Album Review | T.I. on 10 with "Dime Trap"

"Just because it's trap music, don't mean it got to be one-dimensional"

From Eminem's Kamikaze, to Nicki Minaj's Queen, and Lil Wayne's Tha Carter V, 2018 has been huge for hip-hop. Rap titans and newcomers alike have been blanketing the charts like winter's coming, so it's only fitting that T.I.P. The Mother F**king King Harris would throw his crown into the ring before the year wrapped. Dime Trapdropped today and does not disappoint.

Being completely transparent, I'm a rabid T.I. fan and my judgement, therefore, is biased. Tip's GRAMMY Award-winning music made me want to be a rapper. His activism made me want to be a better person. His positive outlook and life philosophies could turn a Cudi to a Khaled in moments. So yeah, I've been heavily anticipating Dime Trap since he announced it in 2015, claiming it would be a spiritual sequel to his 2003 game-changer, Trap Musik. But trust me when I say this album is not the product of a jaded celebrity phoning it in, or fulfilling a contract obligation. T.I. goes in as if on a mission to prove himself to hip-hop all over again.

Right from the get-go with "Seasons (feat. Sam Hook)" we can tell he's serious as ever. "Laugh At Em" has incredible energy conjuring the ghost of "King Back" (2006). It feels like classic Tip, but it's far from a formulaic repeat. The spirit and hunger of the older work is present, but the content is new. You can tell T.I. pushed himself on this one and gave a new level of vulnerability.

"This was the first time I musically addressed some of the challenges and transgressions that I have had as a husband. I've always kind of shied away from even speaking on those types of topics in my music. … I just felt that I had to lay it out, I had to put my cards face up on the table."

"The Amazing Mr. F**k Up (feat. Victoria Monet)" is the perfect example of that. Harris raps about his failures as a man and opens up about his personal shortcomings. Perhaps T.I. took a cue from Jay Z's 4:44 (2017), in which "the T.I. of the North" broke the silence on his marital issues and even his mother's homosexuality. For me, T.I.'s last few albums, while very good, didn't have the visceral feeling Dime Trap achieves. Real talk, pahtnah, this is probably my favorite since 2008's Paper Trail, and I have that one on vinyl proudly displayed in my office.

It's not all introspection and self deprecation though. The swag is intact.

To add to the fun, Dave Chappelle narrates the album, and between songs, when the mood pivots, he chimes in with with his signature blend of humor and heart.

"Plainly put, it's like a TED talk for hustlers... the evolution of Trap Muzik. Now, Trap Muzik is just, you know, a dope boy's philosophy"

T.I. doesn't shy away from politics either. The thought leader has been making noise in that arena since last January with his open letter to the president. He then raised eyebrows in April, appearing on "Ye vs. The People (feat. T.I. as the people)," where he debates Kanye's MAGA-malarkey through lyrics. It was the closest I've come to making sense of Trump-era-Ye (and it was still pretty far). T.I. doesn't turn down on his return to the spotlight.

All in all, as a diehard fan of T.I., I'm thoroughly happy with Dime Trap and look forward to catching him on tour. Comment below, tell us your opinion of the album!

Stream & Purchase Dime Trap At:

iTunes: http://smarturl.it/DIMETRAP/itunes
Apple Music http://smarturl.it/DIMETRAP/applemusic
Spotify: http://smarturl.it/TheWeekendTI_spotify
Amazon Digital: http://smarturl.it/DIMETRAP/az
Google Play: http://smarturl.it/DIMETRAP/googleplay
Deezer: http://smarturl.it/TheWeekendTI_deezer
Pandora: http://smarturl.it/TheWeekendTI_pandora
Soundcloud: http://smarturl.it/TheWeekendTI_sc
Tidal: http://smarturl.it/TheWeekendTI_tidal
YouTube Music: http://smarturl.it/TheWeekendTI_ytm

Brent Butler is a NYC-based rapper, producer, and guitarist. He is a regular contributor to Popdust and host of Popdust Presents. Follow Brent on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | and check out his debut solo EP, | L I L A C|