Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)
For an album that promised to reconcile T.I.'s distinct polarities, 2007's fractured T.I. vs. T.I.P (Atlantic) worked against its wishes, keeping his personalities divorced and their similarities separate.
Paper Trail (Atlantic) instead, does more than offer crisis control, though crisis is a common denominator on many of the album's 16 tracks. The Atlanta rap titan will soon be reporting to jail in connection to last year's weapons arrest. The album, rather proudly, congregates around this predicament, as the role of victim and perpetrator becomes indecipherable with T.I. earnestly campaigning for his cause on "No Matter What," a memorable collaboration with DJ Toomp. "My Life, Your Entertainment" featuring Usher is another chance for the rapper to dish out his grievances about fame. But these moments are hardly perfunctory. "Slide Show" paints a portrait of a ruminative, raw and resplendent T.I that marries pulpit and poetry, in a way, making this album a profitable punishment.
T.I. unearths something fleshier than self-conscious raps, life music, which includes frequent references to human imperfection and outside judgment. His unrelenting focus on negativity and scrutiny undercuts songs like "Live Your Life" with its pop scope, facilitated by precious yodeling and the sinister Drumma Boy cut "Ready for Whatever", wherein T.I. demands empathy, if nothing else. Looking to move past a rough year, T.I. may be just about ready to leave T.I.P. for good. That said, his struggles did make for a strong album.
T.I.’s Paper Trail hit stores on 9/30/08
Album cover for "Paper Trail"
Paper Trail’s Track Listing1. 56 Bars (Intro)
2. I'm Illy
3. Ready For Whatever
4. On Top Of The World (feat. Ludacris and B.o.B.)
5. Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna)
6. Whatever You Like
7. No Matter What
8. My Life Your Entertainment (feat. Usher)
9. Porn Star
10. Swing Ya Rag (feat. Swizz Beatz)
11. What Up, What's Haapnin'
12. Every Chance I Get
13. Swagga Like Us T.I. and Jay-Z (feat. Kanye West and Lil' Wayne)
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Comments
1.
liltae says:
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this is T.I. best cd. sorry kanye but t.i is now my favorite rapper. and sorry lil wayne but t.i is da best rapper alive
December 12, 2008 at 8:37 am
2.
roqboy says:
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swagga like us(feat. kanye,jay.z and lil wayne) and live your life(feat. rihanna) are the songs that took my attention
October 16, 2008 at 12:00 pm
3.
roqboy says:
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Yo T.I is truelly the king of swaggar not only that but he is one of the best rappers this world has ever had.big ups 2 u T,I.P
October 16, 2008 at 11:58 am
4.
itsurboy-Maz says:
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its too tight damn. T.I is definatelty the KING. Live your Life!!!!
Maz
www.mazonline.net
October 16, 2008 at 1:31 am
5.
LilMama218 says:
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I love you
October 10, 2008 at 8:17 pm
6.
balaramesh says:
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drop these two songs and you get a 4 mic album:
9. Porn Star
10. Swing Ya Rag (feat. Swizz Beatz)
October 7, 2008 at 12:00 am