Paper Trail
Paper Trail | ||||
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T.I. chronology | ||||
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Singles from Paper Trail | ||||
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Paper Trail is the sixth
The album features
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 568,000 copies in its first week, becoming T.I.'s highest debut sales to date, and the fourth highest debut of the year. The album was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It received generally favorable reviews from critics, and is T.I.'s most successful to date.[1] The album spawned eight singles, four of which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100, with two singles peaking at number one.
Background and recording
On November 12, 2007, while awaiting a trial for federal weapons charges, 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.[2] The album highlights his "fear, anger and guilt" as he awaited trial.[3]
T.I. recorded nearly 100 tracks during the production for Paper Trail,
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".[8] 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, in the US.[9] The album was first released on September 29, 2008, in continental Europe.[10]
Promotion
The first single released from the album was a song titled "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, which he premiered on MTV's FNMTV.[11] The song narrates T.I. rising above his misfortunes, including a prison sentence for weapon charges.[12]
On August 19, 2008, the album's
After the success of "Whatever You Like",
The album's seventh single, "
The eighth single was confirmed to be "
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 74/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [20] |
The A.V. Club | B+[21] |
Blender | [22] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[24] |
The Guardian | [25] |
MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A−[23] |
Pitchfork | 6.2/10[26] |
Rolling Stone | [27] |
Slant Magazine | [28] |
USA Today | [29] |
Paper Trail was met with positive reviews.
Commercial performance
According to
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "56 Bars (Intro)" | DJ Toomp | 3:04 | |||
2. | "I'm Illy" |
| Chuck Diesel | 4:07 | ||
3. | "Ready for Whatever" |
| Drumma Boy | 5:14 | ||
4. | "On Top of the World" (featuring B.o.B & Ludacris) |
| Nard & B | 5:00 | ||
5. | "Live Your Life" (featuring Rihanna) |
| 5:39 | |||
6. | "Whatever You Like" |
| Jim Jonsin | 4:12 | ||
7. | "No Matter What" |
| Usher ) |
| Drumma Boy | 5:13 |
9. | "Porn Star" (featuring Ricco Barrino) |
| Lil' C | 3:32 | ||
10. | "Swing Ya Rag" (featuring Swizz Beatz) |
|
| 3:20 | ||
11. | "What Up, What's Haapnin'" |
| Drumma Boy | 5:21 | ||
12. | "Every Chance I Get" |
| DJ Toomp | 4:50 | ||
13. | " M.I.A. ) |
|
| 5:28 | ||
14. | "Slide Show" (featuring John Legend) |
|
| 3:43 | ||
15. | "You Ain't Missin' Nothing" |
| Drumma Boy | 5:10 | ||
16. | "Dead and Gone" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
|
| 5:00 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
17. | "I Know You Missed Me" | 3:14 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
17. | "Collect Call" (featuring Mitchelle'l) |
| Nard & B | 4:38 |
18. | "I Know You Missed Me" |
| Two Band Geeks | 3:12 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Live Your Life" (featuring Rihanna) |
|
| 5:39 |
2. | "Dead and Gone" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
|
| 5:00 |
3. | "Whatever You Like" |
| Jim Jonsin | 4:12 |
4. | " Polow Da Don | 4:05 | ||
5. | "Hell of a Life" | 4:17 |
- Notes
- (add.) Additional production
- "Whatever You Like" and "Porn Star" features additional vocals performed by Ricco Barrino
- "Collect Call" features additional vocals performed by Mitchelle'l
- "Ready for Whatever" uses the same beat from "Thugs Need Love Too" by Rocko.
- Sample credits
- "Live Your Life" contains elements and samples of "Dragostea Din Tei" performed by O-Zone.[44]
- "Swagga Like Us" contains samples and elements of "Paper Planes" performed by M.I.A.
Personnel
- Darren Ankenman – photography
- Carol Briselli – viola (track 16)
- Greg Gigendad Burke – art direction, design
- Mike Caren – additional music producer (track 13)
- Elliott Carter – recording engineer (tracks 1–11, 14–15), assistant
- Jeff Chestek – string section recording engineer (track 16)
- Eliza Cho – violin (track 16)
- James J. Cooper III – cello (track 16)
- Andrew Dawson – audio mixing (track 13)
- Chuck Diesel – producer (track 2)
- DJ Toomp – producer (tracks 1, 12)
- Canei Finch – additional keyboards (track 5)
- Ghislaine Fleishman – violin (track 16)
- Gary Fly – audio mixing assistant (tracks 1, 12)
- Paul Foley – recording engineer (tracks 5, 16)
- John Frazier Jr. – producer (track 3, 11)
- John Frye – audio mixing (tracks 1, 12)
- Lanre Gaba – A&R
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Jason Geter – executive producer, A&R
- Christopher "Drumma Boy" Gholson – producer (tracks 3, 8, 11, 15)
- Larry Gold – conductor, string arrangements (track 16)
- Rob Gold – producer
- Josh Gudwin – assistant recording engineer (track 16), recording engineer (12)
- Brad "Dirt" Horne – recording engineer (track 6, 8), assistant
- Jean-Marie Horvat – audio mixing (track 16)
- Bryan Huynh – technician
- The Individuals – producer (track 10)
- Jim Jonsin – producer (track 6)
- Just Blaze – instrumental producer (track 5)
- Hannah Kang – A&R
- Billy Kim – producer
- Rob Knox– producer (track 16)
- Khoa Truong – engineer
- Keke Smith - production coordinator (track 1,12)
- Emma Kummrow – violin (track 16)
- Lil' C – producer (track 9)
- Sydney Margetson – photography
- Robert Marks – recording engineer, audio mixing (track 6)
- Darryl Morris – assistant recording engineer (track 8)
- Peter Nocella – viola (track 16)
- Bill Orcutt – cover illustration
- Anthony Palazzole – assistant recording engineer (track 6)
- Douglas Peterson – A&R
- Rosie Phillidor – stylist
- Brandon "B" Rackley – producer (track 4)
- Makeba Riddick – vocal producer (track 5)
- James "Nard" Rosser – producer, recording engineer (track 4)
- Marsha St. Hubert – A&R
- Stevie Salas – guitar (track 16)
- Terrell Sass – Drums, Composer (track 15)
- Ray Seay – audio mixing (tracks 2–4, 8–9, 11, 14)
- Derrick Selby – recording engineer (track 1)
- David Siegel – additional keyboards (track 6)
- Elliott Storud – producer
- Supa Engineer "Duro" (Ken Ifill) – audio mixing (track 10)
- Swizz Beatz – producer, vocals (track 10)
- Tom Syrowski – audio mixing assistant (track 16)
- Igor Szwec – violin (track 16)
- Gregory Teperman – violin (track 16)
- Justin Timberlake – producer, vocals (track 16)
- T.I.P. – executive producer
- Kanye West – producer, vocals (track 13)
- Ryan West – audio mixing (track 5)
- Elvis Williams – producer (track 14)
- Andrew Wright – tracking
- Ian Wright – cover illustration
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[68] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[69] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[70] | Gold | 7,500^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[72] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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