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T.I T.I vs T.I.P. (Atlantic/Warner) |
 T.I. vs T.I.P. is the fifth studio album released by Atlanta rapper T.I. (he started with the T.I.P. moniker but later dropped the "P" out of respect for then labelmate, Q-Tip). This album is broken up into three "acts" depicting a battle between dual personalities: the hot-tempered thug T.I.P. and the nou-veau-riche recording artiste T.I. The rapper explains of his album: "It's basically a battle within myself. Nobody out there is doing what I do and as well as I do. So I see myself as worthy competition for myself. I'm not just making an album, I'm making an opera here." Modesty doesn't come into the picture, as you can see. Act 1 defines the rapper's darker half, trumping T.I.P.'s dandy-ish side. Act 2 essen- tially showcases T.I.'s playboy side: clothes, wheels, and women - literally rubbing excess in the face of unspecified haters. Act 3 is the part where T.I. confronts T.I.P. for jeopardising their success with his recklessness. Defining tracks are My Swag (featuring Wyclef Jean) where T.I. rhymes about his travels, Big S"' Poppin' (Do It) (which also happens to be the lead single) where T.I. introduces T.I.P.'s personality on the track and Respect This Hustle which spells out to listeners just how far T.I.P. and T.I. will go to get others to respect their hustle. With cameos from Nelly, Jay-Z and Eminem among others, the bottom line on T.I vs T.I.P. is that it ain't exactly Shakespeare but the battle for supremacy does make for an intriguing bout. |
