So I’ve been disappointed by TI vs. TIP.  Haven’t listened to it for a while, even though there’s heat on it (including blackout verses from Jigga and Busta).  It’s not a bad record.  It’s just a disappointing one.
Here’s why…I can’t tell the difference between TI and TIP.
More importantly–I can’t tell the difference between this record and any of the others, save for Trap Muzik.
See, Trap Muzik is the real TI vs. TIP.  It’s the record with the song “TI vs. TIP,” after all.  But it’s also the record that clearly documents the transition he appears to want to make from the young hard head he was and the businessman he is now.  Cuts like “Doin’ My Job,” “TI vs. TIP” and “Be Better Than Me” did the job.  That album was smart, fresh and interesting.  It wasn’t as though pointing out the conflicts that cats like him have was groundbreaking stuff.  It was the way he did it, the way he made it seem so easy.
Well, now there’s this record.  When I put it on my computer, I changed all the artist tags on the files to “TI.”  They were tagged as “TI,” “TIP” and “TI vs. TIP.”  I wish I hadn’t done that, though.  I can’t tell from listening to this record which songs are the TI songs, the TIP songs, and I sure as hell can’t tell when they’re in conflict.
And you know why?  Because Tip didn’t give the concept record I thought I’d get.  I just got another TI record.  That’s not a bad thing.  I’ve liked every record he’s done.  I’ve loved three of them.
This one?  Not so much.  I’d love to give you more specifics, but I don’t feel like listening to the record.  Been like that for a couple weeks now.
But you know what’s interesting?  If he’d just called the record “5,” “Happy to be Trappy” or anything else, I’d probably be just fine with it.  Instead, I tricked myself again.  I expected an artistic breakthrough.  I’ve been expecting another Trap Muzikhe owes me $25.  But don’t get it twisted…he owes me $25.