I've been a fan of T.I for a while now and last year I was blown away by his classic "King" album. That CD was one of the best of last year and this album serves to become one of the best of this year. T.I is defintely one of the best rappers from the south and delivers a great album. The south seems to get a lot of hate but T.I is one of the rappers that keeps the scene from falling into the river of wackness. This is destined to be one of the year's best albums.
What happens when you take the soul out of T.I.? T.I. Vs T.I.P.! I've been listening to the guy since Im Serious so I know what he is capable of but I also know that his ego has done him in. This is easily the worst album of T.I's respectable career. Its one thing to be arrogant but at least back it up by putting effort into what you do. On this album T.I sounds like he did it just to fullfill his contract on Atlantic Records. Acts 1 and 2 are pretty good. Big Things Poppin(Do It) was a decent single but not the best choice for an album single. You Know What It Is has a peculiar beat provided by Wyclef but its surprisingly one of the better cuts. Contrary to popular belief/ Watch What You Say To Me feat Jay-z is not as bad as they say it is. Both Jigga and Tip ripped it over a funky guitar beat. Hurt feat Alfa Mega and Busta Rhymes is definitely a banger. Tell Em I Said That and My Type are also pretty good tracks too. Now... the bad news. Raw and Da Dopeman had potential to be great T.I tracks but T.I's verses in those tracks have no feeling to them. Even if those songs have dope beats to them TI sounds pretty bored so file Raw and Da Dopeman under dishonorable mention. If that wasnt enough, he basically mumbled all the way through Help Is Coming and for TI to say that he is hip hop's savior over such a bland track is side-splitting hilarious. More missteps would continue as T.I puts out fillerific tracks like We Do This, Dont You Wanna Be High(maybe that's the only way I'll enjoy that track) Show It To Me(feat Nelly) My Swag(*Yawn*) and Respect This Hustle where TI is arguing with himself once again(*sigh*). The deathblow would be the terrible Touchdown feat Eminem. This song stinks for a couple of reasons. 1. Eminem aint been nice since The Marshall Mathers LP(yeah, I said it) 2.Eminem's beats are getting worser by the minute) 3. TI sounds just as bored as Eminem does and why does Em sound like his rhymes were penned by Bubba Sparxxx and Paul Wall? Bonus Tracks: The Hottest feat Mac Boney sounds more like the Trap Musik/Urban Legend TI we all know and love and Mac Boney's weak verse sounds like Slick Pulla wrote them. Hustlin feat Govenor is flat out dull. Bottom Line: T.I. vs T.I.P is a lukewarm release from a rapper who is capable of much more. The production for the most part was good but T.I's sleepy rhymes ruined a potential those tracks had. This album further proves that rappers who feel themselves too much will always make a subpar effort. I love T.I but I dont think I'm ready to deal with him SOULLESSLY MUMBLING THROUGH HALF AN ALBUM! Get rid of the ego and you'll make better music. 100% guaranteed.
Standouts: YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS, WATCH WHAT YOU SAY TO ME, HURT, TELL EM I SAID THAT, MY TYPE and THE HOTTEST.
no matter what name or alter ego T.I. goes by or does, he just doesn't have the rapping skills to pull off the type of undertakings he aspires to. thus far in his career beats and Production have moved me far more than what T.I. has put out. he is conssitant with staying to a formula that has worked and I don't expect him to change anytime soon. despite name Artists and Producers on board here this Album is just aight. he is the "IT" Cat of the moment in Rap with Films,Endoresements,tv,(Espn plays his songs)etc... but on his albums i just don't get all the hype. neither Person on this album sounds that much different from the other.
I was introduced to TI when I saw the videos for "24s" and "Never Scared". "24s" was the 1st single for his upcoming CD "Trap Muzik" and "Never Scared" was the debut single from Bonecrusher and the song featured Killer Mike and TI. Both tracks were pretty good but since that was my 1st introduction to TI I decided to wait before I made a purchase. I liked his 2nd single "Be Easy" even better than I did "24s" but since I hadn't heard anyone talking about the CD, I still decided to be patient and wait it out. However, when I heard the track "Rubberband Man", which was the 3rd single, I finally made my way out to make the purchase. The track was produced by David Banner and had "hit" written all over it. Once I listened to "Trap Muzik", I was mad at myself for waiting so long to purchase a nice CD. My favorite tracks ended up being "Bezzle" which featured Bun B from UGK and 8Ball & MJG, the title track, "I Still Luv U", "Kingofdasouth", and the 2nd and 3rd single, "Be Easy" and "Rubberband Man". TI also had a track that introduced his split personality TIP on "TI vs TIP". TI wanted to capitalize on the momentum of "Rubberband Man" and his 4th single "Let's Get Away" which was a Jazzephizzleproductshizzle and he quickly came with what I had just found out was his 3rd CD in "Urban Legend". One of my co-workers who followed the Down South rap scene more than I did informed me that TI's debut CD was actually a CD entitled "I'm Serious", which 'til this day I still haven't heard. TI employed Swizz Beatz and created the club jam of the year in "Bring 'Em Out". I wasn't a huge fan of the track, but anytime you were at a party or at a club, people went bananas as soon as this track came on. I actually liked the 2nd single, "You Don't Know Me" better than "Bring 'Em Out". "Urban Legend" was a nice follow up to "Trap Muzik" and my favorite tracks ended up being "Motivation", "What They Do" w/BG, "The Greatest", "ASAP", "Stand Up" with Trick Daddy, Lil Wayne, & Lil Jon, "My Life" w/Daz and "Freak Though" w/Pharrell. TI was also featured on the Hustle & Flow soundtrack on the lead single, "I'm A King (Remix)" which also featured Big Kuntry from P$C and Lil Scrappy. TI also released a CD with P$C in 2005 entitled "25 To Life" but that pretty much was a CD that if you bought it like I did, you just chalk up as a bad purchase and move on. When you purchase CDs sometimes there are CDs that are better served as coasters instead of being in the CD player. Trust me, this was one of them. I appreciate the fact that TI would want to put a CD out with his homies, but other than some moments by Macboney, once you listen to it, that will probably be your 1st and last time listening to this CD.
TI locked down all of 2006 in some people's minds just by dropping the song "What You Know (About That)". DJ Toomp, who was responsible for TI hits such as "24s", "Be Easy", "Bezzle", "U Don't Know Me", and "Motivation" provided TI with a track that was definitely one of the most memorable songs in all of rap music last year. This track was the 1st single to his 4th CD, "King". My favorite tracks ended up being the Just Blaze produced "King Back", a remake to the UGK classic in "Front, Back", "Live In The Sky" w/Jamie Foxx, "I'm Straight" with BG and Young Jeezy, "I'm Talkin' To You" and "Good Life" which was a nice collaboration with Common and Pharrell joining TI. "King" pretty much set up an expectation when it comes to TI CDs as the "self proclaimed" King Of The South is definitely expected to live up to. Some people will actually agree with TI's claim. However, when you're bold enough to make those claims, each and every CD has to back that up.
"TI Vs TIP" was released on July 3, 2007. The 1st single ends up being "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)" and it's produced by Mannie Fresh. I definitely like this track alot more now than I did when I first began to hear the track, but when you compare his 1st single from "King" to this track there is basically no comparison. As a matter of fact, I will even be as bold as saying that "The Greatest" which was Mannie's contribution to "Urban Legend", "Front, Back" w/UGK and "Top Back", which were Mannie's contributions to "King" are better than "Big Things Poppin'". "TI Vs TIP" starts with an intro that covers events that has happened to TI since the release of "King". The rap is definitely off the hook and as one reviewer said you wish the track was an actual song instead of an intro or interlude. The track also reintroduces TIP, which his fans already know from "Trap Muzik". "Raw" is a pretty good track as well, although you will wish that TI would leave the fact alone that he is better than most rappers from the South. TI you have an excellent resume with "Trap Muzik", "Urban Legend", and "King", I already know that you are better than most Southern rappers so you don't have to tell me how "Raw" you are. "You Know What It Is" should have been the 1st single, in my opinion, as Wyclef, Jerry Wonder and company provide TI with a refreshing track that does a better job of reintroducing TI than "Big Things Poppin'" did. "Da Dopeman" isn't one of the better tracks on here. The track is produced by Mannie Fresh and see my definition for the 1st single as Mannie's production doesn't do justice to the songs that he has done with TI in the past. "Watch What You Say To Me" isn't as bad as some people are making it to be, in my opinion. Now I have definitely heard better Jay Z tracks and I have heard better TI tracks but this track is decent and it's something you will want to listen to more than once. You wish that the 2 rappers would have came with a better energy, but the track is still pretty good. "Hurt" features Alfa Mega, who is a new member to Grand Hustle and Busta Rhymes. This track is clearly one of the better tracks on "TI Vs TIP" as Busta Rhymes clearly steals the show, but TI and Alpha Mega also give nice performances. Danja, who works with Timbaland on alot of his production produces the energetic track. Danja also produced "We Takin' Over" which featured DJ Khaled, TI, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman, Lil Wayne & Akon. The "Act 2" interlude comes up next as once again you will be wishing that the track was a complete song instead of an interlude. The interlude switches the TIP side of the disc over to TI. Although, the "TI vs TIP" theme isn't that interesting to me anymore, you can't take the quality of the rhymes and beat to the interlude away from TI or TIP. Just Blaze shows up with what is my favorite track on this CD, "Help Is Coming". TI clearly delivers a message to anyone thinking hip hop is dead or that rap music is slowly dying. He even goes as far as saying that he is the man that can single handedly save hip hop. I may not agree with that claim, however, you can't take anything away from this track. The concept, beat and lyrics are the best that you will hear on "TI Vs TIP" in my opinion. Things continue to get better on the cocky "My Swag" which is also produced by Wyclef, Jerry Wonder and company. If someone would have told me that Wyclef and company would have been responsible for 2 tight tracks on a TI CD, I would have laughed. However, Wyclef and TI provide a nice hook and TI does a good job of bragging and boasting on this track. However, after hearing 2 nice tracks in "Help Is Coming" and "My Swag", things go downhill with "We Do This", "Show It To Me" w/Nelly, "Don't You Wanna Be High" and "Touchdown" w/Eminem. "Touchdown" surprsied me the most because once I heard that TI and Eminem would be on the same track, I expected a 4 alarm fire. However, in the end it ended up being some sparklers that you can find at a convenience store on the 4th of July. I was extremely disappointed in this track. It sounded as if Eminem listened to Paul Wall's "Get Money, Stay True" 10 times and then called TI and said let's do a track together. TI tries his best to make a contribution, but in my opinion, things just don't work out this time around. After listening to the 1st bad interlude which has TI and TIP cussin' and fussin' at each other, TI or TIP...lol rebounds nicely with "Tell 'Em I Said That". Danja makes another contribution with the production and in the end you just wish TI or TIP would have made more songs such as "Help Is Coming" and this track. It seems that TI knows that he is one of the best rappers in the South and his swag ended up hurting him this time around. "Respect This Hustle" just doesn't work for me. The production is nice but when you compare this track to the best songs on this CD, you wouldn't even put this track in your top 10. "TI Vs TIP" ends out on a nice note with "My Type". You will easily call it "Live In The Sky" Part 2 but it's nice when TI takes a step back from the bragging, boasting and "King" crowning to make a track where he is saying something with some actual meaning behind it.
If you purchased "TI Vs TIP" from Best Buy then you also got 2 bonus tracks with "The Hottest" featuring Macboney from P$C and "Hustlin'" w/Governor. "The Hottest" is produced by Khao, who produced TI's jam for the ladies on "King" with "Why You Wanna". The thing about "The Hottest" is that it's better than any of the tracks from 11-14. Macboney makes a decent contribution and you'll wonder why it was a bonus track in the first place. I'll never forget my introduction to Macboney on a track entitled "Killin' Me" which has TI on the hook, Macboney on the 1st verse and Paul Wall on the 2nd verse. This track was better than anything on the P$C CD that was released in stores with the exception being "I'm A King" of course. Governor adds a nice touch to "Hustlin'" but in the end it just adds a lighter touch to TI's strories about being in the "trap".
In conclusion, TI still is one of the best rappers in the South. "TI Vs TIP" is a CD that is worth checking out and adding to your collection if you liked TI's earlier releases. However, there are some "duds" on here. You will also have yourself wondering why would TI go back in time to bring back an old "Trap Muzik" theme from 2003 with "TI Vs TIP". Some things are better left alone. To anyone that gave this CD 5 stars, I will ask you to listen to tracks 11-14 again and reevaluate what you wrote or thought in your review...lol At the same time, there are some hits on here as well. I am not saying that this is a pathetic release from TI. However, if you are the self appointed "King Of The South", every release needs to reflect that. After last year's "King", "TI Vs TIP" doesn't display that fact as well as "King" did.
James' Top 5
1) Help Is Coming
2) My Type
3) Hurt w/Busta Rhymes & Alfa Mega
4) You Know What It Is
5) Tell 'Em I Said That
Honorable Mention:
My Swag w/Wyclef Jean
Act 2: TI
Act 1: TIP
Watch What You Say To Me w/Jay-Z
The Hottest w/Macboney
Raw
Ranking TI's Discography (Excluding "I'm Serious")
1) Trap Muzik
2) King
3) Urban Legend
4) TI Vs TIP
This Cd was very boring I was very mad..I only like 1 song on here.
