The album highlights his "fear, anger and guilt" as he awaited trial. He wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious. announced he had been writing songs for a new album to be entitled Paper Trail.
#System of a down album covers graph paper trial
On November 12, 2007, while awaiting a trial for federal weapons charges, T.I. The album spawned eight singles, four of which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100, with two singles peaking at number one.
It received generally favorable reviews from critics, and is T.I.'s most successful to date. The album was eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). 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 production on the album was handled by several high-profile record producers, including Nard & B, Rob Knox, Danja, Toomp, Drumma Boy, Kanye West, Lil' C, Jim Jonsin, Just Blaze, Justin Timberlake, Swizz Beatz, Blac Elvis and more. The album features guest appearances from rappers Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Ludacris, along with singers Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, and John Legend, among others. Unlike his past albums, he wrote his lyrics down on paper, which he had not done since his debut album, I'm Serious (2001). He began to write songs for the album as he awaited trial for federal weapons and possession charges. Paper Trail is the sixth studio album by American hip hop recording artist T.I., released September 30, 2008, on Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records.