HOTT ALBUM: T.I. – “PAPER TRAIL”

// October 5th, 2008 // Hott Albums

all hail the sire

By John Charles Reedburg

It’s definitely another day, another dollar.

The CEO of Grand Hustle and the self-proclaimed ‘King of the South’ has certainly made a name for himself in the last few years. His breakout came in 2003 with Trap Muzik and T.I. (CLIFFORD HARRIS JR.) became a household name for the radio listeners, the music video watchers, and the hardcore hip hop fans. He was a large part of the southern uprising in the hip hop scene and out of all the other artist (one hit wonder or not) coming out of the south who are as commercially successful as T.I., he easily stands head and shoulders above all of them.

Paper Trail is T.I.’s return from a difficult year that included a firearms charge and a rather mediocre album (T.I. vs. T.I.P.) that had a lot of people wondering if he would return the skill-set he showed on one of the best releases of the 2006 year, King. This album is littered with narcissism, A-list guest appearances, and tracks for the ladies with a variety of production styles. T.I. had plenty of time to really focus on this album as he wrote it while being under house arrest for his pending charges.

Does this writing relay nicely onto the disc or does it come off as a mash up of his frustrations and a need for him to remind everyone of his “swag”?…”

DH gives this one 7.5 out of 10.