Never has one song exemplified everything about a certain rapper as the lead single from T.I.'s fourth effort, King, "What You Know", does for the Atlanta-based MC/entrepenuer/actor/car-dealer/former drug dealer/everything-else-a-successful-rapper-feels-neccesary-to-do-to-stay-on-top-nowadays.  Almost every line can describe the semi-sex symbol as the guy gets by more on charisma than anything else, a sort-of Young Jeezy for people who like rappers that don't stretch words to 16 syllables for no reason.  Since his fans from all over may have lost a little interest since he can be seems to be spreading himself a little too thin lately, he puts it all out there on "What You Know", the crowning achievment on a career that may just be starting to kick off.

"I know you don't like me cuz/ Yo bitch most likely does"

Probably a little too much.  Ever since the breakout success of "Let's Get Away", it seems as if Tip can't get enough of the ladies.  Or making corny, drippy rap ballads to them.  Ever since he got involved with the unnecessary evil that is Jazze Pha on that low spot of Trap Muzik, it became clear that there would be a litany of like-minded sap fests on albums to come.  What wasn't wuite clear was exactly how many there'd be.  While his last effort, Urban Legend, actually held some bright spots in the "fo r the ladies" section ("Freak Though" was further proof that whenever T.I. and the Neptunes work together, it benefits both), King packs on the saccharine without any lemon to make it palatable.  "Why You Wanna" and "Hello" are boring, flaccid come-ons, but enither prepare the listener for how dull this album's Neptunes-hookup would be, as "Goddlife" feels like every party involved is going through the motions.

"You say you wanna squash it/ what you still talkin shit for?"

This album's littered with the RIAA's required amount of rapper threats, but with T.I. there's always the chance we just might hear the name of someone we know.  Yet he gets subliminal this time around, with the ambiguous fight anthem "You Know Who", that lives up to its title.  While it's easily one of the best tracks here, a genuine stomping, trunk-thumping battle cry, it leave all of the names up to the listener's imagniation, which may finally be a good thing.

"Yo label got got/ Cause you are not hot/ I got the top spot/ And it will not stop"

And with that spot, T.I. does what he wants.  Whether that be a likable, but disposable cover of a UGK classic made with the original artists and... Mannie Fresh ("Front Back"), or a bevy of songs that sound like a Young Jeezy mixtape rejects ("Told You So",  "Bankhead"), Tip has the power and he's using it, wisely or not.  Still, he delivers what his fans demand in the instant anthems "King Back" and the aforementioned and loved "What You Know", harkening all the way back to "You Don't Know Me" and "ASAP" (Ah, the rediculously short memories of hip-hop fans).

"And if you doubt me, dog/ You better out me, dog"

No analysis here, I just really like that line.

"A video or not/ dog, we bustin' til the glock stop"

Tip has held his fearless rapper image down for four albums, something most MCs with platinum records are clinging on to by their sophmore record.  Still, image aside, his music has taken a bit of a dive since his first whiff of true commercial success when "Rubberband Man" had Diddy doing silly dances in fur all over America's TV sceens.  He probably won't ever be that guy again, not while he has a film in theatres and '92 Porsche he wants to show you, but if he isn't, we'll still have this great song on a mediocre album to remind us what could have been.

Overall: 2.5 out of Six Shots