"Im Just Tryna Live"

“Doin’ My Job”
T.I. Trap Muzik
Written by KT

King of the south. So that’s what they call you, huh, T.I.? Or rather what you call yourself. Well, I can go back to before all of that, before all the mainstream hype really hit the airwaves and people, nationwide, were anticipating albums like 2005’s KING or 2007’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. Before even the success of 2004’s Urban Legend. Nah, I want to go back to Trap Muzik, when you were still hungry because I’m Serious didn’t do too well. You had found Kanye at his hungriest point and came together to do a song called “Doin’ My Job.” A very introspective and thoughtful song, it ended up being my favorite joint on this album.

Really, we’d rather be rich and famous

The story T.I. tells here is one that we’ve all heard before. Yes, he ran drugs, no he doesn’t like it, but given the breadth of prose on this topic and T.I.’s relative lack of pretty words and cue metaphors, I find it easy to like this song. Never once does he truly apologize for what he’s doing, but the reluctance is ever present, attributing it to a less than stellar childhood: “Our mamas passing/ by trying to explain us/Pissing in the bushes like they never house trained us But/try to understand that’s how we came up. It’s difficult not to appreciate the honesty, despite the rehashed imagery. Regardless of how genuine it is, it’s still refreshing to hear someone from that environment admit to wanting something more for themselves. “I’m tired of people mis-representing my dough mayne/Oh you think we out here killing for nothing/hustling for no gain (picture that).”

You’re under 25, staying’ alive is hard work

So, I came to this line: You’re under 25, staying’ alive is hard work and I started to wonder why? Why is it so hard to be alive when you’re under 25. Boys are trying to become men before their time and while T.I. certainly touches this point, it’s still a reality that many do face. So, again, T.I. is not really deviating from the norm as far as hip hop in the 2000’s goes, he still works hard at presenting his music with honesty and conviction. There are plenty who are out there, wishing for something better than what they have, but still doing their jobs, at least to the best of their abilities.

Click to listen T.I. Doing My Job