Paperwork is the ninth studio album by American rapper T.I. It was released on October 21, 2014, by Grand Hustle Records and Columbia Records. The album is his first project under Columbia Records, after his contract with Atlantic Records expired, following the release of his eighth album Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head (2012). Paperwork derives its title from T.I.'s most successful project, his sixth album Paper Trail (2008). Paperwork features guest appearances from Chris Brown, The-Dream, Jeezy, Skylar Grey, Nipsey Hussle, Rick Ross, Victoria Monet, Trae tha Truth and Pharrell Williams, the latter of which served as the album's executive producer. Aside from Pharrell, the album's production was handled by several high-profile producers such as DJ Mustard, DJ Toomp, TBHits and London on da Track, among others.
The album was supported by three official singles: "About the Money" featuring Young Thug, "No Mediocre" featuring Iggy Azalea and "Private Show" featuring Chris Brown.
Background After releasing his eighth studio album Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head, in December 2012, T.I. revealed he drew a close to his 10-year contract with Atlantic Records. On November 22, 2013, after searching for a label to sign his Grand Hustle imprint, as well as himself, T.I announced that he signed a record deal with Columbia Records, to release his ninth studio album. He also revealed that his longtime collaborator and an American musician Pharrell Williams (who has been influential in his move to Columbia), would serve as the album's executive producer. T.I. was planning to release an album, under the title, called Trouble Man II: He Who Wears The Crown as the sequel to his previous album. However, he would postpone that name of the album after he has been recording in a studio with Pharrell, stating: "All I'ma say is, it's gonna be a motion picture, it's gonna be a theatrical-worthy title. Something that will definitely seem instant classic. I'm thinking something like 'Trap Champion', 'Paperwork,' but whatever it is the subtitle will be 'The Motion Picture'". Later in the year, T.I finally revealed that the album would be titled Paperwork. In April 2014, when speaking on the album's title, he said: "Paperwork is official. If you've got paperwork on something, it's official. Also, if someone has paperwork on you, then it could be some trouble. So, it's official, it's trouble, it's authentic. Sounds like me. The music supports this theory very well."
On January 27, 2014, in an interview with XXL, T.I. revealed the concept for the album, stating "people forgot the feeling that you got when [you] watched Boyz n the Hood for the first time. Or when you heard All Eyez on Me for the first time. Right now, music is going in a different direction and it is in a different place. I salute and celebrate that path as well. However, there's a place for the story that needs to be told from our perspective."
In July 2014, during an interview Devi Dev and Mr. Rogers of Houston's 93.7, T.I. spoke about the correlation between Paperwork and his critically acclaimed 2008 album Paper Trail: "I think one of my most diversified albums and I guess the most commercially successful has been Paper Trail. I always wanted to do a continuation of that but without saying, 'Part 2.' I just tried to figure out another way to relate this next project to that one without making it a sequel. In thinking of other things that I guess had the word 'paper' in it, Paperwork was the most prominent title that jumped out at me. As I was getting to think about it, anything that you have that is authentic, let's say a watch, a car, a phone, whatever it is, the certification of that authenticity is paperwork. Whether it's a title for a car, deed to a house, a certificate for a Rolex. You gon' have some kind of certification of authenticity. Me being an artist that's been known to be authentic and making music that has been known to be authentic, the certification of it is Paperwork."
In an interview with Bootleg Kev, T.I. revealed the album's guest list such as Rick Ross, The-Dream, Lil Boosie, Jeezy, Trae tha Truth, Nipsey Hussle and Problem, among others. When speaking on the sound of the album, T.I. stated "The sound sonically of this one is soulful, musical, kinda like (OutKast's) Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik or Aquemini or (Jay Z's) Blueprint. It just has an incredible amount of soul and a perfect hybrid between the ahead-of-the-curve, new-school sound and the classic, nostalgic, soulful sound of yesteryear."
In August 2014, in an interview with Rolling Stone, when asked what the focus of his attention is at the moment, T.I. responded: "This album. This album or should I say these three albums, because this album has kind of turned into a trilogy. The music, we already have it, it's already done. We just have to really platform it, promote it, market it, and strategically apply it. But this album, we hope to make a film that will consist of three short stories. And each of these three short stories will combine six or seven videos from these three albums. And it would star me playing characters. But these characters would find themselves in situations that would allow the music to narrate the circumstances. It's extremely ambitious and could be very costly. But I feel like it's your ninth album and you've got to use your seniority and your success and your relationships and resources, you've got to use them to do something significantly different. Or else you're just another motherfucker putting out an album."
Recording and production In January 2014, in an interview with XXL, T.I. revealed he had already been in the studio with the likes of Jeezy and Busta Rhymes. He also revealed he was particularly excited about reuniting once again with American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, with whom he has recorded the hit singles "My Love" and "Dead and Gone". The song, produced by longtime friend and frequent collaborator DJ Toomp, is titled "Trap Me Up". When speaking on his recording sessions with executive producer Pharrell, T.I. stated: "me and Pharrell have a plethora [of songs]. We probably done recorded 14 records. Pharrell and I alone. Words couldn't even begin to describe how cutting-edge, left-field and just how broad these records are. But they still have that texture that I speak of. They still have that Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Womack, a ridin' dirty kind of … but a new way to present it to the world because it has that thing that Pharrell does to music that sets it apart from any and everything else that's being played." T.I. also made it known he had worked with American record producers Keno and Sham "Sak Pase" Joseph, as well as his protege B.o.B.
In February 2014, in an interview with DJ Whoo Kid, T.I. revealed a song titled "Trap Nigga Hustle", which he recorded two years prior, would appear on the album. In April 2014, when speaking on the album T.I. said: "This is the first time in my career that I have had enough time to create all the music, get the sequencing down, even before I start my clock and put myself on the calendar," he added. "Now that I have all of the music...I could take my time and step back and make sure it's the perfect blend, to create the perfect amount of synergy between trap music and art house." On April 4, 2014, T.I. visited New York City radio station Hot 97, where he revealed that he recorded 250 records for Paperwork and that Pharrell would be producing the bulk of the new album.
In June 2014, at a screening of his "No Mediocre" music video, T.I. stated he plans on channeling his inner Tupac Shakur, specifically referencing the late emcee's "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" selection. Also at the screening, T.I. confirmed that his "New National Anthem" song, which featured a reference hook from Victoria Monet, is slated to feature Lady Gaga, adding he was finalizing the process for getting Gaga on the song. On July 23, 2014, after a listening session of Paperwork, Devi Dev of Houston's 93.7, tweeted: "Really dug the track Tip has with Jeezy too. Jeezy opened his verse saying 'When Jay was beefing with Nas I was selling Cocaine'#Paperwork".
At the listening session with 93.7 The Beat's Devi Dev & DJ Mr. Rogers, it was revealed the direction for Paperwork was outlined as such from T.I. and Pharrell bouncing ideas off one another in the early recordings. There's more pianos, more '70s blaxplotated horns, more ideas of superhero music and several soul samples chopped throughout Paperwork: "I want to help redefine the sound of trap music," said T.I. When asked if this was more of a "Song Cry" like approach, he nodded. On August 14, 2014, T.I. revealed that guest appearances on the album would include Jeezy, Trae tha Truth, Nipsey Hussle, Big Kuntry King, Problem, Rick Ross, The-Dream and Lil Boosie, among others. In an August 2014 interview with Complex, T.I. revealed the song he recorded with Justin Timberlake would not appear on this album; it would however appear on the following album, the sequel to Paperwork.
Release and promotion
On April 4, 2014, T.I. visited New York City radio station Hot 97, where he revealed that he recorded 250 records for Paperwork. After narrowing down a 20-song track list, T.I. later explained his strategic plan in releasing and putting together the new album. He said that the album is split into three parts of 6 songs each, with two more records connecting as intermissions between the parts. Each section will be assisted by a short film and released along with the album. Therefore, it's like three separate extended plays (EP's), with a short film for each. According to T.I., Pharrell suggested that instead of selling Paperwork as one album, to break it up into three EP's for the three short stories. He plans on releasing the album as a complete package similar to Beyoncé's launch of Beyoncé (2013), however T.I. believes his way of releasing will be financially better: "Where I see she and I differ is she went and shot individual video one by one by one. That must've drove the cost through the roof. Me, myself personally I'm doing three short stories. I'm not doing 18 videos, I'm doing three short stories. So the same way we would shoot an episode of House of Lies. We would take five days. This short story shall be complete. Five days, this short story shall be complete. See that will bring my cost down, which will raise my profit margin."
On May 9, 2014, T.I. released a music video for a song titled "Turn It", in promotion for Paperwork. On July 21, 2014, via his Twitter feed, T.I. revealed a song titled "Stay", would be featured on the album and promoted the song through the Samsung Mobile app, Owner's Hub. However the song was later leaked online. On July 23, 2014, T.I. performed "Bring Em Out", "What You Know" and "No Mediocre", on Vh1's new show, SoundClash. On August 8, 2014, T.I. released a song of him freestyling over Bobby Shmurda's viral hit "Hot Nigga". In an interview with Bootleg Kev in August 2014, although he did not give an exact release date, T.I. said it would arrive "somewhere in Libra season." On August 8, 2014, T.I. appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he was interviewed and performed a medley of "No Mediocre" and "About the Money", alongside Young Thug.