CD Review: T.I. Vs. T.I.P.

By Michael Cartwright: 2007-07-02 02:18:39

For the past half-decade, the Southern region has held a firm grasp on the rap game. Many believe its club-centric approach is partly to blame for killing hip-hop, while others claim southerners are the only ones capable of making hits these days.

Last year, T.I.’s King was nominated for Best Rap Album of the Year at the Grammys, and now the self-proclaimed “King of the South” has quickly stepped up to make another statement. He has pieced together a concept album juxtaposing what he deems to be his two conflicting personalities: his business-oriented, level-headed half (T.I.) and his street-minded wild side (T.I.P.).

Such a concept is not all that original, but unfortunately, it does feel somewhat innovative within today’s marketplace of hackneyed hip-hop. Nevertheless, T.I. vs. T.I.P. doesn’t exactly have anything new in store for us.

“Big Things Poppin” starts things off as the guitar-sampled single and T.I. shows us one of the CD’s most versatile flows, but the cut also contains one of the disc's most unbearably grating choruses.

“Touchdown” is an Eminem-assisted number, and a painful reminder of the tragic artistic collapse of Marshall Mathers. Not too long ago, Eminem was arguably the voice of a generation, but it’s been nearly four years since he’s churned out anything praise-worthy. His once clever, provocative lyrics have slowly morphed into nothing more than half-assed, depthless gibberish, and his pitter-patter production sounds like it was made using Fruity Loops and your little sister’s cheap-ass Casio keyboard.

Over the track's bland backdrop, T.I. throws jabs at Oprah Winfrey, and easily outshines the careless Caucasian on the closing verse: “Look at what hip hop has got us / it allowed us to run a business / legitimated our money / got us out of the ghetto / relocated our mommies / I made it all the way here / ain’t no way you takin’ this from me / so excuse me Oprah honey, I’m sorry, really I promise / niggas, hoes, and bitches do exist, I’m just being honest.”

“Watch What You Say To Me” features Jay-Z spouting rhymes rumored to be directed at Atlanta’s Young Jeezy, who verbally attacked the living legend earlier this year: “I hear you baitin’ me lately / I been doing my best just to stay hater-free/ but still, watch what you say to me / sooner or later I’ll take you up on your offer / and put you in your place like I’m replacing your father.” Without even bringing out his best stuff, the Def Jam president (sadly) manages to create one the album’s more memorable moments.

Overall though, the album’s redundant content never strays too far from guns (“Raw”), girls (“Don’t You Wanna Be High”) and money (“We Do This”). The lack of topical variety could be compensated for with some poetic lyrics or undeniable instrumentals, but there’s really not much to speak of.

On “Help Is Coming,” T.I. claims he will “save hip-hop,” but the truth is, Grammys don’t mean a damn thing, and well, he's awfully mistaken.

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bill martin
July 4, 2007 at 22:07

T.I. is the King of The South. I have the album and it is great. It is not redundant at all, He is the best rapper alive beside lil Wayne

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randall thompson
July 5, 2007 at 00:04

i think this is a good album. i think it is clearly more entertaining than 99 percent of the (in my opinion) garbage that comes out of the south. TI put out a decent album right before the south loses its spot as top dog in the rap game. With raekwon's album, the wu's 8 diagrams, hov's return, nas's next album, a confirmed eminem LP, kanye west, fifty cent's next 2 albums, and detox, "ti vs tip" is a good album to come out. all the world needs is a decent release from outkast and perhaps ludacris for good measure. the south's reign is over.

TI properly secure's his place as a real artist prevalent in the mainstream rap scene and not just a fad who is hot for the moment. being a tip fan since i'm serious, this album is comparable to hov's dynasty album in the sense that this is the beginning of the end for rappers who think they are in TI's league and take this as a weak LP. it is simply a well produced and put together warm up lap. eminem and jay z (regardless of general opinion of their skills) do not normally appear on crappy albums.

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White Cheddar
July 5, 2007 at 11:14

I went out and got the album the day it was released, and I was not disappointed. It may be my own personal opinion, but I liked it a lot, the beats, the lyrics, the songs, everything. A lot better than almost anything else I'm hearing these days.

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Him
July 5, 2007 at 11:14

TI vs. TIP is a fantastic album. I totally disagree with this review.

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D.O.C.
July 5, 2007 at 11:14

T.I. vs. T.I.P. is Tip's best album beside Urban Legend. On the album he gives you best of both worlds. T.I.P. is suppose to represent the Al Capone of the hardcore gangsta rap, and T.I. represents Frank Sinatra as a smooth uplifting rapper. On T.I.'s part of the cd the beat to his songs sound like something Frank Sinatra would produce. Even thogh he didn't use a lot of punch lines he flowed and sticked to the meaning of the songs. The only song that he didn't do very well on was watch "what you say to me." Who came out of the fight alive would have to be T.I. So all of you who said his album suck listen to it again then reply.

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Pharaoh
July 5, 2007 at 16:56

I actually do agree with this review. I am a huge fan of T.I.\'s music. I been listenin to his music for a long time (Trap Muzic, Im Serious) and to me, this is by far his least versatile album. After the opening tracks, he is basically rappin about the same stuff for like 16 tracks. I can of course see how some could like it, if you like the subject that much. I do, but I also like variety.

I also picked the CD up on the first day it dropped, and when I listened to it, I was kinda dissapointed. And expected a CD similar to King. One that was a head banga all the way through. It wasnt. Matter of fact, I got bored with it after listenin for like 20 minutes.

Oh, and whoever thinks that T.I. and Lil Wayne are the best rappers are sick in ya head! Thats so ridiculuos, it makes me laugh. If u really wanna hear the best that ever did it, check out ALL of Outkast, Goodie Mob, Dungeon Family, Eightball & MJG, and UGK. They are the collectively the best rappers in the game. Listen to them, and you will see where T.I. got his flow, and where Wayne got his. And they dont even do it justice. Andre 3000 is the best rapper there has ever been, excludin nobody.

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aliz.
July 5, 2007 at 17:59

i got the album the day it came out and personally im in love with it. i cant stop listening to it actually. im listening to it as we speak. ti is amazing and i think all of his music is amazing as well.

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Dark boy 22
July 5, 2007 at 20:43

this cd is solid, its got a lot of good songs on it and with all the junk coming out these days it is the best cd i have listened to in a long time. He is still one of the best rappers out there besides lil wayne, but i think King was a better cd than this one

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AsHlEy
July 6, 2007 at 14:13

all ii say iis T.I VS TIP should be the #1 album of the 2007 year. ii kno iim ii love T.I n every album he does, he just hiits iit harder each tiime. more meaniin to the words n more powerful than iit can get.

"MANY RAPPERS SHOULD GET "TIPS" 4RM "TIP"

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wal
July 6, 2007 at 14:13

gotta listen to the whole album before i comment on it i only listen to touchdown what it is big shit poppin of course and watch what you say which im llistening to right now but ah about the eminem comment in the article i agree partially though im looking forward to eminem reviving his career with this upcomin album i think hell do better than encore ohh shit did hov say my dna in ya music fire hov fire

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Sponge
July 7, 2007 at 12:13

I totally disagree with this review. Compared to all the garbage thats comming out these days, this cd is breally good. The beats are hot and TI has got some sick lyrics. This CD reminds me why i like rap and why Ti is the king of the south.

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TruToU
July 7, 2007 at 21:16

I bought this album on the Saturday of it's release week. I found it strange that none of my people called me on Tuesday to see if I heard it yet and no one was bumping it from their system during my elongated bar/club crawl this week in Atlanta. Upon the first skim through, I quickly understood why. Only two tracks aside from the beat that the skits share caught me (Da Dopeman and Hurt). I didn't mention big shit poppin because we are all used to that by now.

T.I. is one of my favorite MC's from the south and his catalogue in my opinion contains some music I will continue to play long past the time I probably should be even interested in rap. Dude just did not bring it home on this one at all. I thought I might be trippin so I sparked up some dro, got levitated and took a slow drive this morning about 2 am to give it a really thorough listen. Hands down, Da Dopeman is the best cut on this album and I found myself hitting repeat quite a few times. Hurt is off the chain as well and the only other 2 I fool with are the Wyclef cut (don't ask me why, Clef takes his singing so seriously, it humors me), and the Nelly cut.

I really really really wish Dj Toomp got to produce some cuts for this album as I think the music as well as the often lame hooks hurt this effort the most. If you consider yourself a fan, cop it to get his numbers looking good. I was disappointed but I am still a fan. I look forward to a T.I.P. style album next time. In the meanwhile, I will put some cuts on the Ipod and try to guess how long UGK will continue to be pushed back.

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Kidd
July 8, 2007 at 19:25

Anybody who has ever listened to tip and goes as far back as I\'m serious should know that this is truely tip the two big cds urban legend and king although both hot cds had me feeling like he was turning to be like the rest of southern rappers with the little club bull shit but after hearing ti vs tip its clear to see that tip is back this album sounded like the old school I\'m serious and trap music again which in my opinion are his 2 best cds although I do agree with the review being from Michigan I\'m still not a Eminem fan and his lyrics to begin to sound like babbling now a days but none the less there is nobody better to colab with and for the guy who said Andre 3000 is the best rapper hands down you need some to learn somethin about music not arguably tip is the king of the south Wayne is also hot and then there is the Dayton family one of few rap groups to never go main stream and be known world wide still selling albums all the way to Britain it would never happen but I would for tip to hook up with them guys any way now I\'m rambling point made This tip CD is the hottest thing out right now and will continue to be and its nice to have tip back on top

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Vero
July 26, 2007 at 16:07

been a fan of T.i for a while (trap muzik)...like all dis mans muzik and think he can make any song he is featured on a hit...jus look at da song hes been in and tell me he doesnt murder da song...but i expected more from da king...dont get me wrong, i give da TIP portion of the album a 10 out of 10 but da T.I. portion wuz not to its full potential.....i wus waiting for song like get loose, why u wanna, bring em out, and lets get away.....but instead i got TOUCHDOWN???wut da fuck....

i needed beats from people like david banner, jazzy pha, swizz beatz...and DJ TOOMP WHERE WUZ HE AT...
that would complete da album...its not like king, cuz king wuz i think a classic album wit hit after hit after hit...TI focuses too much on da concept (which he dedicates 2 phil cuz it wuz Philz concept which led 2 T.I. vsTIP in trap muzik) and not on makn each song an individual HIT...which if u listen 2 da songs he left out, he could have made it as good or better then the KING album.... all and all i give it a 8 / 10...still better then most shit....I think our expectations for TI were so great dat anything less then perfect and we start criticizing

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jessica
August 8, 2007 at 14:02

im sorry T.I is the best rapper around right now nobodys spitting out anything like he is this c.d is just as good as the last one he IS the king of the south for a reason

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cadopeman
September 17, 2007 at 11:48

yo its a great cd hommie

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Tina Miles
August 28, 2008 at 21:23

I love T.I.'s "T.I. vs T.I.P." cd. T.I. is my favorite rapper

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