T.I. - T.I. vs. T.I.P.: Album Review
T.I., T.I. vs. T.I.P. (Atlantic, 2007)
I wasn't that crazy about the last T.I. album, but it ended up being one of last year's best-selling rap albums. And I think we can all agree that the two singles released from this album so far have been rather underwhelming. Is T.I. vs. T.I.P. full of nothing but "Big Shit Poppin'"-esque shit sandwiches, or is it actually good? Not to tip my hand this early in the review, but the answer is obviously the former rather than the latter.
ACT 1
The first in a series of dumbass skits that tie things together like a good rug does in a room. In this one, T.I.P., T.I.'s gullier half, curses out the original TI, Lyor Cohen, over the phone. It's not as amusing as you'd think though.
BIG SHIT POPPIN'
The lackluster lead single. I don't know about the rest of you 'bags, but this has failed to grown on me in the past several weeks. If the rest of this album wasn't such a shite sandwich, I'd recommend they buried this at the very end, like Talib Kweli did "Listen" on the surprisingly... um, listenable Ear Drum.
RAW
It takes balls to name your song (which ain't very good) the same thing as one of the gulliest Big Daddy Kane records, though it's not clear whether or not T.I. is familiar with the original "Raw." Even though Noz considers T.I. the modern day equivalent of Kane, or whatever his bullshit argument was.
YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS
The second single, with motherfucking Wyclef of all people, who produces and provides extra-Haitian-sounding adlibs. I suppose it's a little bit better than "Big Shit Poppin'," but still.
DA DOPEMAN
A rap song called "Da Dopeman." Who'd a thunkit? Young Jeezy? Nah, obviously the man who sings "White Girl" deserves more credit than that. The bit at the end about how the government is the *real* dopeman is right out of that one dumbass Kanye West record.
WATCH WHAT YOU SAY TO ME
The underwhelming Jay-T.I. (or is it T.I.P.?) collaboration which hit the Internets the other day. Why, when you've got two of the biggest artists in hip-hop, would you farm out the production to some no-name budget Pimp C? Will Jay-Z ever say anything interesting again in his life?
HURT
The first of three collaborations with Timbaland's ghost producer Danja, who should probably stick to coming up with catchy as fuck Nelly Furtado records. Busta Rhymes and someone calling himself "Alfamega" contribute guest raps.
ACT II
The second of the album's three dumbass skits features some Get on the Bus-style African percussion.
HELP IS COMING
A song whose lyrics actually serve to push the album's "plot" forward a la "Pinball Wizard" or some such. Need I say more?
MY SWAG
This album's other Wyclef-produced number, though I understand either T.I. or T.I.P. (possibly both of them) will be contributing to 'clef's forthcoming sequel to 1997's the Carnival. I guess the operative question in all of this is: why?
WE DO THIS
Like one of those Big Tymers records where they talk about how many cars they've got. Except at least they had an excuse.
SHOW IT TO ME
A collaboration with Nelly and probable 3rd, 4th, or 5th single. It kinda sounds like something off the Shaft soundtrack, but way more teh ghey.
DON'T YOU WANT TO BE HIGH?
The title of this one sounds like something Foxy Brown pimp ex-boyfriend says to his hoes when they act up. Otherwise, this kinda sounds like T.I.'s guest verses from any number of recent god-awful R&B records if they were all strung toghether into one big shit sandwich.
TOUCH DOWN
Oh no, it's the dreaded Eminem guest spot where he insists on doing the production himself! Why, oh why, have so many rappers let him get away with this shit?
ACT III
Skit three features T.I. rapping to himself in the mirror, not unlike Edward Norton in that one scene in 25th Hour, except much less entertaining.
TELL 'EM I SAID THAT
The second of three Danja numbers. He probably should've broken down and had Timbaland tighten this up a bit.
RESPECT THIS HUSTLE
The same thing goes for this, the last of this album's three Danja productions. This one also has the dubious distinction of featuring T.I. and his alter ego rapping to and/or about one another.
MY TYPE
The requisite melodramatic album closer in which the artist reflects on his career and speculates whether or not anyone gives a shit when they're dead. I know I won't!
COMMENTS: So yeah, this isn't a very good album. Even if you were big into King and all of the other T.I. albums, I can't imagine you wouldn't be disappointed by this. But what do I know; if there's one thing I've learned in three or however many years of hip-hop blogging, it's that there's no accounting for taste.
BEST TRACKS: "Big Shit Poppin'," "You Know What It Is" (no, really)
BONUS VIDEO: "You Know What It Is"
