‘Paper Trail’ debut lives up to expectations

“Hottest MCs in the Game” – released his latest album “Paper Trail” Tuesday. Although Lil’ Wayne and 50 Cent scored higher on the list, the caliber of some of their albums aren’t comparable to the given standards of Tupac, Biggie and Jay-Z. Judging by the quality of “Paper Trail,” and T.I.’s consistent ability to produce hip-hop anthems, maybe MTV should rethink its rankings.

Unlike T.I.’s 2007 album “T.I. vs. T.I.P.,” which seemed to go under the mainstream radar, “Paper Trail” is an album that speaks of T.I.’s current adversities and internal struggles-reminiscent of 50 Cent’s first album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’.” Everyone remembers the beef 50 Cent had and when he got shot nine times. But T.I. never lost that hype and never joined a collaboration team.

“Rarely out of my element . I could fall back seven years and still no one ahead of me,” says T.I. in his song “I’m Illy.” When you hear the lyrics of T.I., you can’t disrespect him. Rap music is the art of storytelling and not superficiality or booty shaking.

T.I. clearly tells his story of how he overcame isolation of being drowned in the thoughts of what others thought of him. “You ain’t had to deal with the (things) I had to deal with, homeboy, you can’t judge me . You can’t expect me to think like you because my life ain’t like yours. If you don’t understand that, you don’t understand English. I’m done talking,” says T.I. in “Ready For Whatever.” He also speaks of how he is a successful provider for his children.

T.I. gets down to earth and says those in unfortunate situations can achieve hope. He says not to listen to “haters” and to “keep chasing that paper” in “Live Your Life”, featuring Rihanna.

“My Life Your Entertainment” is a song featuring Usher that defines rap music because the audience listens to T.I.’s story. The song also confronts gossip as Usher sings, “You’re waiting for me to lose it . (And get told) almost anything instead of the truth. Ya’ll know more than I do, it’s breaking news to me too.”

Fans can feel the pain in T.I.’s struggles from “No Matter What.” “Pain’s a small thing to a giant. I was born without a dime. Out the gutter I climbed . Ali said even the greatest gotta suffer sometimes. So I huff and puff rhymes, lyrics so sick with it. Set the standard in Atlanta of how to get, get, get it . Whatever you can do in the ‘hood, I done did it.”

The album’s theme addresses the issue of people’s need for empathy toward another and how hard work pays off. Indeed, T.I. has worked hard and has never released a mediocre album. Few in the rap world have been this consistent.