Since the retirement of Jay-Z with The Black Album, a number of artists have stepped forward in attempts to claim the crown of “best rapper alive.” In cities across the South, Atlanta-based T.I. has been vocal in his claim to ascendancy.
Over the last several years, T.I. has become one of the hottest emcees in all of hip-hop. His brand of laid-back-Georgia-flow and cutting urban lyrics appeal to a broad cross-section of people. His latest effort, Urban Legend, has been released to praise and popularity in the rap community.
Self-styled “King of the South,” T.I., born Clifford Harris, is one of the many young rappers who have exploded out of Atlanta since the debut of OutKast and Ludacris. In 2001 he released I’m Serious, an often-underrated debut release that, while making it into the charts, failed to generate significant radio play. His follow-up sophomore effort, Trap Muzik, however, built off the success found in I’m Serious while packaging it into a more radio-ready format. The singles “Let’s Get Away,” “Rubber Band Man” and “24’s” turned T.I. into an instant superstar, catapulting him into the forefront of the music industry.
In Urban Legend T.I. attempts to bring himself out of stardom and into the type of influential position that people like Jay-Z, Tupac and 50 Cent have filled. It is a solid album, offering a series of diverse and appealing tracks. T.I. is one of the few Southern artists with mass appeal who have been able to move away from the simple party anthems and bravado that have come to dominate the industry. His lyrics and beats bring to mind urban living, showing the listener sides of the city that T.I. feels an emotional connection with. Unlike most of his contemporaries, T.I. is able to accurately portray life without coming across as insincere.
Those who are looking for the radio friendly tracks of Trap Muzik or the strength found in I’m Serious will be disappointed. There are a handful of radio-ready tracks, such as “What They Do” and the current hit single “Bring ‘Em Out.” But T.I. isn’t looking for commercial success; rather, he works towards breadth. Each track explores new ideas and production techniques, evident in “My Life” when he raps, “You’re tryin’ to stack presidents / I’m tryin’ to set precedents.”
While he doesn’t particularly search for commercial successes, they populate the album like cotton fields along I-95. Club-goers will enjoy party songs like “Get Loose” with Nelly and “What They Do” featuring BG of Cash Money Records. Attempts at softer songs, like “Freak Through” and “Chillin With My Girl” hold their own, even if not as strong as Trap Muzik‘s “Let’s Get Away.”
Unlike his previous albums, Urban Legend is full of appearances from guest artists. T.I.’s latest reads like a Who’s Who of Billboard charts: Lil’ Jon, Lil’ Kim, Nelly, Jazze Pha, Trick Daddy, Pharrell and Lil’ Wayne, Mannie Fresh and BG. Each guest brings something different to the album, causing the flow between songs to feel more like stops on the Atlanta highway than the smooth transitions fans have become accustomed to.
Whether or not T.I. has achieved the diversity and independence that he seems to be attempting is still up in the air. He has created an impressive album full of strong beats and lyrics that flow like honey. The weaknesses, especially on songs like “Countdown,” threaten to undermine his grandiose claims. Still, even with the occasional mediocre track, Urban Legend stands as a strong stone in the path of T.I.’s maturity and growth as a major hip-hop artist.