the new film Taken - admitted that he has not made much money from film roles yet but finds it to be more fulfilling than his hip-hop roots.

"I ain't made no money in movies yet, because of the fact that a movie usually takes about three or four months to film. At the time of American Gangster, I was getting $100,000 (£64,459) a show and doing four to five shows a week. And I only probably got $100,000 for American Gangster, something like that. But I didn't mind. I wanted to do it," he told the Los Angeles Times.

"I'd rather be acting full-time at 40 than rapping full-time at 40. I just think... it's more suited for a teenager than a 40-year-old. My values, principals, beliefs and things I consider important are worlds away from where they was (sic) when I just came in the game."

He added that he understands it may be hard for critics to take him seriously as an actor.

"Some people see me as a distinguished young gentleman entering into the next phase of manhood, and some people see me as a young drug dealer-slash-thug who has managed to make his way into the entertainment industry. It just depends on who you ask."