T.I. vs T.I.P. Album Review
Samir Siddiqui reviews T.I.’s highly anticipated new album, “T.I. vs. T.I.P,” set to hit stores July 3rd. You can order your copy now Here
T.I.
T.I. vs. T.I.P.
Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records
4/5
by Samir Siddiqui
Hip-hop fans are finally starting to see the downside of repping arguably
the most commercialized genre of music in North America. All preaching and
hating aside, it’s time to face the facts- the quality of hip-hop albums has
been rapidly deteriorating in the past few years. And more than halfway
through 2007, things aren’t looking too bright for mainstream rap, but one
industry staple seems to be standing tall on the hip-hop grounds that have
been wobbling for a while. Coming off the hugely successful, Grammy-award
winning King, T.I. refuses to bank off previous success, and returns with
the swagger-heavy, strongly produced effort, T.I. vs. T.I.P. A strange
concept album to say the least, T.I. (or T.I.P.)’s latest offering isn’t
designed to delve too deep into complex issues, but rather, serves as a
showcase for the intense and entertaining conflict occurring within a
confident emcee looking to mark out his space among hip-hop’s elite.
Divided into three section’s, Clifford Harris gives T.I.P. the honor of
kick-starting the new album, and the rekindled collaboration between Tip and
newly-signed Def Jam producer Mannie Fresh ignites the LP with a booming
exclamation point on “Big Shit Poppin‘,” which ends with Tip issuing a
challenge to his flashy counterpart: “Let the best man win.” The slowed-down
groove on “Watch What You Say To Me” is the backdrop for the
much-anticipated T.I.P.-Jay-Z collabo, and President Carter steals the show
with one of his most best verses in a while, “You was just here, you
disappeared like magicians in thin air, I’m like damn, n**ga at least keep
it consistent// I hear you baitin’ me, lately, I’ve been doin’ my best just
to stay hater-free, still, watch what you say to me!” Timbaland protégé
Danja then provides a synth and tribal drum-heavy production on the
aggressive, Busta Rhymes-assisted “Hurt,” which features Tip and Busta
flipping rapid-fire verses with ease, before the album transitions into “Act
II (T.I.)”. T.I. brings back King contributor Just Blaze to provide a dark,
opera-influenced production on “Help Is Coming,” which is a strong opening
to the weakest of three acts, as T.I.’s lame hooks, repetitive flow, and bad
choice in features (”Touch Down” is the BEST of the three tracks recorded
with Eminem??) bog down the middle portion of the album.
However, Danja’s excellent production chops return for the T.I. vs. T.I.P.
portion of the album, which opens with “Tell ‘Em I Said That” and “Respect
This Hustle,” as the two personas clash in a search for “r-e-s-p-e-c-t”.
Adding to the “battle-tracks” is the album’s concluding song, “My Type,” the
most personal cut on the album, where T.I. and T.I.P. examine the struggle
of getting Clifford Harris to where he is now: “He left millions devastated,
and his family mourns, sons turn to grow men since they daddy been gone,
daughters grew, like him or not, he left his family on, even pre-paid the
funeral service he had in the dome// and that I came to represent for a
stand-up gent, who walked it liked he talked it, and always said what he
meant, impossible to stop him, had a head like cement, maybe now you’ll
appreciate a n**ga like this.” Although this is one of the few songs with
deep lyrical content on the album, it is more an ode to the importance T.I.
puts on variety than anything else.
Having the all-star production lineup that he did, T.I. could have easily
laid back and recorded a good album with little effort, and parts of T.I.
vs. T.I.P. show that he might have briefly considered doing so, but for the
most part, T.I. uses his raw talent and his urge to succeed to catapult his
career to an ever higher status. T.I. and T.I.P. may not have fully resolved
their differences, but they seem to have this music thing pretty down path-
and that deserves respect.
Suggestion Box
June 25th, 2007 at 2:18 am
I got it and its FIREEEEEEE I crack the bootleg and I am just going to cop it on the 3rd yall should do the same and I’m telling yall this is ti & tip best album.
June 25th, 2007 at 2:19 am
YO THE ALBUM IS FIIIIIIIIRE, FAVORITE TRACK IS DEFINATELY “HURT” FOR ME. WAIST OF AN EMINEM FEATURE AND JAY WAS DEFINITELY TAKING SHOTS AT WEEZY.
June 25th, 2007 at 4:35 am
I heard the album and yeah im buying it.
havent heard a hot conceot album like this in a muinte so definetly… a must buy.
June 25th, 2007 at 5:13 am
Yo, the album leaked already…it’s hot
June 25th, 2007 at 6:52 am
Maaaaan!….T.I. did it again. Album of the year so far. tell me why I’m wrong If you dont agree…nothing left to say but…..GO BUY THE ALBUM CAUSE U WONT BE UPSET…
June 25th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Shit leaked last night. How many times did you let the album play before writing this review? Least let it sink in.
June 25th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
co-sign, you gotta let the album skin in, but i personally think the reviewer is right, though i dont find act 2 totally weak, plus i cant even tell the difference between ti and tip except for the fact that tip raps faster…
i have a question, is hurt ft busta rhymes only or is there another guy there called alfamega, cuz the second verse in the song is fire and it aint busta´s, though busta´s verse there is DOOOPE
June 25th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
its str8 but not as good as release therapy…90% of act 2 is trash
June 25th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
@7, yes the rapper you mentioned is featured on that song
and p.s. be assured I listened to the album many times befroe writing this
June 25th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
l3azzzzzzzzzz khoya samir
June 25th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
THIS ALBUM IS TRASH JUICE ……….JUST ANOTHER WEED PLATE
June 25th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
4mic
XL
Its dope…and I agree with whoever said its the best album of the year (so far…..GRADUATION)
June 25th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
anon shut up
June 25th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Danja is the only reason Timbaland has been so hot lately. Dude should just stay on his own for a while. He could have been really blown up.
June 25th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
The difference between T.I. and T.I.P. is the aggressive tone that T.I.P. raps with (i.e. dopeman) compared to the laid back vibe T.I. spit (i.e. dont you wanna be high).
The album is dope…the concept is clean, it’s consistent the whole way through. I don’t think Act 2 is trash, it’s cool. I feel that T.I.P. come’s so hard (no homo) that he outshine’s T.I. Regardless, it’s the same nigga.
These blog hater’s gon do what they do best, but like Jay-Z stated; “Men lie, Women lie, Numbers don’t”
June 25th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
TELL I SAID THAT SHOULD BE A SINGLE NUFF SAID
June 25th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
GRAMMY WORTHY.. THE CONCEPT IS ORIGINAL. FINALLY AN ALBUM THAT DIDNT USED THE TEMPLATE EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON. EX: SONG FEAT JUNIOR REID FOR THE GANGSTA,SONG FEAT. T-PAIN, SONG PROD. BY SWIZZ ABOUT DIAMONDS. TIMBO PRODUCED TRACK FOR THE LADIES. EVERYBODY SEE THE TREND.. ITS GETTIN OLD.
June 25th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
where can i hear the new ti album before it drops????
June 26th, 2007 at 6:36 am
i got to listen to cd more but from what i heard its a dissapointment. How do u have Em do a verse and the song be straight. I think T.I. takin shots at Weezy on the cd
June 26th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
703 is right the Album is Trash
June 27th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Better than KING. I like every track especially “Touchdown”, “Big Shit Poppin” and “My Type”.
June 28th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Man ya’ll get to get yo ears checked or get off that tokin’ before you listen to the album. I gave it 3 chances and it was fuckin’ hell to listen to. Nelly probably saved his ass from the “worse album of year award.” The best beats are form his “ACTs” which is pretty embarassin’. aiight peace.
June 29th, 2007 at 6:36 am
I hate all these haters man…they prolly all listen to country music and know nothing about hip-hop. T.I. just proved how hes King of the South with this album. The beats are sooo epic! His rapping has gotten better and he uses different topics. He’s got the style, the personality and the fans. Bet this goes platinum in a week!. Ya’ll better cop it July 3rd! GRAND HUSTLE PATNA!
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:55 am
Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! kwalompxjveile
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:14 am
Ahh! I am so excited for this album, I didn’t even bootleg the single so it would be even more exciting once I bought it. I hope my waiting pays off tomorrow! What am I saying, of course it will be hot, it’s T.I.P.
July 2nd, 2007 at 3:05 pm
albums a classic nuff said only weak track is touchdown but still aint too bad….help is coming is my favourite along with watch what you say to me jay finally came out with an original verse…probs gonna sell 650 first week
July 3rd, 2007 at 2:16 am
I’m a huge ti fan but I’m sorry this album is not good. This is his worst by far big thing poppin and the second single with wyclef aren’t not single worthy. “My type and hurt are my favorites but my type is just a live in the sky remix. But hope he goes double plat cause it just means another black man is getting money. And because somebody don’t like a album don’t make them a hater just mean they don’t like that album
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:08 pm
The album is HOT! T.I.’s the best. you gotta give it to him. I got a copy for the coupe and a copy for the house. Big Shit Poppin’ in ‘07!
July 3rd, 2007 at 4:07 pm
YO i just downloaded tht album off the Zune Marketplace. I cant stop listenin to it its the best. i mean i really liked King but TI vs TIP took my favorite album of the summer so far
July 4th, 2007 at 8:12 am
I’m listening to it now. I can’t get enough of it. Let the losers lose! Get em T.I.!
July 4th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
t.i. is da boi he is killin all dese rappers out here i mean wayne is hot but im a t.i. fan ya dig n this album is still smacken he keeps it poppin n thats y he`s da.:KING:.so get wit it or get lost
July 4th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
hey T.I i got to see you @ the album release on hot 97 and my we got it for free but i still went out to support you and let me tell you something it is fire!!!
July 4th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
i think the critics who were falling all over King are just disappointed in this one because it doesn’t really have the same feel. i was thinking the same thing on my first listen — good but not as great as King — but now i actually think it’s more consistent on a track-by-track basis. Danjahandz is goin’ a long way here in disproving my original idea that he ain’t nothin’ without Timbo, Just kills it, The Runners kill it (don’t front,) and even “Touchdown” isn’t really bad so much as it’s just kinda boring.
rap album of the year? i dunno, but i’d say ‘Ye’s his only serious competition on that front.
July 4th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
hey ya’ll check this out: t.i. called into a radio station on the day of t.i. vs. t.i.p.’s release a little before 5:00 p.m. and said that it had already sold 50,000 in target stores in atlanta alone! thats not even counting all the other stores sellin it in a-town so just think it probably sold like….175,000 im guessin in atlanta only before 5:00 p.m. so even if it is a disappointment to some ppl(its not to me i think its hot) its still sellin like crazy
July 6th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
i’m going to club crucial tomorrow night, so they’ll probably say how many records he sold.
July 11th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
This iz the album is hott. T.I is soo much better than the other wack rappers. tell me what other rapper can put somthing out and you can jam all the way through without skiping and skiping and skiping. T.I iz the King and will be in the hall of fame for best male Artist next to 2-Pac.
Yes he iz on that level so belive it.
July 12th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
This album is was ok… aiight… and straight. I try so hard not to be to critical of rap music these days because it’s all so mainstream and commercial, but I think TIP came with it for the most part… I liked the concept, and the “Hustle Pimp” at the end of all the inturludes was super cool. I think the album started off tight… then after the song with Busta and Alfamega…. It really dropped off… the songs with Nelly and Eminem were pretty lame… Nelly seems to be really falling off (not that I was ever a super nelly fan)… That last song about missing him when he was gone dipped off into the “I think I’m Pac’” mode and it didn’t really fit TIP… I definetaly respect the Grand Hustle… I hope he makes millions and more millions… but I’m still in search of that classic LP from a rap artist… will there ever really be another??
Maybe it will be from Lil’ Wayne… I heard him say his album was coming out in 08′ giving him just enough time to listen to this TI vs. TIP … and come up with a super dope rap album that will really piss the King off… what ya’ll thank??
July 13th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
This album sucks ass. i wouldnt even steal it. Get Ready for The Graduation, Carter III and The Cool
August 9th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Cassidy dis this internal conflict shit before him