T.I.P. vs Lil' Flip... FIGHT!

(Associated Press)

At least they used fists, not guns. A simmering dispute between chart-topping rappers T.I. and Lil' Flip broke out into a tussle in Flip's hometown of Houston, T.I. confirmed during a recent radio station appearance.

Speaking on 107.9 FM in his hometown of Atlanta, T.I. said that they crossed paths in Flip's Cloverland neighborhood, where T.I. just so happened to be shooting - make that filming - a DVD.

"He was walking behind the car and I'm walking up to him trying to beg him to come out from behind the car, so we can get a square deal going," T.I. said. "He sent somebody from behind and they hit me in the back of the head, that did happen."

The roots of the beef were unclear. T.I. said Flip threatened his son on a mixtape; Flip was not available to comment on his side of the story.

T.I.'s latest album, "Urban Legend," has sold more than 1 million copies and peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200.

Elliott Wilson, editor of the rap magazine XXL, said T.I. has angered rivals by calling himself the King of the South.

"Basically," Wilson said, "it's two hungry competitive cats trying to take their career to a true star level but feel like the other is in the way."