Trae

Trae

Texas rap is stuck in a mess of candy-painted gangsta grills? Trae would argue otherwise. Channeling the ghetto gospel of Tupac Shakur, the Houston rapper's fourth LP reaches out to the troubled and forgoes the diamond-studded, pushing an album that strives to refocus his hometown scene with lyrics concerning redemption and solace. Production sways closer to UGK than Paul Wall, a well-contrived fusion of downtrodden ("Gittin High") and inspirational ("Life Goes On") beats that bounce under Trae's full-bodied, sometimes frantic delivery. His low-end raps struggle to maintain interest on the ultimately long-winded Life Goes On, crutched by guest spots from some of rap's most recognized: Lil' Wayne, Jadakiss, Slim Thug, Styles P, and 2Pac, who's featured on "Against All Odds," a track fit for an Outlaw. Venturing into uncharted territory, Trae's out to bring a new look to the Houston circuit.