Free TC (album)

Free TC is the debut solo studio album by American singer Ty Dolla $ign. It was released on November 13, 2015, by Atlantic Records. It features guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Brandy, Rae Sremmurd, E-40, Future, Kanye West, YG, among others.
The album debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard 200, with a first-week sales of 31,000 units. The deluxe version was released on March 25, 2016, which includes four bonus tracks, including the single "Wavy" and three new tracks. On February 7, 2018, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
== Synopsis ==
Rapper and R&B singer-songwriter Ty Dolla $ign never sounds like he's trying too hard, which is remarkable given how much he gets done. A sprawling, quietly ambitious album, his full-length debut moves effortlessly from '70s-style orchestral streetscapes ("LA") to aerodynamic club music (the E-40–featuring "Saved") and gospel-style catharsis (the eight-minute centerpiece "Miracle/Whatever," which features vocals from his incarcerated brother TC, to whom the album is dedicated). Thoughtful, crass, tender, funny but always low-key: Ty is a consummate stylist that knows how to balance a mood, as well as cast of collaborators that includes Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Babyface, Diddy, and Fetty Wap.
== Background ==
In an interview with Vice, Ty shared, "There are several conversations between me and my brother on the album. You get inside our life. You come into our world. It's heartfelt. Shit. We also did a song on there together; we took one of his YouTube videos and created a song from that, and I can't wait to play it for y'all." He added that it wasn't a "sad" album.Sundermmann, Eric and Kramer, Kyle (September 24, 2015). ""It's Like Hell": Ty Dolla $ign Discusses His Brother's Incarceration and Its Role on His Album 'Free TC'". Noisey.
With a slew of mixtapes, Ty Dolla $ign's long-awaited debut album was released in November 2015. The following year, he premiered his documentary of the same name on March 23rd, which details his brother Gabriel "TC" Griffin, who was incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. Now eleven years behind bars, Ty pledged that portions of the album's sales would go towards TC's lawyer, and the rest for a foundation that helps wrongful convictions.Horowitz, Steven (March 24, 2016). "Ty Dolla $ign Makes Case for His Incarcerated Brother in 'Free TC' Documentary". Billboard. The documentary dropped to his YouTube channel on April 20, 2016. With his brother being denied first appeal back in 2008, the upcoming second appeal would be the final. Ty said, "This next one's very important. Shoutout to everybody that's been supportive. Like I've said from the beginning, every dollar that I'm making from this is going to his case to get the best lawyers to provide the best situation for him to get a second chance at life like he deserves just like everybody else."Hernandez, Victoria (April 20, 2016). "Ty Dolla $ign "Free TC" Documentary, Deluxe Edition Album Stream, Cover Art & Tracklist". HipHopDX.
== Critical reception ==
Free TC was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 16 reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.
David Jeffries of AllMusic remarked, "all of the genre-jumping seems like second nature for this deceptively diverse artist, acting like he's on album number six.""Free TC Review by David Jeffries". AllMusic. November 2015. Consequences Brian Josephs also praised the singer's talents, and observed how the project was "all connected by a bluesy feel via Ty's brother Big TC, who arrives from behind bars through endearing phone conversations."Josephs, Brian (November 19, 2015). "Album Review: Ty Dolla $ign - Free TC". Consequence. Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly praised, "s a genre-morphing outlet for his inventive sense of melody and hypnotic pipes,"Anderson, Kyle (2015). "Free TC by Ty Dolla $ign: EW Review". Entertainmetn Weekly. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. while Exclaim!s Calum Slingerland said, "is a worthwhile look at the multifaceted nature of his musical brain."Slingerland, Calum (November 25, 2015). "Ty Dolla $ign Free TC". Exclaim!. The Guardians Lanre Bakare critiqued, "Those cameo-packed tracks fail to live up to the billing, often feeling too long and lacking the punch of Dolla $ign's previous output."Bakare, Lanre (November 12, 2015). "Ty Dolla $ign: Free TC Review – Lofty Ideas on LA Rapper's Debut". The Guardian. HipHopDX also criticized the many features, where contributor Shirley Ju wrote, "Ty is often drowned out by his many co-conspirators." They positively concluded, "Ty delivers a light, layered debut, with more depth than we thought could be drawn out of the trap&B sound he helped usher into the mainstream. Carefully tied together with a bow of radio hits and the voicemails he shares with his brother, TC."Ju, Shirley (November 18, 2015). "Ty Dolla $ign - Free TC". HipHopDX.
Rebecca Haithcoat of Pitchfork summarized, "is an R&B epic of wanton bedroom jams, filled to the brim with charming grossness, actual prayers, and E-40. If you've been wondering what kind of sex music to play while you hump in your driverless car, this is it."Haithcoat, Rebecca (November 16, 2015). "Free TC". Pitchfork. Rolling Stones Corbin Reiff wrote, "Beyond its role as a showcase for Dolla $ign's outsized melodic skills and sexual braggadocio, Free TC is also a who's-who of big name and up-and-coming rap and R&B talent."Reiff, Corbin (December 4, 2015). "Free TC". Rolling Stone. Winston Cook-Wilson of Spin called Ty$ an "ambidextrous, exuberant studio rat—with more talent than he knows what to do with" and "has just turned out one of the year's more visionary hip-hop albums."Cook-Wilson (November 17, 2015). "Review: Ty Dolla $ign Lays All Doubts to Rest on His Long-Awaited 'Free TC'". Spin. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times gave a warm review, penning, "often exceptional, and easily one of the best R&B albums of this year—is elaborate in conception and execution but still feels off the cuff." He continued, "the most meaningful collaborations here are with TC, Ty Dolla Sign's younger brother and this album's namesake, who is incarcerated."Caramanica, Jon (November 11, 2015). "Review: on 'Free TC,' Ty Dolla Sign Delivers Off-the-Cuff R&B". The New York Times.
Patrick Lyons of HotNewHipHop was more critical, opining, "It's a real pity that Free TC doesn't feel 100% like a Ty Dolla $ign album, and the even larger tragedy is that much of the album doesn't even focus on his still-imprisoned brother." They added that the record did not benefit from the many guest appearances.Lyons, Patrick (November 16, 2015). "Review: Ty Dolla $ign's "Free TC"". HotNewHipHop. Conversely, Samantha O'Connor from The 405 assessed, "strength resonates most authentically when bringing the attention back to the opus' focal point - his younger brother and the subtle commentary on the American justice system."O'Connor, Samantha (November 13, 2015). "Ty Dolla $ign - Free TC". The 405. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. AllHipHop applauded of the artist, "found a balance between being a lascivious rap-singer and a posh musician with a profuse amount of skills whether behind the mic or beat machine. Ty toned down his usual level of lewdness for more radio-friendly songs without straying away from his normal playboy persona. With Free TC, Ty Dolla $ign carves his niche as a vocalist who knows how to perfectly tread the thinning line between rap and R&B."Hudson, Tanay (November 15, 2015). "Album Review: Ty Dolla $ign Makes Impressive Debut with 'Free TC'". AllHipHop.
Lizzie Plaugic from The Verge said of Ty's voice, "It's an elastic, supple, but taut thing that can waver between persuasive whisper and heated growl. He's never quite rapping; instead he sings like a rapper, skipping across each word like the bouncing dot in a karaoke video."Plaugic, Lizzie (November 12, 2015). "Review: Ty Dolla $ign's Debut Album Finds Pleasure in Self-Constructed Excess". The Verge.
The album was added to XXLs year-end list, where they wrote, "[His] deeply rooted rhythm and blues foundation still fits in with hip-hop's grit, which is evident with all the rap features he secures for his debut." They added, "Even with all the big names on this discography, the Los Angeles native never loses the reigns to his own operation. Whether his vocals play over a simple guitar strum or are engulfed by an entire orchestra, Ty knows where he fits in.""20 of the Best Albums of 2015". XXL. December 24, 2015.
;Rankings
 Select year-end rankings of TC
Publication 	List 	Rank	
Complex 	"The Best Albums of 2015" 	 	
HipHopDX 	"The Top 25 Albums of 2015" 	 	
The Hundreds 	"Top 25 Albums of 2015" 	 	
The New York Times 	"The Best Albums of 2015" 	 	
New York Daily News	"Best of Hip-Hop Albums: Class of 2015"	 	
NPR 	"50 Favorite Albums of 2015" 	 	
Pigeons & Planes 	"Best Albums of 2015" 	 	
Rolling Stone 	"20 Best R&B Albums of 2015" 	 	
Spin 	"The 50 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2015" 	 	
Uproxx 	"The 15 Best Rap Albums of 2015" 	 	
XXL 	"20 of the Best Albums of 2015" 	 	
== Track listing ==
Notes
* "LA" features additional vocals by Nate Howard and D&D.
* "Straight Up" features additional vocals by Jacob Luttrell and outro vocals from Ryan Brady.
* "Know Ya" features intro vocals from Keke Palmer.
* "Credit" features additional vocals from Micah Powell and Tiffany Gouché, and outro vocals from Big TC and D-Loc.
* "Miracle / Whatever" features background vocals by Michah Powell, Angel Gold, and Sevyn Streeter.
* "Guard Down" features additional vocals by Nico & Vinz.
* "Actress" features outro vocals by French Montana, D-Loc, Big TC, and Malik Yusef.
* "Finale" features background vocals from Sunny Bey, Shafiq Husayn, Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner.
Sample credits
* "Straight Up" contains a sample of "Settle For My Love" written by Shereelyn Brown, Patrice Rushen, and Fred Washington, as performed by Patrice Rushen; and interpolation of "Let's Get Married", performed by Jagged Edge.
== Personnel ==
Musicians
* DJ Battlecat talkbox (track 1)
* Benjamin Wright conductor, arranger ritesonian (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Kevin Brandon bass (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* H. L. Estrada bass (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Peggy Baldwin cello (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Giovanna Clayton cello (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Maria Martinez cello (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Nancy Stein-Ross cello (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Caroline Buckman viola (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Jorge Moraga viola (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Jimbo Ross viola (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* S. L. Smith viola (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Mark Cargill violin (concertmaster) (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Richard Adkins violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Minyoung Chang violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Susan Chatman violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Nicole Garcia violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Terry Glenny violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Neel Hammond violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Kathleen Robertson violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Lesa Terry violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* C. M. Woods violin (tracks 1, 4, 6–9)
* Donnie Meadows production coordination (track 3)
* Tanisha Broadwater production coordination (track 3)
* The Down Low Horns horns (tracks 3, 8)
* Tyrone "Pops" Griffin, Sr. trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks 3, 8), horns (track 8)
* Tim Anderson saxophone (tracks 3, 8)
* Richard Moorings trombone (tracks 3, 8)
* Terrace Martin alto saxophone (track 7), talkbox (track 8)
* Kenny Crouch piano (tracks 7, 8)
* Mars additional piano (track 7)
* Benny Blanco instrumentation (track 10)
* Ben "Two Inch Punch" Ash instrumentation (track 10)
* Chiddy Bang instrumentation (track 10)
* Andrew "McMuffin" Luftman production coordination (track 10)
* Seih "Mageef" Hussain production coordination (track 10)
* Mikkel Eriksen instruments (track 14)
* Tor Hermansen instruments (track 14)
* Take Blacksmith production coordination, executive production (Tim & Danny Music) (track 14)
* Danny D production coordination, executive production (Tim & Danny Music) (track 14)
* Sam Barsh keyboards (track 16)
* Daniel Seeff upright bass (track 16)
Technical
* Dave Kutch mastering (all tracks)
* Andy Barnes recording (tracks 1–5, 7–9, 11–13, 15), additional recording (track 10), engineering (track 10)
* Derek "MixedByAli" Ali mixing (track 1)
* James Royo mixing (tracks 2, 13)
* Jorge Taveras mixing assistance (track 2)
* Jean-Marie Horvat mixing (tracks 3, 5, 7–9, 16)
* Paul Boutin mixing (track 4)
* Ty Dolla $ign recording (tracks 6, 12)
* Keke Palmer recording (track 6)
* John Kercy mixing (tracks 6, 15)
* Chris "Anger Management" Schlafani engineer (track 10)
* Serban Ghenea mixing (track 10)
* John Hanes engineer (mixing) (track 10)
* Phil Seaford engineer (mixing) (track 10)
* Jaycen Joshua-Fowler mixing (track 11)
* Ryan Kaul mixing assistance (track 11)
* Seth Firkins mixing (track 12)
* Victor Luevanos mixing assistance (track 13)
* Mikkel Eriksen recording (track 14)
* Miles Walker recording (track 14)
* Phil Tan mixing (track 14)
* Daniel Rivera additional and assistance engineering (track 14)
* Shafiq Husayn recording (track 16), engineering (track 16)
* DJ Khalil recording (track 16), engineering (track 16)
* Om'Mas Keith vocal production (track 16), engineering (track 16)
* Taz Arnold vocal production (track 16)
Additional personnel
* Danny Zook sample clearance
* Ron Cahiltes sample clearance
* Carolyn Tracey packaging production
* Virgilio Tzaj art direction, design
* Jory Lee Cordy photography
== Interviews ==
Publication	Title 	
HipHopDX 	"Ty Dolla $ign Fights Against Injustice with "Free TC" Documentary & Album Deluxe Version" 	
Spin 	"$ign of the Times" 	
Noisey 	""It's Like Hell": Ty Dolla $ign Discusses His Brother's Incarceration and Its Role on His Album 'Free TC'"	
== References ==
Category:Albums
Category:Free TC
Category:Studio albums