T.I. - Urban Legend
Reviewed By: ULTIMATECDLINK
Album Rate: 4.0 out of 5 Stars
T.I. has a lot of up-and-downs in 2004. He went from having a huge single with "Rubberband Man" to beef with Lil Flip over the whole "King Of The South" moniker, destroyed by Ludacris on the same track on Young Buck's "Stomp", and finally an arrest for a probation violation. Now out of prison, T.I. hopes 2005 is better with the release of his new album "Urban Legend" which features Lil Jon, B.G, Daz Dillinger, Nelly, Lil Wayne, Trick Daddy, Lil Kim, Pharrell, P$C, Big Kuntry, Jazze Pha, & the single "Bring Em Out" w/ Jay-Z.
1. Tha King-- T.I. starts this album off with a introduction fit for royalty--"King of the South" as he calls himself. T.I. does deliver on the track explaining how he came up with no real backing from the record labels and built the buzz. Now the haters are just mad because they didn't think of it first. The hook could be a bit better but a nice way to introduce himself on the album.
2. Motivation-- "haters get on your job"....T.I.'s brash style is reflected perfectly on this one. Basically he's rapping about how the haters fuel the fire burning inside him and he's showing no signs of slowing down, he's only getting stronger. On top of that, T.I. mentions that he's got Grand Hustle so even if they try to hold him down on his major label deal, he's gonna make his money independent. Really nice track.
3. U Don't Know Me-- this is the trailer song on the end of the "Bring Em Out" video and the single that has really taken over on the streets and radio across the South from Atlanta to Memphis. Basically, the hook says it all. "You might have seen me in the streets, but nigga you don't know me" and "quit tellin niggas you my patna nigga you don't me". In other words, don't snitch to the feds about me and quit saying that you down with me when you ain't. The code of the streets right there. Tight song.
4. ASAP-- "As soon as possible"--this one is another banger that will have the streets wanting more from T.I.P. This is by far one of my favorite tracks on the entire album. Everything from the guitar beats to the flow to the lyrics, fits what we expect from T.I. perfectly. Tight ass track that you definitely need to check out.
5. Prayin For Help-- T.I. starts this off by reciting the Lord's Prayer (while T.I. is locked in prison). The track is one of a more conscious nature lyrically in which T.I. is asking for the Lord's help while on lockdown and for all the other drug dealers out there who know no other way and have no other options, no role models. Nice change of pace for T.I. which in a way reminds me of "Still Ain't Forgave Myself" from the "I'm Serious" album.
6. Why U Mad At Me-- this one has a nice laid back midtempo snare drum clap beat over a nice bassline. T.I. questions why there are so many haters out there. Reasons ranging from "King Of The South" to him being rich now. I think the track is not bad but may have been better over a different beat since he's spitting the vemon, the beat should have reflected that better (instead of the laid back one on this track).
7. Get Loose (f/ Nelly)-- this one is destined to be a club banger as you can tell just judging from the song title. Jazze Pha laces a space age pimpin synth beat over some heavy basslines. Nelly lays down a decent verse and actually rides the beat better than T.I. does on the track.
8. What They Do (f/ B.G.)-- this one has the classic horns with that N.O. sound so of course you need an N.O. rapper like B.G. to show up on the track. B. Gizzle shows that he's definitely one of the more underrated rappers out there and it makes you wonder how his career would be different if he'd never gotten on that blow. But that being said, T.I. and B.G. work well together and it's be nice to see more collabos from them in the future.
9. The Greatest (f/ Mannie Fresh)-- Mannie Fresh from Cash Money Records starts it off with a piano solo before the heavy basslines kick in on this tight ass beat. Mannie is straight hiliarious on the mic and he is a top notch producer. Surprisingly, he fits in well on the hook on this one. T.I. holds it down on the mic rapping about how he's come up from nothing to having all these women, cars, and jewelry. Nice song.
10. Get Ya Shit Together (f/ Lil Kim)-- this track has a really nice midtempo snare bassline beat. T.I. and Lil Kim trade bars about what it takes to get with them when you out in the clubs. Not really feelin this one.
11. Freak Through (f/ Pharrell)-- an album wouldn't be complete without a Neptunes beat or an appearance from Pharrell singing on a hook. T.I. raps in a laid back flow about the freaks he likes to land in bed. It would probably make a good BET Uncut video. Not really feeling this one too much either.
12. Countdown-- this one has an electric guitar rock music beat on it. T.I. again displays that brash style in which he's telling the haters that they're no longer be in existance when he sees them. He comes tight on the mic but the beat leaves a bit to be desired.
13. Bring Em Out (f/ Jay-Z)-- Swizz Beats laces the beat on the lead single on the "Urban Legend" album in which a Jay-Z "Bring Em Out" sample on the hook (from "What More Can I Say"). Playas in the South know that the whistle is a staple for black college marching bands so it's good to see Swizz incorporate that into the production. The song has had the clubs on lock since it debuted on radio last year and still really hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.
14. Limelight (f/ P$C & Big Kuntry)-- T.I takes time out to give some shine to his Pimp Squad Click of Mac Boney and AK as well as Big Kuntry (all of whom have albums on the way courtesy of Grand Hustle Records). The song is on some laid back with a hook that goes "Hey we the hype now the limelight is ours now/
Broads comin at us like they wanna fuck us right now". Basically they saying that now they getting some shine, hoes all of a sudden wanna fuck with em. Gotta love the groupies. Nice track.
15. Chillin With My Bitch (f/ Jazze Pha)-- this one is a laid back kick back at the pool and sip a cold beverage summertime track. Despite the track title, it wouldn't surprise me if T.I. released this as a radio single especially as the weather warms up a bit. This is one the ladies will probably love, most of the guys out there may not be able to bump it.
16. Stand Up (f/ Lil Jon, Trick Daddy, & Lil Wayne)-- even if Lil Jon doesn't lend one single vocal on the track, you know immediately that this one has his signature hi-hat and snare combo production sound. T.I. starts it off with a verse tellin his enemy that he don't it with him. Trick Daddy is up next with a verse in which he's bringin the heat as well. Lil Wayne finishes it off with a fairly lackluster performance by his standards. Overall, a good effort by all 4 who blend well together.
17. My Life (f/ Daz Dillinger)-- this single has been out a while since Daz had it up on his website for download for about a year or so. T.I. starts the track off with a laid back flow and describes his struggle of growing up in Bankhead and now he's facing the struggle of maintaining his status in ATL. Daz Dillinger raps about the hustle and does a pretty good job at it. Nice track.
Overall, the production from DJ Toomp, Mannie Fresh, Lil Jon, Jazze Pha, David Banner, Swizz Beats, Scott Storch, KLC, and Fury ranges from really good to decent. The album starts off really strong and somewhere in the middle, it just plateaus off, probably due to the number of guest appearances one after the other. It picks back up toward the end and finishes out strong as well. The album shows the growth of T.I. as a rapper and an artist from "I'm Serious" but as a rap fan, I'm not sure it's a better overall album than "Trap Muzik".
T.I. - Urban Legend