Over the past year, T.I. has been in the news more for his legal problems than for his music. But apparently, despite being locked up under house arrest for weapons charges, T.I. has been paying attention. Paper Trail is a much better effort than 2007’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. and it re-establishes T.I. as one of today’s most important mainstream rap artists.
T.I. vs. T.I.P. was too bogged down in conceptual garbage and laziness to register much of an impact. Of course, its lack of a killer lead single hurt too, and thankfully Paper Trail doesn’t suffer the same fate. “Whatever You Like” and the star-studded “Swagga Like Us” have been all over the radio lately, and the former has become late summer’s version of “Lollipop.” And it’s no coincidence—both tracks were produced by Jim Jonsin and capture an appealing late-night club vibe.
Of the other tracks pre-released as singles, “Swing Ya Rag” is the most notable, as its loose, live instrumental beat recalls old favorite “Bring ‘Em Out”—arguably still T.I.’s best party track.
For the first time in years, T.I. wrote his raps on paper—hence Paper Trail—instead of reciting from memory, and the increased focus shows.”56 Bars” features a fine beat by DJ Toomp and some of T.I.’s hungriest rhymes since Trap Muzik, and on “I’m Illy”—a rebuttal to Lil Wayne’s famed “A Milli”—T.I. brims with confidence. “I’m six albums in, for ten years been firing hot semen / The limelight’s mine I’m gleaming, beaming / That’s why I say I’m king, bitch, I got my reasons,” he raps.
But on “Whatever You Like,” he’s a lot more hesitant to embrace his actions over the last yen years. “Apologies to the fans / I hope you can understand it / Life can change your direction / Even when you ain’t planned it.” It’s like T.I. is trying to be streetwise and professor-wise at the same time.
While that inconsistency might be a problem for some listeners, it’s hard to argue when the beats and hooks are so infectious. While this is hardly the sound of classic southern rap, beats like “On Top of the World” and “Live Your Life”—which, believe it or not, features Rihanna singing over the hook from that “Numa Numa” song—are destined for success. The cops might be able to keep T.I. cooped up in his mansion, but they can’t keep these songs from hitting the top of the charts.
Voice’s Choices: “I’m Illy”, “Whatever You Like”, “Swing Ya Rag”
