With nine albums in, countless hits and respect from so many peers, there's really nothing else T.I. has to do to prove why he is the king of the south. What else can he do? He's probably gained the most success out of every southern rapper over a thirteen year span. His career has seen many ups and certainly many downs. But through it all, he remained humble and continued doing what he does best and that's delivery quality music. Now as a hard working business man and a family man, he showing great maturity and change in who he is. He shows it on this. His ninth album Paperwork. I had the opportunity to listen and review his last album Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head and I enjoyed it a lot. I had hoped he would continue with the same formula here that made that album a good listen. Well he did...somewhat. Though I probably prefer Trouble Man over this, I thought Paperwork was overall solid. Couple things are very noticeable. The experimenting with production is one. The maturity of his content (very little hood trap songs). The last is the surprisingly large number of guest features. Something T.I. normally never does. Though a good album, it was very interesting hearing all of this come together. Here's the break down:
1. King
For the third time, he titles his intro song "King". It's once again another dope intro as well. Nothing special but him kicking his usual hood/trap talk. Props to Mars with the dope production here as well. Another dope T.I. intro.
2. G' Shit (featuring Jeezy and Watch The Duck)
I've been doing a lot of complaining lately about being deceived by song titles. I was deceived somewhat here. You do get the "g shit" rap from T.I. and Jeezy, just not over the kind of production I was expecting. I thought this would definitely be a trap beat but it was far from it. It has a more happier mainstream sounding production. I probably should have expected this considering Pharrell is doing most of the production on this album. This song included. But this was my initial reaction. It's now grown on me a bit. Not a bad song overall.
3. About The Money (featuring Young Thug)
Hate it. The production is decent at best but the rapping...no. You could have probably guessed that I am not at all into Young Thug. His voice, his improper english and stuttered words is just so bad that it will literally destroy any song he's on. Regardless how good the rest of the song may be. T.I. verse, in comparison to the rest of the album, was kinda forgettable as well. Then he sounds so awkwardly weird on the hook hen he says "if it ain't about the money". I can see why radio and clubs love this but I can bare to listen to it once. There are plenty of songs on this album that would have been way better second singles. This is just...no.
4, New National Anthem (featuring Skylar Grey)
Every once and a while T.I. likes to get political and talks about what's going on in the world. He does so here. He's basically painting a picture of how he sees the new America. A country that tolerates senseless violence, police brutality as well as a corrupt justice system. The hook is the most interesting part as Skylar Grey sings "home of the brave and free/free just to murder me". The production could have been a slight bit better than this. Maybe to something more triumphant or patriotic. Nonetheless this is a pretty good song with a great message.
5. Oh Yeah (featuring Pharrell)
This was alright. The production threw me off a bit. I do like the choir singing the "oh yeah" part but the beat itself just wasn't right. The beat tempo doesn't quite mesh well with the choir vocals. I was expecting it to be a more slower tempo beat before the beat drop. It's weird sounding. But all in all it's alright.
6. Private Show (featuring Chris Brown)
Would you believe out of every song on this album, the first one to grow on me instantly would be a song for the ladies? Well...that happened here. What did it really was the awesome bass thumping production. Done well by Sak Pase and Ace. I loved the UGK sample as well. All their talking about is the joy of watching a woman dance/strip for them before sex. This could be a potential club banger. It's a bit slower than your typical club hit but the beat sells this song and makes it listenable. Dope song.
7. No Mediocre (featuring Iggy Azalea)
The albums first single. Even after being months old and getting endless radio spins, I still don't know where I stand with this song. There are times when I do find it enjoyable but then there are times when I just find it boring and uninteresting. I actually thought Iggy's verse was pretty good. She sounds so much better on DJ Mustard's production. But anyway, the beat is okay, the lyrics are okay, it's a cool club/party track but I don't know. I guess the song overall is just well...mediocre.
8. Jet Fuel (featuring Boosie Badazz)
Here's your generic weed song. Even though they not talking about it as much. The beat is okay at best. Could have been better. I'm surprised it wasn't a trap beat. I normally can't tolerate a lot of Boosie but this may have been one of the best verses I've ever heard from him which is saying something. But overall it's nothing special. Just more trap rap to bump in the whip.
9. Paperwork (featuring Pharrell)
Man...once the beat drop for this song, I totally was not expecting what I heard. I laughed out loud. Now I have no problem with Pharrell or him singing hooks but the hook on this wasn't bad but it was down right hilarious. His singing sounds like something straight out of the 60's. In fact the entire tune of this sounds like that. T.I. just does not sound right with this kind of sound. I'd probably like this a whole lot more if it was Pharrell's song with a guest verse from T.I.. Again it's not a straight up bad song, just a humorous one.
10. Stay (featuring Victoria Monet)
Here is song #2 for the ladies. Much more softer and emotional this time. On here he expresses his love towards his woman and the things he would do for her so she can "stay" and live happily forever. I think we all know who this song is really for. In all the is okay if your into that sentimental mushy stuff.
11. About My Issue (featuring Victoria Monet and Nipsey Hussle)
This song grew on me in a hurry as well. The hook is what really pulled me in. Victoria Monet's hook is really, really catchy on here and is definitely better than the one she did on the previous track. Nipsey's verse was cool but might have been a little too uptempo for his style. Good work by DJ Toomp on the solid production. Dope song.
12. At Ya' Own Risk (featuring Usher)
By far one my favorite beats on the whole album. It could be the best. Mars gets total credit here for this dope effort on the production. However, this is one of those type of songs most will listen to for the beat instead of the lyrics. Which is him persuading women to leave their dude and come kick it with him instead. I laugh at these kind of topics now because it makes me think back to Drake's "Marvin's Room". But yes, the beat sells this 100%. Good overall.
13. On Doe, On Phil (featuring Trae The Truth)
Here's some more bass thumping, trunk rattling trap rap for you. Courtesy of DJ Toomp on the beat again. Nothing special. Trae was a good feature on this song too. I always thought he has one of the best voices in rap. But yeah, nothing too special. It's cool. Bump this one in your whip too.
14. Light Em Up (RIP Doe B) (featuring Pharrell and Watch The Duck)
T.I. has certainly seen a lot of close friends pass on too soon. Here he reflects on Doe B. Another young friend of his who was killed. Just reminiscing on the time they were able to share and things he misses about him. According to the interlude before it, he was on his was to Florida to record with T.I. and Pharrell and was killed before even making it there. Sad story. I do like the beat bt I'm a little surprised that it's not something more emotional to match the tone of the content. Nonetheless, good dedication song. R.I.P. Doe B.
15. Let Your Heart Go (Break My Soul) (featuring The-Dream)
He closes the album out with hat sounds like another dedication song to more friends he's lost. Wow. Nobody deserves to lose this many close people to most likely violence. The song and the message is nice but I wasn't really feeling The-Dream on the hook. He just didn't seem well..."live" enough. Like he was lacking energy or something. If you've lost close friends as well, you'll definitely relate to this and the previous song.
Overall, I thought the album was I'll say...acceptable. I do feel his previous album was way better but this is certainly worth a listen. Much kudos to Pharrell for majority of the production. I give it a final grade of a B-. It seems with every album release, T.I.'s music slowly matures. He may be drifting slowly away from trap rap T.I. (or T.I.P.) and becoming something more grown and more mature. When your a family man with several kids and a business CEO, sometimes you're music changes as a rapper and you get away from all that street rap that made you famous. But I don't think that would effect T.I.. He will still have his strong core of fans, including the ones in the hood supporting his music. No matter what, he can and will still defend his crown as the king of the south. End.
Final Grade: B-
CREDITS
Executive Producer
Pharrell Williams
Lead Artist
Clifford Harris, Jr.
Production
Pharrell Williams
Lamar Edwards
London Holmes
Thomas Brown
Lasanna Harris
Shama Joseph
Dijon McFarlane
Anthony Tucker
Maurice Jordan
Aldrin Davis
Christopher Stewart
Terius Nash
Steve Samson
Collaboration
Jay Jenkins
Jesse Rankins
Eddie Smith III
Jonathan Wells
Jeffrey Williams
Holly Hafermann
Pharrell Williams
Christopher Brown
Amethyst Kelly
Torrence Hatch
Victoria Monet
Ermias Asghedom
Usher Raymond IV
Frazier Thompson
Terius Nash
William Roberts
Label
Grand Hustle/Columbia Records
Mic's Mixtape Of The Week
Dej Loaf
Sell Sole
Available now on Datpiff
Mic's Web Chick Of The Week
Shakeira
Knoxville, TN
Instagram: @wowshani
Copyright 2014. Mic Navarro's Corner.
micnavarro.blogspot.com
@mic_navarro on Instagram
@mic_navarro on Instagram
No comments:
Post a Comment