Album Review: T.I. "No Mercy"

Album Review:  T.I.   No Mercy

61:03     Explicit Content

Is he finally ready to portray a better image? That seems to be the only question T.I. (Clifford Harris Jr.) fans are asking upon this week’s release of his first studio album since his prison sentence, No Mercy. The Grand Hustle Records CEO stated this album may veer from his tradition style and will bring forth a more intimate look into the message he wants others to emulate. It was rumored that T.I. produced around 80 tracks for this album, but chose the ones in which he felt would best express his transformation.

The album begins with the introduction to the lifestyle that T.I. will forever dwell in – ‘Welcome To The World’ of fast cars, big cribs, and women at your disposal. With the support of G.O.O.D. members Kanye West and Kid Cudi, this track gives a raw depiction of the street life.

Next we take a glimpse back to the struggles of living in urban ATL while yearning for that coveted level of fame in ‘How Life Changed’. This can be characterized as Harris’ personal testimony of how far he has come. The track features a verse from veteran rapper Scarface.

The road to redemption continues with the confessional ‘Get Back Up’. Taking responsibility for his past shortcomings, Harris concedes to the fact he is only human but will try to represent the role model so many fans hope for him to be. It is ironic that Chris Brown is featured on the track, seeing as he too needed to convey his apologies.

Eminem joins in the studio for the collaboration ‘That’s All She Wrote’. Regardless of the judgment by others, Harris just wants to inform everyone that he still sits atop the throne in southern rap.

Solitary reflection is spilled out onto the dark ballad ‘No Mercy’. The track is followed up by a moment of divine intervention in ‘Big Picture’.

The remainder of the album is essentially T.I. telling the world, “Now, let’s get back to doing me.” Buying out the bar then going home with the finest woman in the club is standard procedure, as shown in tracks ‘Strip’, ‘Everything On Me’, and ‘Lay Me Down’.

A late collaboration with Drake (Poppin’ Bottles) seemed to have potential with a promising beat, but it lyrically falls very short.

‘Castle Walls’ serves as the ultimate message of the album. This track sums up the internal distress and feeling of entrapment that has plagued T.I. for the past decade. Though he wears his swagger loud and proud, inside he is still searching for personal fulfillment.

It’s not his greatest album, but there is a strong possibility that it gets the point across to the youth in communities that are in dire need of a role model. There is one catch. If T.I. persists in reverting back to his ways of old, then all the efforts through philanthropy and self-image reconstruction will be for loss.

So the question arises once again: Is he finally ready?

Ackrite Academy Rating:   2 Fingers