Media

T.I.: "Get Back Up" f. Chris Brown

9:29 a.m. · October 17, 2010 · by Wilson McBee

It would be a cruel understatement to say that 2010 has been a disappointment for T.I. The rapper was released from prison on March 26 with expectations of a triumphant return to music. After scoring early with the banger "I'm Back" and the pretty-solid Fuck a Mixtape, things for T.I. deteriorated as his album King Uncaged got pushed back, his single struggled to make a dent, and then, adding insult to injury, he was picked up in L.A. for possession of ecstasy. Now T.I. is going back to the clink, and he'll have eleven months to wonder just where things went wrong.

As a goodbye to his fans and his critics, T.I. has leaked the dreamy motivational ode "Get Back Up," featuring fellow media villain Chris Brown on the hook. The fans who glommed on to T.I. after "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" took off will probably appreciate the apologetic hand-wringing and parole-board-friendly soul-searching included on the song, but those of us who have been listening to T.I. since "Rubberband Man" probably need something a little angrier. Hopefully the T.I. that re-emerges next year will be both wiser about staying out of trouble and more cautious about jumping onto any tepid slow jam that comes his way. But I have my doubts. [Trapmuzik.com]