The outset of “War Zone,” found on the apex of T.I.’s latest EP, Us or Else, is sprinkled with carefree piano keys that could soundtrack a sunny, Mayberry day. Abruptly, the airy music is killed, with purposeful drums and keys, and T.I.’s impassioned rhymes taking its place. “Can’t you see we living in a war zone?/Guess you don’t know when you livin’ in it/Like every weekend it’s a man down/Ain’t got no pity for the innocent so I’ma represent it.” In concert with those four bars, Us or Else paints a vivid portrait of the injustices faced by Black America and incites a call to action in response to it.
It’s no secret Tip Harris has been busy off the mic, whether marching in a Black Lives Matter protest in Atlanta or voicing his opinion over Terence Crutcher, Eric Garner, and other unarmed black men killed at the hands of police. T.I. takes this approach to his music, marrying trap drums with a political message on the opener, “We Will Not.” He spits relentlessly over minimalistic but formidable production about refusing to take oppression lying down. “No we will not stand here in silence while they take the lives of our brothers and sisters and partnas/We will not turn a blind eye to the murder with no repercussions,” he articulates. This is not the crossover star whose talents were stretched angel hair pasta thin, attempting to please several audiences at once on Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head and Paperwork. T.I. is making the music he wants to make, and his zeal makes all the difference.
Role Reversal: T.I.’s “War Zone” visual throughs America’s police brutality woes into the looking glass with no remorse
“Blackman,” featuring Quavo, Rara and Meek Mill is a bleak but vivid snapshot of what black men in America face by the guns of crooked officers. While Quavo muses over why cops unfairly target black men (“Is it because of my sneakers? Is it because of my jersey?”), T.I. comments on the hashtag that makes neo-bigots squirm at the computer screen: “We say Black Lives Matter, you say all lives/But y’all ain’t the ones getting hogtied,” he reasons. Meek, meanwhile, raps about facing opposition of a different kind: “That’s my nigga, I ain’t even wanna do it though/If I don’t do it, shit I know he gon’ do me though/Cause he broke and he trippin’ ’bout stupid hoes.”
Black-on-black violence nor his traphouse roots are not lost on T.I., either, as he puts misguided youth in check on “We Will Not” with wisdom like, “All you youngins out here in the streets only wanna shoot people who look like you/You can stay home, you too weak.” A record like “I Swear” benefits from cool woodwinds and breezy crooning to back his charismatic flow detailing past sins, however, not every song is sonically in pocket.
Tip’s sing-songy flow near the beginning of “Switchin Lanes” poorly suits him, while the third verse finds him abandoning the track’s melody to speed rap, briefly throwing the vibe off-kilter. The trap-inspired production on the hook of “40 Acres” combined with the hard-knock drums and piano-key bounce during the verses, divides the ranks and offers ear candy for both those with fists raised high and those who are more concerned with a sturdy track rattler opposed to the reparations the country never paid.
“40 Acres” is also memorable for its part because of Killer Mike’s blistering verse (“I’ma tell y’all what the ancestors shoulda done did when they seen the first boat comin’, yeah/Killed every man, child, woman, killed every damn thing on it/Killed everything if it looked European, send it back to the Queen like, hoe,” the Jewels Runner growls).
It’s that conviction that keeps the EP from being just a collection of obligatory anthems. When Clifford Harris flirts with being self-righteous, it’s his self-awareness that keeps him grounded. Us or Else is a commanding assortment of protest tunes strengthened by the passion of its composer.
Great review, however I’m bothered by the rating I may be wrong but it seems like your rating was due to his flow on “Switching Lanes”? The overall review is like you were giving it a 5 or it was deserving of a 5 but you were reluctant to call it that because of what?
While “Switchin’ Lanes” contained the only major issues I had with the EP, that is one song out of six, so it matters more than it would on an LP. Also, I don’t consider this a 5. It’s a great EP, but it’s not going to be hailed a classic (nor should it be), and 5’s should only be reserved for the very best of the best, the transcendent, the groundbreaking. All that said, a 4.4 is an excellent rating.
I completely agree with you, especially the part about it not being a classic. I would love to see you review “The Sun’s Tirade” by Isaiah Rashad…I kinda feel like he’s the Kendrick Lamar of TN since most of our artists are mainly “trap rappers”
Also, thank you for the props on the review!
Not impressive
5
I just can’t get behind a guy simply trying to “cash in”on the controversy. If you talk about killing black lives you shouldn’t be able to make money off the movement.
T.I. was always fuckin garbage… king of the south my ass.
This should be required listening for every jackoff late night show host and and “newscaster” that has Killer Mike on their show.
Straight Garbage!
T.I. brought us hard conscious rapping over dope trap beats. It’s sounds thoughtful yet really hard and modern. A must listen EP!
All Lives Matter
White lives don’t matter
Essential listening……for queers. 1/5.
TI doesn’t wipe his ass when he takes a shit he just walks around all day like that. 1/5 do not listen.
T.I. , Puttin out trash since 2001.
Weed plate.
TI is garbage and a snitch
from an og ti fan from the days
shit is garbage. turn the synth down nigga god damn.
2/5
You not OG if you not tired of seeing our young Kings and Queens being murdered in the streets. This is what this album represents. It’s also letting the establishment know, we see you. I am a TI fan from the beginning, but, if you a real strong black King or Queen and the past few years have not angered you and made you look at shit more different, you have serious problems.
This shit is dope
5 just off content alone.
Dope Album! All comments that say other wise so far are just clowns!
We can see obviously by the ratings who is butthurt about this album. I can see the point folks try to make about him contradicting himself but people have multiple facets. My question would be you say disparaging comments about this man making an album, but what are you doing to help? Regardless of his past, he is speaking truths that you easily shun just due to his previous albums……
good to see to trying to make a social movement
The problem with most conscious rap is that its not hot. But this right here…straight Fiye! Great balance on the EP.
One of the best albums of the year, even as an EP. This and Chance’s “Coloring Book.”
the album of poop
I tell you, our community is lost. If you rated this album low, you are a lost sheep that will be eaten up by them people. The comments here tell me that pur community has been terribly dumbed down. TI speaking the truth on this cd. I salute him. Wake up my people, the black community. This is that real, that yall need to open ip yall eyes and see. They treat us like we are animals, gun our brothers and sisters down whenever they feel like it. Wake up, stand up, salute to you TI!