The Legend Is Back Running Atlanta, this stands for the title of the eleventh studio album for Clifford Harris Jr. aka T.I. It's his first independent album, released by his Grand Hustle and EMPIRE. Production is handled by almost 40 different producers, including Hitmaka, 9th Wonder, Cardiak, DJ Cubeatz, David Banner and Juicy J. Most beatmakers are amateurs. Among the guests, Tokyo Jetz, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Snoop Dogg, Rapsody, Conway, Rick Ross, Domani, Benny, Jadakiss, Killer Mike, John Legend and 21 Savage stand out.
The record spans 20 tracks and 68 minutes overall: it's too long and bloated, the rapper can't go straight for over an hour just doing rap, so he adds several rnb fillers and mixes trap and rap quite randomly. The production is pleasantly accessible and commercial, often light, but overall weak: T.I. he's not inspired in the execution of his material, he brings out generic lyrics and most of the songs are average, only the goodness and quality of the external performances allow the songs to rise above mediocrity.
Among the guests who succeed in this task are Tokyo Jetz, Lil Baby killing his spot, Snoop Dogg stealing the show on the sixth track, Conway, almost unfit on a decent trap beat, but flowing better than the other two rappers, Rick Ross, hardcore even on a soft trap rhythm, Domani, the son of T.I. offering a straight performance not caring about rhythm and metric, Eric Bellinger & Killer Mike both going strong on a melodic trap beat, John Legend with his typical chorus and 21 Savage in the last joint of the tape, before Deyjah Harris, T.I.'s daughter, who closes the LP. Among the best guests, obviously also Benny & Jadakiss, in what is a clear highlight, a new LOX x Griselda cut on a light and melodic rhythm.
The record is a kind of style exercise for T.I., overall, it's pretty generic, average and forgettable. Putting Rapsody, one of the best rappers in recent years, to an interlude, is offensive. The record is doing well on a commercial level, top 20 among pop albums, top 10 among rap albums, third among independent records. Not recommended.
Highlights: "Hit Dogs Holla", "Pardon", "Moon Juice", "1/2 Ticket", "Respect the Code", "Make Amends", "How I Feel", "We Did It Big", "Thank God".
Rating: 5.5/10.
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