From now until January 13, I'll be featuring my favourite tracks of 2008, some of which have already appeared in Click Hear throughout the year, some of which haven't.
I was a little surprised at how easily the "King of the South" or T.I., if you will, bounced back after being sentenced to a prison term for possession of unregistered firearms. The fact that he did so by actually writing down his rhymes for once proved he didn't want to mess up a thing either, getting his message across.
At first I didn't think Paper Trail was much better than last year's disappointing concept album, T.I. vs T.I.P.. But the more time I devoted to it, and paid more attention to cuts like "Slide Show" and "Ready For Whatever," the more I discovered that Clifford Harris shouldn't be defined by his nonchalant drawl, obsession with the hustler's lifestyle and inflated ego.
Still, it's those traits that gave an album as emotionally weighted as Paper Trail its standout track: "Whatever You Like." Led by a maxed out synth and laidback Southern beats, this is one trouble-free hedonist's anthem if there ever was one. T.I. flips into a Cristal-poppin', sweet talkin' Casanova who flaunts his personal jet and luxury cars while giving his gal a new Benz and the red carpet treatment. It's the "money's no object, I ain't goin' nowhere" T.I., y'know?
It was certainly the side fans wanted to see most from the King, seeing as out of all the album's tracks that were released commercially this was his most successful single ever. It was so successful that Weird Al chose to put his spin on it, with a much more economical approach to livin' it up. Does it get any better than Weird Al paying homage by rapping about Hyundai, Costco membership, tater tots and Mickey D's? I think not.
T.I. "Whatever You Like"
"Weird Al" Yankovic "Whatever You Like"
I was a little surprised at how easily the "King of the South" or T.I., if you will, bounced back after being sentenced to a prison term for possession of unregistered firearms. The fact that he did so by actually writing down his rhymes for once proved he didn't want to mess up a thing either, getting his message across.
At first I didn't think Paper Trail was much better than last year's disappointing concept album, T.I. vs T.I.P.. But the more time I devoted to it, and paid more attention to cuts like "Slide Show" and "Ready For Whatever," the more I discovered that Clifford Harris shouldn't be defined by his nonchalant drawl, obsession with the hustler's lifestyle and inflated ego.
Still, it's those traits that gave an album as emotionally weighted as Paper Trail its standout track: "Whatever You Like." Led by a maxed out synth and laidback Southern beats, this is one trouble-free hedonist's anthem if there ever was one. T.I. flips into a Cristal-poppin', sweet talkin' Casanova who flaunts his personal jet and luxury cars while giving his gal a new Benz and the red carpet treatment. It's the "money's no object, I ain't goin' nowhere" T.I., y'know?
It was certainly the side fans wanted to see most from the King, seeing as out of all the album's tracks that were released commercially this was his most successful single ever. It was so successful that Weird Al chose to put his spin on it, with a much more economical approach to livin' it up. Does it get any better than Weird Al paying homage by rapping about Hyundai, Costco membership, tater tots and Mickey D's? I think not.
T.I. "Whatever You Like"
"Weird Al" Yankovic "Whatever You Like"
