In 2001 TI came on the scene with his debut single "I'm Serious" (which was also the name of his debut album). It featured Beenie Man on the hook and production by The Neptunes. We all remember the song but I honestly don't remember anyone liking it. I'm Serious was basically TI trying to find himself as an artist and create his own sound. If you compare it to his other albums the subject matter is basically the same except on I'm Serious he rapped about being a good rapper more often than he does now.
Let's fast forward two years to Trap Muzik. The new and improved TI came back with a HIT single produced by Jazze Pha called "24s". It was a high energy club/street BANGER that took over airwaves almost instantly. When the album dropped TI had officially solidified his spot at as heavyweight out of Atlanta. He had created a lane for himself and others for years to come.
We thought TI's career was going to come to a sudden stop in March of 2004 when he was sentenced to 3 years in County Jail. A month later, by what seems to be the grace of God, he was released from jail on a work release program. He quickly began working on his third album Urban Legend. The album, although not as good as Trap Muzik, went on to sell more units than its predecessor.
Between Urban Legend and King TI had began to beef with rapper Lil Flip from Houston. This was not a 50 Cent type of beef as the rappers eventually came to blows over the situation. In 2006 King released alongside TI's first movie ATL. They had a genius marketing plan in not releasing an official soundtrack for the movie. Instead they promoted King as the soundtrack. The lead single "What U Know" is still one TI's biggest hits to this day. He also received a Grammy for it.
While riding the wave of his recent success TI was involved in an altercation that would change his life and the way he looked at music forever. During one of his concerts in Cincinnati a fight broke out between 2 concert goers and TI's crew. The fight spilled outside the club and turned deadly for his longtime friend Philant Johnson after the crew's SUVs were followed and shot at. After this incident TI withdrew himself from music and the public eye for awhile.
In July of 2007 TI released TI Vs TIP which, in my opinion, was a horrible concept. This album is looked at as pretty bad by most of his fans but they don't blame him because of what he had been through before working on the album. He said himself that he didn't know if he wanted to create music anymore. Despite the bad reviews the album still achieved platinum status.
Four months after the release of TI Vs TIP the king was caught with some HEAVY firearms by the Federal Government. He was set up by his bodyguard who had recently been caught buying guns illegally. This arrest took place just four hours before he was to blaze the stage of the BET Hip Hop Awards in his home town. TI was on house arrest for a little over a year pending trial. He released Paper Trail in September of 2008 which received great commercial success spawning multiple multi platinum singles including his biggest hit "Live Ur Life" featuring Rihanna. The album itself went on to go double platinum after selling gold in it's first week.
On May 26th, 2009 TI began serving his, one year and a day, prison sentence. On December 22nd, 2009 he was moved to a halfway house in Atlanta where he would finish out the remainder of his sentence and be released on March 26th, 2010. He came back and released a couple luke warm songs then dropped a mixtape full of old throwaway songs that never made albums called "Fuck A Mixtape". While most of his fans say they loved it the mixtape felt like an insult to me. You've been gone for a year. Your fans aren't worth a few new songs? But hey, I guess he knew what he was doing because all of his new songs are just as bad as those.
I don't know if he's out of touch with music from being in prison or if he just doesn't care anymore. His newer songs lack emotion and creativity. They just come off as generic and he is showing no type of progression. In fact, it sounds like he has regressed. With song titles such as "Pledge Allegiance To The Swag" and "Mr. Kodak" you know he's lost. The fact that the whole trap sound is dying isn't really helping him either. Now he can't go back to his roots and he doesn't know how to move forward.
On top of that he's BACK in jail as of November 1st for a drug possession which is a direct violation of his probation. He was caught on September 1st after his Maybach was pulled over for making an illegal u-turn. The police smelled marijuana, searched the vehicle, and found other drugs.
Going to jail THAT many times can't be anything but detrimental to your career no matter who you are. TIP I hope you get your act together musically and legally. I'm still going to give No Mercy a fair chance but I honestly don't have any expectations for it at all. TI is going the Cam'Ron route except Cam didn't have to go to jail to fall off. It is sad but you have to know when to let go.
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