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Paper Trail

Paper Trail is the sixth studio album by American rapper T.I., released September 30, 2008, on Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. He began to write songs for the album as he awaited trial for federal weapons and possession charges. Unlike his past albums, he wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious (2001).

The album features guest appearances from rappers Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, M.I.A. and Ludacris, along with singers Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Usher and John Legend, among others. The production on the album was handled by many high-profile record producers, including Nard & B, Rob Knox, Danja, The Runners, Toomp, Drumma Boy, Kanye West, Lil' C, Polow da Don, Jim Jonsin, Just Blaze, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Timbaland, Tha Bizness, Khao, Swizz Beatz, Blac Elvis and many more.

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 568,000 copies in its first week, becoming T.I.'s highest debut sales to date, and the fourth highest debut of the year. The album was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It received generally favorable reviews from critics, and is T.I.'s most successful to date. The album spawned eight singles, four of which peaked within the top five of the Billboard Hot 100, with two singles peaking at number one.

On November 12, 2007, while awaiting a trial for federal weapons charges, T.I. announced he had been writing songs for a new album to be entitled Paper Trail. He wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious. The album highlights his "fear, anger and guilt" as he awaited trial.

T.I. recorded nearly 100 tracks during the production for Paper Trail, including a collaboration with Fall Out Boy on a track entitled "Out in the Cold". However the song was left out of the final cut, but T.I. told MTV that he may add some of the cut tracks to his next album. On August 22, 2008, the songs "Like I Do" featuring The-Dream, "Let My Beat Pound", "My Life Your Entertainment" featuring Usher, and "Swagga Like Us" were all leaked online.

The album was scheduled to be released in September 2008, but was subsequently moved up to an August 12 after the release of the promotional and lead single "No Matter What" and high demand of the album. At the time, T.I. said that the first single may have been "Top of the World", originally featuring B.o.B and Ludacris, explaining that the song was "a reflective song about our humble beginnings and how far we've come". The album was pushed back for a release date of September 2, then September 9 and to its final release date of September 30, 2008, in the US. The album was first released on September 29, 2008, in continental Europe.

The first single released from the album was a song titled "No Matter What". It was posted on StreetCred's website on April 29, 2008, as a promotional recording, then released as a single on May 6, along with a music video, which he premiered on MTV's FNMTV. The song narrates T.I. rising above his misfortunes, including a prison sentence for weapon charges.

On August 19, 2008, the album's lead single "Whatever You Like", was made available for digital download. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 6, 2008, and set a new record for biggest one-week jump to the top position, going from number seventy-one to number one, becoming his first number one song on the chart as a lead artist and best opening-week sales by a rap track since Nielsen SoundScan began compiling download data in 2003. T.I. announced that he was "ecstatic" and "overjoyed" after setting a record for the biggest jump to top of the Billboard Hot 100.

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