Paper Trail
Paper Trail is the sixth studio album by hip hop artist T.I., released on September 30, 2008. He began to write songs for the album as he awaited trial for federal weapons and possession charges. Unlike his past albums, he wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 568,000 copies in its first week, becoming T.I.'s best debut sales to date and the fourth highest debut of the year, eventually being certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on 27 August 2009. It received generally favorable reviews from critics. It has also become T.I.'s most successful and biggest album to date. Four singles were released from the album. All reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, with two achieving the #1 position: "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life", the latter of which featured pop singer Rihanna.
Background
On November 13, 2007, while awaiting trial for federal weapons charges against him, T.I. announced he had been writing songs for a new album to be entitled Paper Trail. He wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious. The album highlights his "fear, anger and guilt" as he awaited trial.
The album was scheduled to be released in September 2008, but was subsequently moved up to an August 12 after the release of the promotional and lead single "No Matter What" and high demand of the album. At the time, T.I. said that the first single may have been "Top of the World", originally featuring B.o.B and Kanye West, explaining that the song was "a reflective song about our humble beginnings and how far we've come". The album was pushed back for a release date of September 2, then September 9 and to its final release date of September 30, 2008.
T.I. confirmed that Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Usher and John Legend were set to appear on the album in August 2008. Other confirmed guests were B.o.B, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Ludacris and Swizz Beatz. The album was produced by DJ Toomp, Drumma Boy, and Just Blaze, as well as Danja, Jim Jonsin, Kanye West and Swizz Beatz.
Songs
T.I. recorded nearly 100 tracks during the production for the album, including a collaboration with Fall Out Boy on a track entitled "Out in the Cold". However the song was left out of the final cut, but T.I. told MTV that he may add some of the cut tracks to his next album.
The first promo single from the album is "No Matter What". It was posted on StreetCred's website on April 29, 2008, as a promotional recording, then released as a single on May 6 along with a music video. The song narrates T.I. rising above his misfortunes, including a prison sentence for weapon charges.
On August 19, 2008, the first official single "Whatever You Like" was made available for digital download. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 6, 2008 and set a new record for biggest one-week jump to the top position, going from number seventy-one to number one, becoming his first number one song on the chart as a lead artist and best opening-week sales by a rap track since Nielsen SoundScan began compiling download data in 2003. T.I. announced that he was "ecstatic" and "overjoyed" after setting a record for the biggest jump to top of the Billboard Hot 100.
After "Whatever You Like", the iTunes Store published the release dates for the upcoming promo singles, including the song "Swing Ya Rag" on August 26, "What Up, What's Haapnin'" on September 2 and "Ready for Whatever" on September 23, 2008.
On August 22, 2008, the songs "Like I Do" featuring The-Dream, "Let My Beat Pound", "My Life Your Entertainment" featuring Usher, and "Swagga Like Us" were all leaked to the internet. "Swagga Like Us", a song with T.I., Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Kanye West - which samples "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. - was then released as a single for both Paper Trail and Jay-Z's future studio album The Blueprint 3, and debuted in the top five of the Hot 100, at number five.
The album's third main single, "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, broke the record for biggest leap to number one,when it vaulted from number eighty to number one on the Hot 100, giving T.I. his second Hot 100 number one as a lead artist, and Rihanna her fifth overall. The song also set a first week digital record, when it sold 334,000 digital downloads in its first week of availability, a record that was previously held by Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body." Overall, all six singles from the album have charted on the Billboard Hot 100 thus far. "56 Bars (Intro)", "I'm Illy", "Ready for Whatever", and "My Life Your Entertainment" have all been charted by Billboard despite not being singles.
The fourth main single is confirmed to be "Dead and Gone" featuring Justin Timberlake by co-producer Rob Knox. T.I. later confirmed the release of the single. The song was even charted by Billboard before the announcement of the single. The song has reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 27, 2009.
A music video for "Slide Show" has been released on August 10, 2009, featuring a video collage. It is unknown if it is an official single.
Paper Trail: Case Closed
The re-release issue of Paper Trail was scheduled to be released on August 18, 2009, and would contain five new songs. The release was tentatively titled Paper Trail: Case Closed. T.I. stated that "Like I Do" featuring The-Dream and "My Dear" featuring Ciara were two possible tracks. Rob Knox, the co-producer of "Dead and Gone", was first to announce the re-release. Knox also said that the first single off the re-release would be another song produced by himself and Justin Timberlake.
The first single off the re-release was released onto the Internet on May 14, 2009 titled "Don't Forget" featuring Mary J. Blige. The final version was released on May 26, 2009, titled "Remember Me". A video was filmed before his prison sentence and was filmed by Erik White. T.I. stated two other possible song choices including the collaboration with Fall Out Boy entitled "Out in the Cold" and the original version of "On Top of the World" with Kanye West instead of Ludacris. A video for "Hell of a Life" was shot and was to be featured on the re-release. Another song titled "The Way You Want It" was confirmed to be added to the re-release. The final version of "Hell of a Life" was released on October 1, 2009, an accompanying music video was released on October 5, 2009. The music video reflects T.I.'s career and narrates the final 24 hours before beginning his sentence for illegal weapons.
On July 14, 2009, a spokesperson for Atlantic Records told MTV that the re-release was shelved indefinitely and the additional songs will be released digitally. In July 2009, an EP was released in the UK titled Paper Trail: Case Closed EP and featured original Paper Trail singles, "Remember Me" and "Hell of a Life".
Reception
Critical response
Reviews for the album have been generally favorable. Several writers praised the production on the album; Andy Kellman of Allmusic noted that DJ Toomp's and Danja's production appearance provided "some much needed punch", which placed the album above T.I.'s previous album, T.I. vs. T.I.P.. Margeaux Watson of Entertainment Weekly said that the "outstanding production" proved that T.I. "still knows how to have a good time". Wilson McBee of Slant Magazine called the songs produced by Toomp the "vintage T.I.", describing the sound as "ecstasies of sweltering synth lines, ground-shaking 808 patterns and breathless verbalizing".
McBee of Slant Magazine felt that the songs that were directly about T.I.'s prison sentence for weapons charges ("No Matter What", "Ready for Whatever") were among the weakest on the album, saying that "admitting guilt, making excuses and expressing no regrets falls flat". Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone called the songs "mostly dispenses with the Tupac-wannabe gangsta-confessor pretensions to deliver catchy, tight, bombastic pop-rap alongside a who's-who of megastar guests", saying that T.I. was a "well-oiled hit machine who's more fun than deep".
Michael Saba of Paste said that, "Even with the burden of sloppy crossover tracks, Paper Trail has enough standout moments for T.I.’s throne to remain secure for now." About.com said that, "Regardless of the outcome of reality, Paper Trail is a solid combination of rhyme, repentance, swagger and substance." People magazine gave the album four out of four stars, saying that the album was "a near-perfect hip-hop album for 2008."
Commercial performance
According to Nielsen SoundScan, Paper Trail sold 357,000 copies in the United States in its first three days and went on to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with 568,000 copies sold, making it T.I.'s best debut to date and the fourth highest debut of the year. In its second week, the album remained at number one with sales of 177,000 copies. In its third week, the album fell to number two selling 131,000 copies. In its fourth week, the album fell to number three selling 93,427 copies. In its fifth week, the album fell to number seven selling 76,560 copies. In its sixth week, it remained at number seven, selling 68,782 copies. In its seventh week, it dropped down to number 10, selling 62,046 copies. In its eighth week, it dropped down to number 14, selling 50,587 copies. The album has sold 2 million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. The album recieved many award nominations and wins, including a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards..
Personnel
Darren Ankenman – photography
Carol Briselli – viola
Greg Gigendad Burke – art direction, design
Mike Caren – producer
Elliott Carter – engineer, assistant
Jeff Chestek – string engineer
Eliza Cho – violin
James J. Cooper III – cello
Andrew Dawson – mixing
Chuck Diesel – producer
DJ Toomp – producer
Ghislaine Fleishman – violin
Gary Fly – assistant
Paul Foley – engineer
John Frazier Jr. - producer
John Frye – mixing
Lanre Gaba – A&R
Chris Gehringer – mastering
Jason Geter – executive producer, A&R
Christopher "Drumma Boy" Gholson – producer
Larry Gold – conductor, string arrangements
Rob Gold – producer
Josh Gudwin – assistant
Josh Gurdwin – engineer
Brad "Dirt" Horne – engineer, assistant
Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing
Bryan Huynh – technician
Individuals – producer
Jim Jonsin – producer
Just Blaze – producer
Hannah Kang – A&R
Rob Knox – producer
Emma Kummrow – violin
Lil C – producer
Sydney Margetson – photography
Robert Marks – engineer, mixing
Darryl Morris – assistant
Peter Nocella – viola
Bill Orcutt – cover illustration
Anthony Palazzole – assistant
Douglas Peterson – A&R
Rosie Phillidor – stylist
Brandon "B" Rackley – producer
James "Nard" Rosser – producer, engineer
Marsha St. Hubert – A&R
Stevie Salas – guitar
Ray Seay – mixing
Derrick Selby – engineer
David Siegel – keyboards
Supa Engineer "Dupa" – mixing
Swizz Beatz – producer
Tom Syrowski – assistant
Igor Szwec – violin
Gregory Teperman – violin
Justin Timberlake – producer
T.I.P. – executive producer
Kanye West – producer
Ryan West – mixing
Elvis Williams – producer
Andrew Wright – tracking
Ian Wright – cover illustration
Terrell Sass - drums
Charts
Translation
The phrase "Paper Trail" occurs as such in the following languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish.
Translation in Japanese: ペーパー・トレイル: 真実の行方.
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