8 Things You Need To Know About T.I.’s Trouble Man

Last night in New York City, the “Kang Of The South” touched down on the Big Apple to preview his latest album, Trouble Man. Flanked by Lil Duval, David Banner, and staff from Atlantic Records, T.I. previewed his album for a small crowd of about fourteen people in a studio. 

Of the eighteen tracks that will be on the album, the Kang played about twelve of the records that will definitely make the album. “Before I allow you to stand somewhere on your high horse and point a finger back down at me, I’m going to give you a big stiff f**k you,” T.I. said to the crowd before introducing his album. “Trouble Man is that eloquent way of saying f**k you to those that deserve it.”

Get an exclusive in depth preview of eighth studio album, Trouble Man. 
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Photo: Cinegram

“Intro”

Sort of predictably, the album starts with the Marvin Gaye-sampled “Trouble Man.” The soulful introduction to the album is a stark contrast to many of T.I.’s previous introductions to his albums. As T.I. mentioned before he introduced the album to the audience, he doesn’t run from his faults. He knows he’s f**ked up, which makes this record and the introduction to the album so endearing.

 “Somebody I Used to Know” ft. B.o.B and Kendrick Lamar (Produced by Keno)

This record directly samples Gotye’s international smash single “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Aside from a few extra kicks and snares, it’s essentially a remix with new verses from K.Dot, Bobby and Tip. This record all chronicles similar yet different stories that each of the artists have had with promiscuous women from back in the day.

Most memorably, B.o.B. raps about a woman who he believed he had gotten pregnant while on the road. Tip’s protege doesn’t fall for the trap, as he reveals that a paternity test says that he is not the father. Word to Maury. Kendrick Lamar spoke about this record on the radio with the L.A. Leakers, and as usual he takes over the track with his own unique style. Definitely a standout record and a more upbeat version of the smash single.

“Wildside” ft. A$AP Rocky (Produced By No I.D.)

This is song slows down the pace of the album over some excellent production from No I.D. This is a reflective song where T.I. looks back at how far he’s come from “being a 19-year-old with two felonies” to becoming an international rap (and television) superstar.

“I’m making an attempt to take vintage T.I., you know Trap Muzik, vintage KING s**t. Trying to take that sound and blend it to the new sound of more mainstream, commercially accepted music, a la Paper Trail. That is my intention,” says T.I. “This record is a hybrid.”

A$AP Rocky shines on this record, and honestly, may sound better off as an A$AP record than a T.I. record simply because of the pace of the song. However, it is still a very good record to drive to.

“Trouble Man” Ft. R. Kelly (Produced By DJ Monte)

“We love R.Kelly, he’s a true genius and a phenomenal mind,” T.I. said about the R&B king. The title track of the album is not exactly what one may have expected. R.Kelly croons to the ladies on this one and asks “Could you learn to love a trouble man?”

Again, T.I. doesn’t hide from his faults and admits that “The danger is so enticing to me.” The message in this song is that it takes a special type of woman to love a guy like the Kang and R. Kelly. This song is really going to appeal to many of men who are admitted f**k-ups, but still want to be loved anyway. R.Kelly absolutely murders this bridge and takes us to church with a little bit of a soul clap. Another very, very, good record.

“Guns And Roses” ft. Pink (Produced By T-Minus)

Remember when Pink was a soulful R&B singer that would sing about “most girls that want the man with the bling-bling?” Well that girl may not ever come back, but she made a quick cameo in T.I.’s standout pop record, “Guns And Roses.” Produced masterfully by T.Minus, Pink uses those trademark pipes to belt out this song about loving a person so much and feeling so much passion for them, you don’t know if you want to kiss them or kill them. “Have you ever loved someone so much that you hate them,” Tip asks in the song. This is another truly exceptional record, which has the most crossover appeal of any song on Trouble Man. Probably as close to a “Live Your Life,” featuring Rihanna that Tip has gotten in quite a long time. This is a homerun.

“Sorry” ft. André 3000 and Stacy Barthe (Produced by Jazze Pha)

“As we started trying to get a record done together, we would play records and talk, but we never got into a positive mood to get it done,” T.I. says about his long-awaited collaboration with Andre 3000. “So basically six years later, I get a call and he’s ready. Basically, he s**t on me on my own record,” he concludes bluntly.

“You didn’t change your verse?” asks Lil Duval. “Because he…you know…s**tted on you.”

“The reason why I didn’t change it is because it’s lightning in a bottle. The things he’s saying and the relevance it has to all of our lives, there is no way to get over that. It had to be said,” T.I. added.

Boy, was he correct. Andre Three Stacks goes bananas on this record and keeps it completely honest about himself and his self imposed reclusiveness.Andre spits in a memorable verse:

“This the type of s**t that make you call up your momma and say i’m sorry for begging her for all the clothes you couldn’t afford. And this the type of s**t to make you call your rap partner and say ‘i’m sorry, i’m awkward my fault for f**king up the tour.’ I hated all the attention so I ran from it. I’m a grown @$$ man, you know I don’t care about no damn money, but we try so hard just to stars just to dodge from it.”

Powerful stuff here, and explains why you probably won’t get a 3000 solo project for a minute. And yes, T.I., he did s**t on you on your own record. I’m glad you said it first.

  “How Wonderful Life Is” ft. Akon (Produced by Sanchez)

This might be the deepest record on the album. On this record, T.I. raps from the perspective of his fallen best friend Philant Johnson and T.I.’s father. Tip got visually choked up while playing this record, as he speaks on what he believe Phil would say to him as he was looking down on him from heaven. As it has been widely reported, the death of Philant Johnson had a lot to do with T.I.’s recent transgressions with the law. The man who died protecting his life,  is a long standing inspiration in T.I.P.’s music and it is present on this record. Akon’s hauting chorus on this song brings it all together.

Overall

T.I.’s main goal in creating this album is creating the next level of what Paper Trail was, and for the most part he accomplishes this. The great news about this album is that it will make you quickly forget about the disappointment that No Mercy was and will answer the questions on if T.I. can still bring it on records. Obviously on record with DJ Toomp, he shines but his growing chemistry with Toronto producer T-Minus shouldn’t be ignored.

Although every single one of his triumphs and failures have been put on the television for the world to see, he defends why he continues to rap about the “trap.” “Why can’t I talk about it,” asks T.I. rhetorically. “I paid the price and learned the lessons from it, so nobody has more right to talk about it than me. It doesn’t mean because I experience it that I now no longer have the right to speak on it.”

When I asked how he continues to put out this image although we see him as a family man and husband on The Family Hustle, T.I. retorts “To expect me to be one way every time you see me is to expect me to be a one-dimensional man. Which I’ve never been. I’ve always applauded my efforts to remain diverse and multi-faceted, does that make me less than? Contrary.”

Indeed. In a world where everything an artist does is scrutinized, the Kang embraces his troubled past and puts it out on front street. He doesn’t make you feel sorry for him at all, since he continues to talk about the things that got him in trouble, but you understand him.

For an artist, that’s all you can ask for.