King (stylized as ), is the fourth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on March 28, 2006, through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took one and a half years to complete in late 2005 according to T.I. in an interview with MTV News. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including DJ Toomp, Cool & Dre, Just Blaze, Mannie Fresh, Swizz Beatz, Keith Mack, Travis Barker, The Neptunes, Kevin "Khao" Cates, Nick "Fury" Loftin, and Tony Galvin, among others. The album also serves as the soundtrack to T.I.’s feature film debut, ATL.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling over 522,000 copies in its first week of release in the United States, achieving respectable international charting and produced the two hit singles that attained chart success, including US Billboard hit singles "What You Know" and "Why You Wanna". It was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), following shipment in excess of 523,408 copies in the United States.Katie Hasty (April 5, 2006). T.I. Rules As 'King' of Album Chart Billboard. Retrieved October 9, 2008. The RIAA later certified the album platinum.
Upon its release, King received general acclaim from music critics, earning praise for its varied musical style, opulent production quality, and T.I.'s dichotomous lyrical themes, and including the hit single "What You Know" where critics praised DJ Toomp's production for the single. The album also earned T.I. several accolades, including Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance, winning the latter for "What You Know". The album also appeared at the top of several publications year-end lists of top albums.
Background King was originally set to be released as a soundtrack to T.I.'s film acting debut, ATL. However, due to recording a sufficient amount of material, he proceeded to prepare it as his fourth album as well. T.I. named the album after his son, Clifford "King" Joseph Harris III.
Recording T.I. confirmed work on his fourth solo album in a 2005 interview with MTV, where he revealed the title King. On November 4, 2005, while on tour with Young Jeezy, T.I. stated that he had begun recording for the album. In late 2005, T.I. told MTV News that he recorded more than 70 songs for the album. However, T.I. continued to record songs for the album right up to the album's deadline. T.I. was happy with the material, describing the album as being "like Trap Muzik on steroids." T.I. stated that the album would show audiences that "my life is not all that it's cracked up to be". T.I. attempted to recruit Jay-Z for a guest verse, but due to scheduling conflicts, Jay-Z was replaced by Common.
Release and promotion
Leaks After half of the songs of the album leaked on the Internet in early 2006, T.I. used the leaked tracks, plus a few more new songs to make an album titled Gangsta Grillz: The Leak, which came about after several songs from the King recording sessions leaked onto the Internet.
Promo singles "Front Back" was the first official promotional single to be released from King. The song entered the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart at number 11.[ Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales] It featured Port Arthur's own UGK. It had small attention and has helped promote the album. The song is the remake of UGK's 1994 single "Front, Back, Side to Side" from their album Super Tight. The song was produced by Mannie Fresh. "Ride with Me" was the second official promotional single from the album. The single entered the Hot Ringtones chart at number 21, and it charted at number 78 on the Pop 100 chart. The song was produced by Keith Mack. "Top Back" was the third and final official promotional single from the album. The single entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 29, it charted at number 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, it charted at number eight on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, it charted at number 39 on the Pop 100, it charted at number 39 on the Rhythmic Top 40, and at number 27 on the Hot Digital Songs chart.[ allmusic ((( T.I. > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))] It was produced by Mannie Fresh and released as a single in a remixed version from the album Grand Hustle Presents: In Da Streetz Volume 4. "Top Back" was already getting radio play in its original version before the remix was released. The song was used many times in Making the Band 4 as the contestants did several dances to the instrumental version of this song. The three promotional singles garnered little attention, but helped to promote not only the album, but also ATL.
Singles "What You Know" was the first official single to be released from King. The single entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number three, it charted at number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, it charted at number 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, it charted at number ten on the Pop 100 chart, it charted at number two on the Hot Digital Songs chart, it charted at number 13 on the Hot Ringtones chart, it charted at number 42 on the Pop 100 Airplay chart, it charted at number two on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart, and at number 39 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart. The song also serves as the theme song to the 2006 film ATL in which T.I. stars. "What You Know" won for "Best Rap Solo Performance" and was nominated for "Best Rap Song" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. What You Know" was performed at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, where its music video was nominated for two awards. VIBE named T.I.'s "What You Know" as the Top Song of 2006. It was also ranked fourth on a similar list by Rolling Stone, and was #1 in Muchmusic's Top HipHop 2006 List.MuchMusic.com | Holiday Wrap 2006 Pitchfork ranked "What You Know" number 3 on their "Top Tracks of 2006" list, while T.I.'s collaboration on Justin Timberlake's song "My Love" was ranked at number 1.The Top 100 Tracks of 2006 | Pitchfork The song is one of the most critically acclaimed of 2006 (arguably T.I.'s most critically acclaimed song), and is one of T.I.'s most successful. It has garnered a 5-star rating from Pitchfork.What You Know | Pitchfork The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and it also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 2008, it was ranked number 68 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The song was listed at number 38 on Pitchfork's top 500 songs of the 2000s. The song is produced by DJ Toomp from Zone Boy Productions, with additional keys by Wonder Arillo. It utilizes an interpolation of Roberta Flack's version of The Impressions's "Gone Away" and of the song "Hey Joe", written by Billy Roberts but popularised by Jimi Hendrix. The track was rumored to be a diss song directed at fellow Dirty South rapper Lil' Flip. The song is also played during the end credits of ATL. The song was a major smash during the spring of 2006. The RIAA certified the single double platinum.RIAA. Accessed October 11.
"Why You Wanna" was the second official single from the album. The single entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 29, it charted at number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, it charted at number four on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, it charted at number 47 on the Pop 100 chart, it charted at number 39 on the Hot Digital Songs chart, and at number 13 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart. The single attained respectable international charting. In the United Kingdom the single entered the UK Singles Chart at number 22, in Australia the single entered the Australian Singles Chart at number 49, in Belgium the single entered the Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) chart at number 6, and at number 7 on the Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) chart. In the Netherlands the single entered the Dutch Top 40 at number 43, in the Republic of Ireland the single entered the Irish Singles Chart at number 17, and in Switzerland the single entered the Swiss Music Charts at number 43. The single samples a slowed down keyboard chord from Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)". The chorus also interpolates Q-Tip's vocals from Got 'Til It's Gone with Janet Jackson and Find a Way with his group A Tribe Called Quest. The song was produced by Kevin "Khao" Cates. The RIAA certified the single gold.
"Live in the Sky" was the third and final official single from the album. The single entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 57. The single features Jamie Foxx. The song is mainly about T.I.'s deceased family members and friends who have died in violence, drugs, and even tuberculosis. An alternate version exists with varied lyrics, due to the explicit nature of the original track. The alternate version does not also include the third verse. The song was produced by Keith Mack.
Critical reception
King received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". About.com gave it four out of five stars, stating "with his swagger-jacking charm on the microphone, and enough charisma to convince you that he's really running things in his department, he just might be the Jay-Z of the south. King is not only T.I.'s most captivating album so far, it's probably the best thing to come out of the 'A-Town' lately. And, as Pimp C explains on one of the album's many skits, a 'king' is anyone that handles his business appropriately on the lyrical side of things, and many kings abound in southern rap. With such foraying display of bravado, T.I. has rightfully earned his membership to hip-hop's elite. Royal salute!"Adaso, Henry. Review: King . About.com. Retrieved on 2010-12-14. AllMusic writer Andy Kellman gave the album a 4.5 out of 5 praising the album's lead single "What You Know", and stating "T.I.'s fourth album isn't the leap forward he's been threatening to make, but it does carry the best set of productions he has been given to work with, and it guarantees that he won't be leaving the singles charts any time soon." Blender Magazine noted on T.I.'s status saying "Before his album sold a surprise half a million copies in its first week of release, T.I. was a Southern star who didn't quite feel like one: He made up with irresistible hooks what he lacked in personality. Now he's a national star who doesn't quite feel like one. A breezily charismatic drug rapper, he's like Jay-Z without the worldview, Young Jeezy without the gravitas; he still hasn't distinguished himself as an artist worth exploring past the singles. Thankfully, he's packed album No. 4 full of singles, which might be just as good. His sonorous, self-assured drawl adds an air of unflustered authority to his alpha brags, and he pours it into unexpected patterns. What he's best at is craft—woozy refrains and hypnotic rhyme schemes—and his fleet of beats is impeccable, highlighted by the four-minute epic 'What You Know,' which laces imperious synths with an intriguing wistfulness. Throughout, producers Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz and DJ Toomp back T.I.'s self-deifying spiels with wild bombast: he'd seem a lot less kingly if it weren't for his court."