Paper Trail - T.I.

If there was such a thing as the rapper’s hall of fame, T.I.’s “Paper Trail” would solidify his place in it. T.I. shows some serious variety in production, delivery, featuring artists (or lack thereof), and lyrical content on this album. As for T.I., the man portrayed in this music is insightful, paternal, reflective, creative, articulate, and surprisingly honest.

For obvious reasons T.I.P. talks a lot about his recent trial in the songs on Paper Trail, and this could have been a bad thing if he started to get repetitive. But he doesn’t say the same thing about it.

He openly admits that carrying a weapon in his car was a stupid move that jeopardized his freedom and put his family at risk. But, on songs like “Ready For Whatever,” T.I. understands what he was risking and he asks his listeners to try and see things from his perspective.

T.I. has gone through several instances where his life was in serious peril and this made him paranoid, and he still insists there are people out to get him. So he says in the same song “either die or go to jail that’s a hell of decision.” He talks about spending half a million a year on security alone. Needless to say he does make a case for listening to his story and does provide some insight into his thought process.

But this album seems like a testament to the judge as to why not putting him in jail was a good decision. While there is still plenty of the streets in T.I., there is even more self-awareness and expression in his music.

But there is enough star power and dance tracks to keep the casual (eh-hem, or, shallow) fans happy.

On perhaps the best track of the entire album, “Live Your Life” (Feat. Rihanna), T.I. makes the case that many rappers are losing their priorities. The song is so amped, that it is almost surprising the depth of T.I.’s lyrics.

And previously released single “Swagga Like Us” (Feat. Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil’ Wayne) has hands-down a collection of the four hottest rappers out right now. It includes a sick hook, with a sample from Birtish rapper M.I.A.

So all in all, the rapper shows his self-awareness and his swagger and proclaims that The King is not going anywhere for a very long time. In fact, this album is what could push the King of The South into Kanye and Jay-Z status as rap superstar, that is if he isn’t there already.