CD Review  "Urban Legend,"
The self-proclaimed "King of the South" is back with his third offering "Urban Legend," and he's out to silence the critics, skeptics and haters alike. With as much hype as he's built around himself in the last year, which happens to have been the best of his career, T.I. has a huge task at hand. He handles it easily with what I consider to be one of the most complete rap albums of the year.He's got something on there for everyone, and not too many songs that will have you reaching soft the skip button on the deck.
The Bankhead Ambassador provides his audience with 17 tracks (out of a reported 70 that he recorded for the project) that will have you asking yourself "Has he gotten THAT much better or was I not listening?" He flexes his lyrical prowess on "Why U Mad AT ME?" with lines like "you ain't representin the south/ you just embarrassing/ they see you t.v. in New York/ them ni99as laugh at us/ (you the) reason DJ's ain't have a Clue I was Fabolous/ nowadays not playing my record/ well hell it's hazardous"
He's definitely no amateur on either side of the business either as he's carried out an impressive marketing campaign that's given him momentum heading into the LP. He's been on tracks with including David Banner, Cee-Lo, Brandy, Slim Thug and even the mainstream divas Destiny's Child just to name a few. He also pulled a "50" with his all out attack on the once up and coming Lil Flip with his instant underground classic mixtape "Down Wit Tha King," and his name has been mentioned by many (including Jay-Z himself) as someone who has the potential to take over the game.
T.I. gets off to a strong start with songs like "Motivation" and the sure street banger "ASAP" and gives the listener a look into his struggle as man on "Prayin for Help" which is reminiscent of "Still Ain't Forgave Myself" from his debut "I'm Serous." One thing that you can appreciate is that even though he's brought along a gang of industry heavy hitters, (Nelly, BG, Mannie Fresh, Lil Kim, Pharrell, Jazze Pha, Lil Jon, Lil Wayne, Trick Daddy and Daz Dillinger of Tha Dogg Pound), there's no question who's sitting at the throne on this disc as he doesn't have his first guest appearance until track 7 (the strip club friendly "Get Loose" with Mr. Tip Drill himself, Nelly) The King of Crunk produced Stand Up" is sure to be one of the cornerstones of the album as it features Trick and the ever improving Lil Wayne. T.I. has done what many artist from the south haven't, make an album that's true to his fans, yet isn't just another "South" CD.
If you're one of those people who gauges a CD based on how many songs you have to skip, then in my opinion there are only a couple; "Limelight" featuring P$C artist Big Kuntry and depending on your tolerance for Pharrell, "Freak Though." Other than that you can expect to give your CD collection a break as "Tha King" will rule your decks for months to come.