CROWN ROYAL.

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Author: Frere-Jones, Sasha

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK

Last year, the Atlanta rapper T.I. and the Houston rapper Lil' Flip could not come to an agreement on who was "King of the South," a title they grappled for entertainingly on mix tapes. The idea of crowning only one of the South's many great MCs is confusing, though it's very hip-hop to anoint yourself king of something in a (hopefully) bloodless coup. Further confusing this struggle is the fact that T.I.'s coronation is no longer such a hyperbolic idea. Well-liked by his peers, T.I. is a terrifyingly fluid rapper and a small, fine-featured man who exudes unhurried confidence and charisma. He is currently exuding in the film "ATL" and on his new hit album, "King," where he must navigate around both his foes and a wonderful series of bouncy, syncopated beats, the best of which, "Get It," is provided by the veteran New York producer Swizz Beatz. T.I. is convinced of his own excellence but manages to avoid the pitfalls of his peers: paranoia, rage, general ickiness. His forte is grace, whether he was born to it or learned it by trial.

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By Sasha Frere-Jones