The Best Guest Verses on T.I.'s 'Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head'
T.I. drops his highly anticipated eighth studio album Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head today. Tip enlists several of his famous friends for the effort including perhaps the most reclusive rapper of them all, Andre 3000. Here’s a round up of the best features you’ll hear on Trouble Man.
1. “Sorry” featuring Andre 3000
Save for a Gillette commercial here and there, OutKast’s Andre 3000 is one hard rapper to track down for a guest verse. T.I. had been speaking to the reclusive rapper about collaborating since the King album but only on Trouble Man was 3 Stacks finally ready. It was worth the wait. His verse on “Sorry” is a song-stealer; emotional, personal and still ripe with charm. “And this the type of shit that'll make you call your rap partner/And say I'm sorry I'm awkward, my fault for fuckin' up the tours/I hated all the attention so I ran from it… I'm a grown-ass kid, you know ain't never cared about no damn money.”
2. “Guns and Roses” featuring Pink
The album’s most unexpected feature comes courtesy of Pink on “Guns and Roses.” According to T.I., he knew from jump that he wanted Pink on the mid-tempo love song. And boy does she belt on this one. Don’t sleep on Pink’s vocals; the girl can sing.
3. “Hello” featuring CeeLo Green
CeeLo’s velvety vocals give haters the brush off in the Pharrell-helmed “Hello.” “Just keep going, and don’t look back/And look forward from where you’re at/There’s some jealousy in your rearview/Wave hello, hello, hello…” He sounds so good that we wouldn’t have minded a whole verse from Cee on the track.
4. “Ball” featuring Lil Wayne
Fans of vintage T.I. rejoiced when “Ball” featuring Lil Wayne was released. The bouncy thumper is classic Southern fare and Weezy blesses it with his usual flair. “Bitch shake it like a dog, hop like a frog, ride it like a horse,” Wayne raps and then pulls out this zinger from his own vault (“Walk It Off”): “I’m a good looking rapper, I ain’t tryna stunt/Ima fire my blunt like Donald Trump.”
5. “Wildside” featuring A$AP Rocky
Atlanta meets Harlem and veteran meets rookie in “Wildside” with A$AP Rocky. Although collaborating with whomever is ubiquitous rapper-of-the-moment can often backfires, this collabo actually works. Pretty Flacko shows he can hold his own along an OG while retaining his individuality. “Niggas know the sound of how we switch on him/Finna wild out on a Tip song,” he raps.
6. “G Season” featuring Meek Mill
Tough talk bordering on yelling, Meek Mill goes his usual H.A.M. on this one.
“I don't fuck with niggas, I'm a fuckin G/Its Meek Milly, T.I. fuckin' P!” he raps. “Lord have mercy, these bitches thirsty/I'm in a Merci she kissin on me Hershey's.” Hide your girl. Hide your haters.
