Paper Trail
Encyclopedia
Paper Trail is the sixth studio album
by American hip hop
artist T.I.
, released September 30, 2008 on Grand Hustle Records
and Atlantic Records
. 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 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) on August 27, 2009. It received generally favorable reviews from critics, and is T.I.'s most successful album to date. The album spawned four singles, all of which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100
, two peaking at number one. The track "Every Chance I Get" was featured on the promotional trailer for Armored
starring Columbus Short
.
. 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.
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 was "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 the success of "Whatever You Like", iTunes
published the release dates for 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 Paper Trail and debuted in 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 jumped 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
."
The fourth main single was 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 charted by Billboard before the announcement of the single. The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 27, 2009. Overall, eight songs from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100 including the four main singles, "56 Bars (Intro)", "I'm Illy", "Ready for Whatever", and "My Life Your Entertainment" despite not being singles and a music video was released for the song "Slide Show" which highlighted a photo collage that followed T.I.'s career as a recording artist.
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 was released on May 14, 2009 as "Don't Forget" which featured a chorus sung by Mary J. Blige
. The final version was released on May 26, 2009, titled "Remember Me
". A video was filmed before his prison sentence 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".
, 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 over 2 million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum
by the RIAA
. The album received many award nominations and wins including a nomination for 'Best Rap Album' and winning 'Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group' for "Swagga Like Us
" at the 51st Grammy Awards
, the album won 'CD of the Year' at the 2009 BET Hip Hop Awards and "Dead and Gone
" was nominated for 'Best Rap/Sung Collaboration' and 'Best Rap Song' at the 52nd Grammy Awards
.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 74, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Several critics 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". However, McBee 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". Sharing a similar sentiment, 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".
Newsday
s Glen Gamboa gave Paper Trail a B rating and commented that "[T.I.] is still bouncing between pop-leaning hip-hop anthems [...] and spare, often violent, tales of crime and brutality". 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." Shannon Barbour of 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." In his consumer guide for MSN Music
, critic Robert Christgau
called Paper Trail an "expediently excessive piece of rich-get-richer" and gave it an A- rating, indicating "the kind of garden-variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction. Anyone open to its aesthetic will enjoy more than half its tracks".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, released September 30, 2008 on Grand Hustle Records
Grand Hustle Records
Grand Hustle Records is an Atlanta, Georgia-based record label formed in 2003 by Clifford "T.I." Harris and Jason Geter. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Artists:*P$C...
and Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. 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
I'm Serious
I'm Serious is the debut studio album by American rapper T.I., released on October 9, 2001 through Arista Records. The album spawned the eponymous single, which featured Jamaican reggae entertainer Beenie Man. His debut single, "I'm Serious," was released on June 26, 2001...
.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, 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
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) on August 27, 2009. It received generally favorable reviews from critics, and is T.I.'s most successful album to date. The album spawned four singles, all of which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, two peaking at number one. The track "Every Chance I Get" was featured on the promotional trailer for Armored
Armored (film)
Armored is a 2009 American crime thriller film directed by Nimród Antal, written by first-time screenwriter James V. Simpson, and starring Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne, Amaury Nolasco, Milo Ventimiglia, Skeet Ulrich, and Columbus Short...
starring Columbus Short
Columbus Short
Columbus Keith Short, Jr. is an American choreographer, actor, and singer. He choreographed Britney Spears's Onyx Hotel Tour and worked with Brian Friedman...
.
Background
On November 13, 2007, while awaiting 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 SeriousI'm Serious
I'm Serious is the debut studio album by American rapper T.I., released on October 9, 2001 through Arista Records. The album spawned the eponymous single, which featured Jamaican reggae entertainer Beenie Man. His debut single, "I'm Serious," was released on June 26, 2001...
. 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
No Matter What (T.I. song)
"No Matter What" is a song by rapper T.I. off his album Paper Trail. It was released as a promotional track for the album on April 29, 2008, with its eventual release onto the iTunes store on May 6. The song was nominated at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video...
" 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
B.o.B
Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. , better known by his stage name B.o.B, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is currently signed under the labels of Grand Hustle Records, Rebel Rock Entertainment, and Atlantic Records. His debut single "Nothin' on You" reached number one in both...
and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, 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.
Songs
T.I. recorded nearly 100 tracks during the production for the album, including a collaboration with Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
on a track entitled "Out in the Cold". However the song was left out of the final cut, but T.I. told MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
that he may add some of the cut tracks to his next album. The first promo single from the album was "No Matter What
No Matter What (T.I. song)
"No Matter What" is a song by rapper T.I. off his album Paper Trail. It was released as a promotional track for the album on April 29, 2008, with its eventual release onto the iTunes store on May 6. The song was nominated at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video...
". It was posted on StreetCred
StreetCred
StreetCred was a social networking website focusing on the hip-hop culture. The site is made up of those who identify with the hip-hop culture, including artists, producers and fans. There are tools and features to allow them to interact, and view user-generated content as well as content provided...
'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
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
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
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
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 the success of "Whatever You Like", iTunes
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
published the release dates for upcoming promo singles, including the song "Swing Ya Rag
Swing Ya Rag
"Swing Ya Rag" is the second promo single from T.I.'s sixth studio album Paper Trail. It features vocals and production by Swizz Beatz.The song was released on iTunes on August 26, 2008. The song was performed at the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards. The song was also performed at the 2009 New Year's Eve...
" on August 26, "What Up, What's Haapnin'
What Up, What's Haapnin'
"What Up, What's Haapnin", is the third Promo single from T.I.'s sixth studio album Paper Trail. The track was produced by Drumma Boy and was released for digital download on September 2. The song peaked at eighty four on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number ninety seven Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart...
" on September 2 and "Ready for Whatever" on September 23, 2008.
On August 22, 2008, the songs "Like I Do" featuring The-Dream
The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
, "Let My Beat Pound", "My Life Your Entertainment" featuring Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, and "Swagga Like Us
Swagga Like Us
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by rappers T.I. and Jay-Z, released as the second single from T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail. It was slated to appear on Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3; however he later confirmed all songs with Auto-Tune were removed from the album. It was released on September 6, 2008....
" were all leaked to the internet. "Swagga Like Us", a song with T.I., Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
- which samples "Paper Planes
Paper Planes (song)
"Paper Planes" is a song recorded by musician M.I.A. for her second studio album Kala released in 2007. The song was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer and produced by Diplo with additional production by Switch...
" by M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
- was then released as a single for Paper Trail and debuted in the Hot 100 at number five. The album's third main single, "Live Your Life
Live Your Life
"Live Your Life" is a song by American rapper T.I., and the third single, from his sixth studio album Paper Trail. It was released as the third single from the album on September 23, 2008. The song features Barbadian pop singer Rihanna, and was produced by Just Blaze and Canei Finch. It officially...
" featuring Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
, broke the record for biggest leap to number one, when it jumped 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
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's "Touch My Body
Touch My Body
"Touch My Body" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her eleventh studio album, E=MC² . It was written and produced by Carey, along with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Crystal "Cri$tyle" Johnson and Terius "The Dream" Nash, and was released as the album's lead single on...
."
The fourth main single was confirmed to be "Dead and Gone
Dead and Gone
-Remixes:*"Things Gotta Change" - Avery Storm*"When We Rock" - Bone Thugs-n-Harmony*"I Don't Like White People" - Rucka Rucka Ali-Cover versions:...
" featuring Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
by co-producer Rob Knox. T.I. later confirmed the release of the single. The song was charted by Billboard before the announcement of the single. The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 27, 2009. Overall, eight songs from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100 including the four main singles, "56 Bars (Intro)", "I'm Illy", "Ready for Whatever", and "My Life Your Entertainment" despite not being singles and a music video was released for the song "Slide Show" which highlighted a photo collage that followed T.I.'s career as a recording artist.
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-DreamThe-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
and "My Dear" featuring Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
were two possible tracks. Rob Knox, the co-producer of "Dead and Gone
Dead and Gone
-Remixes:*"Things Gotta Change" - Avery Storm*"When We Rock" - Bone Thugs-n-Harmony*"I Don't Like White People" - Rucka Rucka Ali-Cover versions:...
", 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
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
.
The first single was released on May 14, 2009 as "Don't Forget" which featured a chorus sung by Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
. The final version was released on May 26, 2009, titled "Remember Me
Remember Me (T.I. song)
-Charts:-References:...
". A video was filmed before his prison sentence by Erik White
Erik White
Erik White is an American director, primarily with music videos. He directed the 2010 comedy film Lottery Ticket, starring rappers Ice Cube and Bow Wow. White is also the nephew of music video director Hype Williams....
. T.I. stated two other possible song choices including the collaboration with Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
entitled "Out in the Cold" and the original version of "On Top of the World" with Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
instead of Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
. A video for "Hell of a Life
Hell of a Life
-Charts:...
" 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
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
told MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
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".
Track list
- Live Your LifeLive Your Life"Live Your Life" is a song by American rapper T.I., and the third single, from his sixth studio album Paper Trail. It was released as the third single from the album on September 23, 2008. The song features Barbadian pop singer Rihanna, and was produced by Just Blaze and Canei Finch. It officially...
(feat. RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
) - Dead and GoneDead and Gone-Remixes:*"Things Gotta Change" - Avery Storm*"When We Rock" - Bone Thugs-n-Harmony*"I Don't Like White People" - Rucka Rucka Ali-Cover versions:...
(feat. Justin TimberlakeJustin TimberlakeJustin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
) - Whatever You Like
- Remember MeRemember Me (T.I. song)-Charts:-References:...
(feat. Mary J. Blige) - Hell of a LifeHell of a Life-Charts:...
Commercial performance
According to Nielsen SoundScanNielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
, 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
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
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 over 2 million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. The album received many award nominations and wins including a nomination for 'Best Rap Album' and winning 'Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group' for "Swagga Like Us
Swagga Like Us
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by rappers T.I. and Jay-Z, released as the second single from T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail. It was slated to appear on Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3; however he later confirmed all songs with Auto-Tune were removed from the album. It was released on September 6, 2008....
" at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
, the album won 'CD of the Year' at the 2009 BET Hip Hop Awards and "Dead and Gone
Dead and Gone
-Remixes:*"Things Gotta Change" - Avery Storm*"When We Rock" - Bone Thugs-n-Harmony*"I Don't Like White People" - Rucka Rucka Ali-Cover versions:...
" was nominated for 'Best Rap/Sung Collaboration' and 'Best Rap Song' at the 52nd Grammy Awards
52nd Grammy Awards
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year on January 29, two days prior to the Grammy telecast. Only ten of the 109 awards were received during the broadcast...
.
Critical response
Paper Trail received positive reviews from most music critics. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 74, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Several critics praised the production on the album; Andy Kellman of Allmusic noted that DJ Toomp
DJ Toomp
Aldrin Davis, better known as DJ Toomp, is an award-winning American record producer and DJ who works in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1980s he was MC Shy-D's DJ and went on tour with him and the 2 Live Crew as they performed at various venues across the country with other artists such as N.W.A...
'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.
T.I. vs. T.I.P.
T.I. vs. T.I.P. is the fifth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on July 3, 2007 through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album only took a year in a half to record towards earliy-2007, T.I. stated and confirmed in an interview with MTV News...
. Margeaux Watson of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said that the "outstanding production" proved that T.I. "still knows how to have a good time". Wilson McBee of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
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". However, McBee felt that the songs that were directly about T.I.'s prison sentence for weapons charges ("No Matter What
No Matter What (T.I. song)
"No Matter What" is a song by rapper T.I. off his album Paper Trail. It was released as a promotional track for the album on April 29, 2008, with its eventual release onto the iTunes store on May 6. The song was nominated at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video...
", "Ready for Whatever") were among the weakest on the album, saying that "admitting guilt, making excuses and expressing no regrets falls flat". Sharing a similar sentiment, Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called the songs "mostly dispenses with the Tupac
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
-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".
Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
s Glen Gamboa gave Paper Trail a B rating and commented that "[T.I.] is still bouncing between pop-leaning hip-hop anthems [...] and spare, often violent, tales of crime and brutality". Michael Saba of Paste
Paste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
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." Shannon Barbour of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
said that, "Regardless of the outcome of reality, Paper Trail is a solid combination of rhyme, repentance, swagger and substance." People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine gave the album four out of four stars, saying that the album was "a near-perfect hip-hop album for 2008." In his consumer guide for MSN Music
MSN Music
MSN Music was a part of the MSN web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. In 2004, Microsoft created an MSN Music download store to compete with Apple's iTunes Music Store, though its sales in comparison were...
, critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
called Paper Trail an "expediently excessive piece of rich-get-richer" and gave it an A- rating, indicating "the kind of garden-variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction. Anyone open to its aesthetic will enjoy more than half its tracks".
Track listing
Sample credits- "Live Your Life" – Contains a sample from "Dragostea din teiDragostea din tei"Dragostea din tei" , also informally known as "The Numa Numa Song" , is the most successful single by the Moldovan pop group O-Zone, sung in Romanian. It shot to the number one spot on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it remained for 12 weeks between June and early September 2004...
" by O-ZoneO-ZoneO-Zone was a Romania/Moldovan pop music trio that was active from 1998 to 2005 and consisted of Dan Bălan, Radu Sîrbu, and Arsenie Todiraş. The group gained global popularity with their song "Dragostea din tei" and their subsequent album DiscO-Zone....
. - "Whatever You Like" – Contains a sample from "Redemption" by Bill ContiBill ContiWilliam "Bill" Conti is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:...
. - "What Up, What's Haapnin'" – Contains samples of "Never Give You Up" by Harvey MasonHarvey MasonHarvey William Mason is an American jazz drummer. He has worked with many jazz and fusion artists such as Bob James, The Brecker Brothers, Lee Ritenour, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters and almost all the Mizell Brothers productions with Donald Byrd, Johnny Hammond, Bobbi Humphrey and Gary Bartz...
. - "Swagga Like Us" – Contains a sample from "Paper PlanesPaper Planes"Paper Planes" is a song recorded by musician M.I.A. for her second studio album Kala released in 2007. The song was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer and produced by Diplo with additional production by Switch...
" by M.I.A.M.I.A. (artist)Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
.
Personnel
- Darren Ankenman – photography
- Carol Briselli – viola
- Greg Gigendad Burke – art direction, design
- Mike CarenMike CarenMike Caren is an American Record Producer, Executive Vice President of A&R for Atlantic Records and Co-President of Elektra Records. After completing jobs with SRC/Loud Records and Ruthless Records, he started his career at Atlantic in 1995 at the age of seventeen as Manager of Rap Marketing for...
– producer - Elliott Carter – engineer, assistant
- Jeff Chestek – string engineer
- Eliza Cho – violin
- James J. Cooper III – cello
- Andrew Dawson – mixing
- Chuck Diesel – producer
- DJ ToompDJ ToompAldrin Davis, better known as DJ Toomp, is an award-winning American record producer and DJ who works in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1980s he was MC Shy-D's DJ and went on tour with him and the 2 Live Crew as they performed at various venues across the country with other artists such as N.W.A...
– 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" GholsonDrumma BoyChristopher James Gholson, better known by his stage name Drumma Boy, is a multi-platinum award winning record producer and rapper from Memphis, Tennessee.-Early life:...
– producer - Larry Gold – conductor, string arrangements
- Rob Gold – producer
- Josh Gudwin – assistant, engineer
- Brad "Dirt" Horne – engineer, assistant
- Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing
- Bryan Huynh – technician
- Individuals – producer
- Jim JonsinJim JonsinJames Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
– producer - Just BlazeJust BlazeJustin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
– producer - Hannah Kang – A&R
- Billy Kim - producer
- 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
- Elliott Storud - producer
- Supa Engineer "Dupa" – mixing
- Swizz BeatzSwizz BeatzKasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
– producer - Tom Syrowski – assistant
- Igor Szwec – violin
- Gregory Teperman – violin
- Justin TimberlakeJustin TimberlakeJustin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
– producer - T.I.P.T.I.P.-Credits:Mastering*Eric Conn*Don CobbMixing*Eric SchillingDesign*Blake FranklinPerformer*Rizin' Sun-*Smoov Jizzell-Chart performance:...
– executive producer - Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
– producer - Ryan West – mixing
- Elvis Williams – producer
- Andrew Wright – tracking
- Ian Wright – cover illustration
- Terrell Sass - drums
Chart positions
| Chart (2008/2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
16 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
2 |
| Belgian Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... Albums (Flanders) |
86 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
60 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
51 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
34 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
14 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
9 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
34 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
46 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
42 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Rap Albums | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Digital Albums | 1 |
Certifications
| Territory | Certifier | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Platinum |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
2× Platinum |
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
September 26, 2008 |
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
September 30, 2008 |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
November 24, 2008 |
| South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
December 29, 2008 |
| Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic... |
December 30, 2008 |
External links
- Paper Trail at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Paper Trail at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...