Categories : Music Reviews, Rap + Hip-Hop.
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Rating: 3/5 Released: March 28, 2006 Reviewer: Nathan Atnikov |
King is Atlanta rapper T.I.’s fourth album, and is full of the same radio friendly, ring tone ready hip-hop that he’s become known for. It’s easy to see why he’s had such chart success – T.I. makes a living off of the same combination of “gangster†lyrics and catchy hooks that made Tupac a generation’s spokesperson. Which is not to say that T.I. comes close to the west coast legend in terms of flow, personality, or relevance.
Repetitive choruses in songs like ‘What You Know’ and ‘Why You Wanna’ is testament to the fact that T.I. has little to say. His cause isn’t helped by being outclassed by guest stars Pharrell and Common on ‘Goodlife.’ Despite that, King isn’t a lost cause. T.I. is exponentially more listenable than the vast majority of other mainstream rappers.
Where ego is most rappers’ folly, it’s T.I.’s strength. He’s good enough that he doesn’t have to attack every beat, and his laidback demeanour is a breath of fresh air compared to over-aggressive snarlers like The Game. This record is a long way from making a splash, but at least it has the guts to get in the water.
Buy King from iTunes >> 
