T.I.P. feat Beanie Sigel “2 Glock 9’s” (right click “save target as”)

This came out in 2000 on Music Inspired by Shaft. First of all you can’t go wrong with a Biggie sample for your chorus, especially a hard-as-fuck Biggie gun lyric. And it’s interesting to hear T.I. hold his own over an east coast boom bap beat (produced by PA, who is actually from College Park, GA) next to Beanie Sigel in his prime. I love Tip’s early style here. Compare:

“N***a brag if you wanna, we’ll blast up your corner, the n***a ain’t fast then his ass is a goner” (2 Glock 9’s, 2000)

vs

“Your values is a disarray / prioritizing horribly / unhappy with the riches cause you’re piss poor morally” (Live Your Life, 2008)

Yes “Live Your Life” is a radio song, but I don’t have a problem with the content, didactic and preachy as it is. It’s T.I.’s cutesy polysyllabic rhymes that don’t do it for me. He’s way too close to the Rawkus style of the late 90s, EG “the church of Scientology, feminine biology, manic depressive psychologically” (I’m not making this up – Jane Doe actually rapped those words all in a row on Rock Rock Y’all). Hypothetical political lyrical miracle whip. If I want five thousand syllables per bar I’ll listen to Company Flow, otherwise give me that raw era T.I. – Rubber Band Man, What U Know and 2 Glock 9’s.