Though Atlanta rapper
T.I.'s debut hit shelves in 2001, it was also due to the series of mixtapes issued by his label, Grand Hustle, from 2002-2005, that his name was around. By 2006, with the release of King, he was a bona fide superstar, which meant that having him on
Grand Hustle Presents: In da Streets, Vol. 4 could help to propel the careers of some of the other artists included. Not that rappers like
Young Jeezy and
Young Dro need, at this point, a lot of extra promotion to get their careers off the ground -- they're both doing quite well -- but the performances by fellow
P$C members
Macboney and Big Kuntry (even though the latter claims to not care about how many records he sells on "F**k Being Famous" -- "I'm just out here getting rich," goes the refrain) will only help to get their flows and rhymes out there.
T.I. is, no pun intended, king of
In da Streets, the best rapper with the best flow, and shows up five times, including on a great remix of "Top Back" and the solo track "Where They At," but the brazen Xtaci shows she can hold her own on the designer-shoe-laden "Take Me to the Mall," which is everything it sounds, and the amusing "Who You Callin' a B***h."
Kevin "Khao" Cates does get a little presumptuous on his "Grand Hustle Beat Maker" (he's one of the label's producers), with premature braggadocio about how hot he is right now, and singer
Governor's love song "Destiny," though it does have a nice Scott Storch beat, is more than a little out of place, especially considering it follows "Tell 'Em What They Wanna Hear" (which, with regard to women, means "I love you," "You gotta pretty face," "I promise I won't try to sleep with you," "I really wanna take you home so you can meet my mama," "I think about you almost every day"), but overall,
In da Streets, Vol. 4 presents Atlanta's rappers as talented and very much ready to continue their reign in 2007. ~ Marisa Brown