T.I.: No Mercy - review

One of the less likable tracks on this consistently misfiring album, which was recorded while T.I. was under house arrest for weapons charges (he's currently back in the slammer for probation violation), is Get Back Up. It claims the Atlanta MC is sorry for his misdeeds – but not that sorry – and finishes by painting him as the real victim ("As soon as you fall down, all the haters pass judgment"). The icing on the cake is provided by the equally tarnished Chris Brown, who sings the chorus: "When they push you down, you gotta get back up." Nice. As for the other 13 songs, which he performs with a red-carpetful of A-list guests (Eminem, Kanye West, Christina Aguilera), they range from dour, generic pieces that can't conceal his listlessness to a few pretty good-ish party songs with sharp hooks and crackling beats. You can only hope he rediscovers his swagger.