On the surface, hip hop in 2003 was all about the debut of 50 Centโs Get Rich or Die Tryinโ. But on the underground side, Trap Muzik, the second album from Atlantaโs son T.I. would revolutionize southern hip hop and solidify his claim to be its King.
Clifford โT.I.โ Harris (aka Tip) made his first bold attempt for the title โKing of the Southโ on his debut album Iโm Serious. The title track where he compared himself to Jay-Z was terribly produced by The Neptunes, making T.I.โs claim laughable at best. The album was also a commercial failure which caused Arista Records to drop the young Tip from the label, sending him back to his Bankhead home.
Instead of quitting, the cocky MC returned to the streets, relentlessly dropping a series of mixtapes titled In Da Streets Vol. 1-3. With the built-up buzz, T.I. showcased his commercial potential by delivering an impressive guest verse on Bonecrusherโs โNever Scared.โ In the song, ย Tipโs passion comes through the car speakers when he yells, โI’m a Bankhead n***a, Iโll take yo cookies!โ Now with leverage, T.I. and business partner Jason Geter orchestrated a joint-venture deal with his label Grand Hustle and the label that once dropped him. The second chance made T.I. more motivated than ever, and he was prepared to prove it with his upcoming sophomore work Trap Muzik.
T.I. released his second album on August 19, 2003, and it was a transformative, genius-level work of art. A complete 180 from his debut album, I’m Serious, T.I. unapologetically went against the current trend of using popular Pharrell-sounding beats and instead went deeper into the Southern, bass-heavy, street music that made him. This second approach delivered a more biographical perspective of Tip as a human being who lived an imperfect life of drug dealing, children by multiple women, and issues with his father. T.I.โs description of the album was, โItโs information for those who canโt relate and inspiration for those who can.โ
The lead single, โ24sโ, produced by DJ Toomp, is an infectious, trap-boy, marching-band, drum anthem. โBe Easyโ blends piano with a ticking sound that compliments Tipโs wordplay so well itโs hard to remember heโs rapping about murder. Rapper/producer David Banner is the wizard behind the organ-riff hit โRubber Band Manโ, where T.I. reps his drug-dealer past (hence wearing rubber bands around the wrist). The video had celebrity cameos from Michael Vick, Usher, Jazze Pha, and Diddyโdancing, of course.
The B-sides of Trap Muzik also add to the albumโs legacy with heartbreaking songs such as โI Still Love Youโ, where Tip apologizes to his children and their mothers and admits his mistakes. โT.I. vs. T.I.P.โ is a lyrical display of the MCโs split personality, a battle between maturity and when keeping it real goes wrong. About โNo More Talkโ, T.I. says, โItโs how I feel about the industry right now, how talent is being compromised. Art is being compromised for the almighty dollar.โThe Kanye West-produced โDoinโ My Jobโ is where T.I.โs conversational flow shines as he pleads to a neighborhood lady not to call the cops because heโs just trying to make a living.
The brilliance of T.I.โs Trap Muzik is its authenticity in expressing the highs and lows of trap life without being preachy or braggadocious but still entertaining. The lyricism is elite in storytelling and wordplay without complicated rhyming metaphors. Each songโs message is clear enough for a grandparent, parent, and even a child to understand. The albumโs imprint legitimizes T.I.โs claim as King of the South, and its legacy created the groundwork for artists such as Jeezy, Gucci Mane, and Future to follow.
