The Rundown: T.I.'s Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head

A track-by-track review of Tip's fiery new album.

T.I., Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head - After years of legal troubles and underwhelming musical output, many questioned if the one-time self-proclaimed King of the South was worthy of the throne. But on Trouble Man, his first album after his second prison stay in two years, T.I. sounds as hungry as ever, with the agile flow, brash delivery and trap-focused content that put him on the map in the first place. (Photo: Atlantic Records)

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The Rundown: T.I.'s Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head - It's been two years since T.I. last dropped an album, but it seems a lot longer. So much has happened since 2010's No Mercy. Tip served nine months at Forrest City Correctional Facility in Arkansas for a probation violation. He's leaked several songs and collabos, but none of them matched the quality of his pre-prison work, leading to whispers that the self-proclaimed King of the South was losing his grip on the crown. So, needless to say, on his new album, Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head, Tip has a lot on his mind, and a lot to prove. But does he prove it? Read on for our track-by-track breakdown of T.I.'s new album to find out. —Alex Gale (Photo: Grand Hustle/Atlantic)

"The Introduction" - You knew this mash-up had to happen at some point: T.I. rhyming over a tastefully flipped sample from the 1972 Marvin Gaye classic that he named his album after. "I am who I am, fresh out of apologies, sometimes I ain't get in trouble, trouble got in me," T.I. raps hungrily over a busy bass line and Gaye's sampled cries, eager to confront his all-too-recent criminal past.  (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)

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"The Introduction" - You knew this mash-up had to happen at some point: T.I. rhyming over a tastefully flipped sample from the 1972 Marvin Gaye classic that he named his album after. "I am who I am, fresh out of apologies, sometimes I ain't get in trouble, trouble got in me," T.I. raps hungrily over a busy bass line and Gaye's sampled cries, eager to confront his all-too-recent criminal past.  (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)

"G Season" feat. Meek Mill - With two years of prison stays but no impactful music, T.I. understandably bursts out with a major chip on his shoulder on "G Season." Though Tip's sing-songy delivery doesn't meld with the action-movie Cardiak beat as well as guest Meek Mill's signature yelps, his lyrics are as deadly as ever: "Tell them suckers to beat it / Don't f--k with me busta, trust me, your future will be deleted." (Photo: Twitter/meekmill)

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"G Season" feat. Meek Mill - With two years of prison stays but no impactful music, T.I. understandably bursts out with a major chip on his shoulder on "G Season." Though Tip's sing-songy delivery doesn't meld with the action-movie Cardiak beat as well as guest Meek Mill's signature yelps, his lyrics are as deadly as ever: "Tell them suckers to beat it / Don't f--k with me busta, trust me, your future will be deleted." (Photo: Twitter/meekmill)

"Trap Back Jumpin" - Prison doesn't make T.I. shy away from the signature topic of his earlier work, the one that made him King of the South: the trap. Along with Jeezy, Tip was the voice of Down South D-boys in the early- to mid-2000s, and helped create the epic, elbow-throwing, 808-filled sound of so-called "trap music." T.I., eager to recapture that early magic, goes back to the sound and subject that made him, and sounds refreshed in the process: "It time to get them bricks outta that bag, put that scale back on that desk / Sit that VisionWare on that stove, next to that baking soda and Pyrex," he growls. (Photo: Grand Hustle/Atlantic)

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"Trap Back Jumpin" - Prison doesn't make T.I. shy away from the signature topic of his earlier work, the one that made him King of the South: the trap. Along with Jeezy, Tip was the voice of Down South D-boys in the early- to mid-2000s, and helped create the epic, elbow-throwing, 808-filled sound of so-called "trap music." T.I., eager to recapture that early magic, goes back to the sound and subject that made him, and sounds refreshed in the process: "It time to get them bricks outta that bag, put that scale back on that desk / Sit that VisionWare on that stove, next to that baking soda and Pyrex," he growls. (Photo: Grand Hustle/Atlantic)

"Wildside" feat. A$AP Rocky - After a skit that seemingly details one of T.I.'s pre-fame police run-ins (later interludes directly reference some of his more recent troubles), Tip again defiantly highlights his corner credentials, toasting the high life with help from a tastefully Auto-tuned hook, a bluesy, surprisingly Southern-sounding No I.D. beat and a verse from in-demand guest A$AP Rocky. (Photos from left: Christie Goodwin/Redferns via Getty Images, Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

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"Wildside" feat. A$AP Rocky - After a skit that seemingly details one of T.I.'s pre-fame police run-ins (later interludes directly reference some of his more recent troubles), Tip again defiantly highlights his corner credentials, toasting the high life with help from a tastefully Auto-tuned hook, a bluesy, surprisingly Southern-sounding No I.D. beat and a verse from in-demand guest A$AP Rocky. (Photos from left: Christie Goodwin/Redferns via Getty Images, Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

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"Ball" feat. Lil Wayne - Moving from his grimy pre-rap struggles to the gilded rap-star life he enjoyed before his recent prison stays, T.I. celebrates with another Southern royal, Lil Wayne, over a driving Rico Love beat. But the celebration is cut short by Weezy, who, much like his other recent guest verses, seems to be running on fumes.   (Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

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"Ball" feat. Lil Wayne - Moving from his grimy pre-rap struggles to the gilded rap-star life he enjoyed before his recent prison stays, T.I. celebrates with another Southern royal, Lil Wayne, over a driving Rico Love beat. But the celebration is cut short by Weezy, who, much like his other recent guest verses, seems to be running on fumes.   (Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

"Sorry" feat. Andre 3000 - This song had lyric lovers salivating when it leaked a few weeks ago, and it still stands out on Trouble Man. Jazze Pha re-emerges to drop a cinematic beat with cascading piano, thumping bass and kinetic high hats, the perfect vehicle for incredible verses from T.I. and fellow Atlanta legend Andre 3000. Tip flies here, but Andre is on another planet, the only guest that manages to steal the spotlight from the reinvigorated host.  (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

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"Sorry" feat. Andre 3000 - This song had lyric lovers salivating when it leaked a few weeks ago, and it still stands out on Trouble Man. Jazze Pha re-emerges to drop a cinematic beat with cascading piano, thumping bass and kinetic high hats, the perfect vehicle for incredible verses from T.I. and fellow Atlanta legend Andre 3000. Tip flies here, but Andre is on another planet, the only guest that manages to steal the spotlight from the reinvigorated host.  (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

"Can You Learn" feat. R. Kelly - R. Kelly's soaring singing and a soulful beat punctuated by tuned 808s, free-falling snares and vocal samples help T.I. deliver another winner here. But the real revelation is the skit on top, Tip's side of the story behind his infamous 2007 arrest for weapons possession.  (Photos from left: Rick Diamond/Getty Images, Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

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"Can You Learn" feat. R. Kelly - R. Kelly's soaring singing and a soulful beat punctuated by tuned 808s, free-falling snares and vocal samples help T.I. deliver another winner here. But the real revelation is the skit on top, Tip's side of the story behind his infamous 2007 arrest for weapons possession.  (Photos from left: Rick Diamond/Getty Images, Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

"Go Get It" - You can hear the hunger pangs on "Go Get It," which finds T.I. in his wheelhouse, devouring a bouncy T-Minus beat with a raspy, cocky delivery and nimble flow. Tip's rhymes seemed to have developed a bit of rust on his first post-prison songs, but he successfully wipes it off here. (Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)

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"Go Get It" - You can hear the hunger pangs on "Go Get It," which finds T.I. in his wheelhouse, devouring a bouncy T-Minus beat with a raspy, cocky delivery and nimble flow. Tip's rhymes seemed to have developed a bit of rust on his first post-prison songs, but he successfully wipes it off here. (Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)

"Guns and Roses" feat. Pink - T.I. reaches for the elusive pop-hit brass ring here, boosted by a hook from Pink and one of T-Minus's brightest, most melodic beats. It's no "Live Your Life," that's for sure, but with Tip's introspective lyrics and Pink's powerful pipes, it doesn't detract from his hungry comeback mission. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Guns and Roses" feat. Pink - T.I. reaches for the elusive pop-hit brass ring here, boosted by a hook from Pink and one of T-Minus's brightest, most melodic beats. It's no "Live Your Life," that's for sure, but with Tip's introspective lyrics and Pink's powerful pipes, it doesn't detract from his hungry comeback mission. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"The Way We Ride" - T.I. steps out of his comfort zone with his sung hook over the woozy next-millennium Houston lean of the Futuristiks production, but it works. "Top down, ride clean," the screwed sample on the hook repeats, and this is the perfect song for just that.  (Photo: Courtesy James Ravenell/Hot 97)

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"The Way We Ride" - T.I. steps out of his comfort zone with his sung hook over the woozy next-millennium Houston lean of the Futuristiks production, but it works. "Top down, ride clean," the screwed sample on the hook repeats, and this is the perfect song for just that.  (Photo: Courtesy James Ravenell/Hot 97)

"Cruisin'" - T.I. goes to H-Town again on "Cruisin'," but this time he's on the wrong side of the tracks, channeling Kirko Bangz' Auto-tune crooning rather than UGK's hard lean. The result is the album's first real misstep. We know every rapper thinks they can sing ever since 808s & Heartbreak, but we thought Tip knew better.  (Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)

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"Cruisin'" - T.I. goes to H-Town again on "Cruisin'," but this time he's on the wrong side of the tracks, channeling Kirko Bangz' Auto-tune crooning rather than UGK's hard lean. The result is the album's first real misstep. We know every rapper thinks they can sing ever since 808s & Heartbreak, but we thought Tip knew better.  (Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)

"Addresses" - T.I. recovers from "Cruisin'" by going to war on "Addresses." He's said in interviews that this song is a diss, though he refused to say who it's addressing. Whoever the target is, best believe they're smarting — Tip lands some major body blows here.   (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

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"Addresses" - T.I. recovers from "Cruisin'" by going to war on "Addresses." He's said in interviews that this song is a diss, though he refused to say who it's addressing. Whoever the target is, best believe they're smarting — Tip lands some major body blows here.   (Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

"Hello" feat. Pharrell - A hook from Cee-Lo and a beat from Pharrell— you'd figure this song would be a highlight, but it doesn't live up to the A-list guest list. The song is about trying to leave the haters behind, but the limp beat only gives them more fodder. T.I. is trying to be positive here, and you can't blame him, but that just isn't his lane.  (Photo: R. Diamond/WireImage)

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"Hello" feat. Pharrell - A hook from Cee-Lo and a beat from Pharrell— you'd figure this song would be a highlight, but it doesn't live up to the A-list guest list. The song is about trying to leave the haters behind, but the limp beat only gives them more fodder. T.I. is trying to be positive here, and you can't blame him, but that just isn't his lane.  (Photo: R. Diamond/WireImage)

"Who Want Some" - Luckily, T.I. has another snarl or two left. Reuniting with DJ Toomp, the ATL vet who produced many of his formative trap anthems, Tip recalls his cocky, kingly prime over the hard-hitting 808s and dramatic string samples. (Photo: Rahav Segev/Getty Images)

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"Who Want Some" - Luckily, T.I. has another snarl or two left. Reuniting with DJ Toomp, the ATL vet who produced many of his formative trap anthems, Tip recalls his cocky, kingly prime over the hard-hitting 808s and dramatic string samples. (Photo: Rahav Segev/Getty Images)

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"Wonderful Life" feat. Akon - Another skit recalls another harrowing moment from his past—this time the 2006 shooting of his friend and assistant Philant Johnson after a show—before T.I. unveils some of his most personal lyrics yet. He seems to rap as Johnson from behind the grave, then addresses his son and his late father.  (Photos from left: Jeff Daly/PictureGroup, John Ricard/BET)

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"Wonderful Life" feat. Akon - Another skit recalls another harrowing moment from his past—this time the 2006 shooting of his friend and assistant Philant Johnson after a show—before T.I. unveils some of his most personal lyrics yet. He seems to rap as Johnson from behind the grave, then addresses his son and his late father.  (Photos from left: Jeff Daly/PictureGroup, John Ricard/BET)

"Hallelujah" - T.I. finally addresses his dark prison days on the album's closer, and it's hard not to be touched. Its vital back story explains what fueled the furious, take-no-prisoners performances Tip delivers on some of the album's earlier highlights. Though T.I. is definitely at his best when he goes back to the trap anthems of his past, he shows here that he's learned and evolved since then. He's a more complete artist for it, and Trouble Man is a more complete album. One of the most focused efforts of his career, the album shows he's still the same Tip, but reveals a new, wiser side as well. (Photo: JPG Clifford Joseph Harris Jr/WENN)

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"Hallelujah" - T.I. finally addresses his dark prison days on the album's closer, and it's hard not to be touched. Its vital back story explains what fueled the furious, take-no-prisoners performances Tip delivers on some of the album's earlier highlights. Though T.I. is definitely at his best when he goes back to the trap anthems of his past, he shows here that he's learned and evolved since then. He's a more complete artist for it, and Trouble Man is a more complete album. One of the most focused efforts of his career, the album shows he's still the same Tip, but reveals a new, wiser side as well. (Photo: JPG Clifford Joseph Harris Jr/WENN)