Like every T.I. album there is some good stuff present, but there is also still too much filler. As usual Kid Cudi is a bore, so the best portion of the album for me is afterwards from 'How Life Changed' to 'Big Picture' - with the Eminem featured 'That’s All She Wrote' being my pick from the disc and much better than the pairs duet on T.I. vs T.I.P. If I remove the bonus tracks or not the second half of the album really fails to excel. 'Castle Walls' is interesting where T.I. continues the minor theme of the album about being rich not being as great as people think it is - but if that is the case then stop rapping about it. Other than that some of the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition ain't bad, and you may have heard a couple before if you checked out T.I.'s Fuck a Mixtape. Although it has been a while since his last album, possibly the personal trouble T.I. is going through meant a slightly poorer album than he could have otherwise produced. Remove 'That’s All She Wrote' and while there are quite a few good tracks on offer there isn't a whole lot to go back to. Best Tracks: How Life Changed, Get Back Up, That’s All She Wrote, No Mercy

Given the high rating this has always had, I've given it many tries, but at the end of the day I basically come away from it with the same thoughts every time. It's an overfilled, too same sounding rap album with only a few memorable songs. Best Tracks: What You Know, I'm Talkin' to You, Why You Wanna, Bankhead

A solid enjoyable album from T.I., pretty much front to back. The only tracks I'm not feeling much at all are 'Ball' with its average beat and another Wayne verse talking about pussy-God he's bad these days. Apparently T.I. had to push for 'Can You Learn' to be on the album and I can understand why. Despite my love for R. Kelly, it's too long and isn't that interesting. 'Cruisin’' is T.I. pretty much singing and it has grown on me a bit, but is forgettable. Some other tracks of note: 'The Introduction' samples Marvin Gaye's 'Trouble Man' and is a quality opener. 'G Season', which was originally meant to feature Jay-Z, follows on and gets harder. Lastly, 'Addresses' is lyrically the hardest hitting track here, with T.I. taking aim at his enemies and has been a topic of conversation in the many promotional interviews T.I. has done. Overall, I don't think T.I. hits some of these beats like he would've in the past and while there are a lot of good songs, there aren't enough if any outstanding ones. 3-3.5. Best Tracks: The Introduction, G Season, Go Get It, Addresses, Hallelujah, Like That

I'd never heard of Superstar Quamallah before this and the main reason I got this album was because of the cover. For some reason seeing him holding an instrument made me want this thinking it would feature some nice jazzy production, and it does. The production by Clever Jeff (1 track), DJ Diaze (4), DJ Soulclap (1), Izznyce (4), Pawel G (1) and Superstar Quamallah (2) takes you back to the jazz rap of the '90s but it doesn't at all sound dated. A lot of it is also largely musically dark particularly some great tracks toward the end like '1993 Shit' and 'Do Win-Dis'. Vocally and lyrically plenty of it is conscious rap, talking about the golden age of rap and the state it is in now. He doesn't have the best voice or flow but he matches the feeling the production gives you. Overall it took a couple of listens but now apart from 'Black Shakespeare' which is the worst track on the album, it's a great listen.

A consistent collection of songs with two rappers trading bars adding to the feeling of authentic collaboration. A lot of dope songs with jazzy production. Best Tracks: Manhattan Reflections, Allahu Akbar, Guerilla Tactics, The Blues, Get 'Em, Cali Reflections