Free TC

Free TC is the debut studio album by Ty Dolla Sign. It was released on November 13, 2015, by Atlantic Records. As executive producers, Ty Dolla Sign and Wiz Khalifa enlisted a variety of collaborators; including DJ Mustard, DJ Spinz, Cardo, Johnny Juliano, Kendrick Lamar, Brandy, Rae Sremmurd, E-40, Future, and Kanye West, among others.

Free TC
Studio album by
Ty Dolla Sign
ReleasedNovember 13, 2015 (2015-11-13)
Studio
Genre
Length72:34
LabelAtlantic
Producer
Ty Dolla Sign chronology
Beach House EP
(2014)		 Free TC
(2015)		 Campaign
(2016)
Singles from Free TC
  1. "Only Right"
    Released: May 15, 2015
  2. "Blasé"
    Released: June 26, 2015
  3. "Saved"
    Released: October 16, 2015
  4. "Wavy"
    Released: January 16, 2016

Free TC received generally positive reviews from critics. The album debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard 200, selling 31,000 units in its first week. It was supported by four singles: "Only Right", "Blasé", "Saved", and "Wavy".

Promotion

On October 13, 2015, while Ty is prepping for the release of Free TC, Ty released his sixth mixtape Airplane Mode. On October 15, the album's final track listing was revealed through his SoundCloud account, in which Ty told his incarcerated brother TC (to whom the album is dedicated) over the phone about each track and how they came up with it together.[2]

Singles

The album's first single, "Only Right", was released on May 15, 2015.[3] The song features guest appearances from American rappers YG, Joe Moses, and TeeCee4800, while the production was handled by Mike Free and DJ Mustard.[4]

The album's lead single, "Blasé", was released on June 26, 2015.[5] The song features guest appearances from American rapper Future and hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd, while the production was handled by DJ Spinz.[4] "Blasé" was sent to radio and the song later charted on the US Billboard Hot 100.[6] On August 2, 2016, it was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7]

The album's third single, "Saved", was released on October 16, 2015.[8] The song features a guest appearance from American rapper E-40, while the production was handled by DJ Mustard and Twice as Nice.[4] "Saved" was sent to radio and later charted on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] On July 28, 2016, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[9]

The album's fourth single, "Wavy", was released on January 16, 2016.[10] The song features a guest appearance from American rapper Joe Moses, while the production was handled by DJ Mustard and Twice as Nice.[4] On December 7, 2016, "Wavy" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[11]

Promotional singles

The album's first promotional single, "When I See Ya", was released on September 10, 2015.[12] The song features a guest appearance from American rapper Fetty Wap, while the production was handled by Cardo and Johnny Juliano.[4]

The album's second promotional single, "Solid", was released on October 23, 2015.[13] The song features a guest appearance from American R&B singer-songwriter Babyface, who also serves its production alongside The Rascals, D'Mile, and Ty Dolla Sign.[4]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.1/10[14]
Metacritic76/100[15]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[16]
Consequence of SoundB[17]
Entertainment WeeklyA–[18]
Exclaim!7/10[19]
The Guardian[20]
HipHopDX4.0/5[21]
Pitchfork7.7/10[22]
Pretty Much AmazingB[23]
Rolling Stone[24]
Spin7/10[25]

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.[15] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[14]

David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Numerous proven mixtapes help set Ty up for an easier introduction than most, but Free TC tops all expectations, as the man conquers the club, the bedroom, and the brain with this end-to-end stunner."[16] Brain Josephs of Consequence of Sound said, "For all of Free TC's turn-up nut-grabbing, it's the beating heart that ends up stealing the show."[17] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly said, "Free TC could use some editing, but Ty has enough charm to carry bedroom jams, Cadillac bangers, and folk-funk experiments all at once."[18] In a positive review for Exclaim!, Calum Slingerland praised Ty's talent in composition and arrangement, writing "what could have easily been a 16-track collection of Griffin's ambition becoming his downfall is a worthwhile look at the multifaceted nature of his musical brain."[19] Claire Lobenfeld of Fact said, "This is not the moment where he will become a superstar, but it's a promising beginning to what should be a very long career."[26] Shirley Ju of HipHopDX said, "So, all in all, 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."[21]

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said, "Free TC—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."[1] Rebecca Haithcoat of Pitchfork said, "His confidence is why he flies when he swings for the fences on his new album, Free TC."[22] Corbin Reiff of Rolling Stone said, "Free TC, dedicated to Dolla $ign's currently incarcerated brother, marries a diverse range of earworm-level hooks and genre-bridging rhythms to uncomfortably base themes."[24] Winston Cook-Wilson of Spin said, "The album is a dense, cinematic, always surprising and often moving album that sounds like it required the full three years that the L.A. crooner and producer spent chipping away at it to get right."[25] Lanre Bakare of The Guardian said, "[The] cameo-packed tracks fail to live up to the billing, often feeling too long and lacking the punch of Dolla $ign's previous output."[20]

Accolades
Year-end lists
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Complex The Best Albums of 2015
25
[27]
HipHopDX The Top 25 Albums of 2015 N/A
[28]
The Hundreds Top 25 Albums of 2015
18
[29]
The New York Times The Best Albums of 2015 by Jon Caramanica
4
[30]
New York Daily News Best of hip-hop albums: Class of 2015
10
[31]
Noisey The Top 26 Overlooked Albums of 2015 N/A
[32]
NPR 50 Favorite Albums of 2015 N/A
[33]
Pigeons & Planes Best Albums of 2015
39
[34]
Rolling Stone 20 Best R&B Albums of 2015
10
[35]
Uproxx The 15 Best Rap Albums of 2015
14
[36]

Commercial performance

Free TC debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard 200, with 31,000 album-equivalent units, (including 22,000 copies in pure album sales) in its first week.[37] On February 7, 2018, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.[38]

Track listing

Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes.[4]

Free TC track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."LA" (featuring Kendrick Lamar, Brandy and James Fauntleroy)
5:07
2."Saved" (featuring E-40)
2:58
3."Straight Up" (featuring Jagged Edge)
5:01
4."Solid" (featuring Babyface)
4:19
5."Horses in the Stable"
3:06
6."Know Ya" (featuring Trey Songz)
4:52
7."Credit" (featuring Sevyn Streeter)
  • Griffin, Jr.
  • Emile II
  • Proby
  • Barrow
  • Kenneth Coby
  • Cychae Strahan
  • Brandon Hamlin
  • Devin Montgomery
6:11
8."Miracle / Wherever" (featuring Big TC and D-Loc)
  • D'Mile
  • Nate 3D
  • Ty Dolla Sign
8:15
9."Guard Down" (featuring Kanye West and Diddy)
Hit-Boy4:56
10."Sitting Pretty" (featuring Wiz Khalifa)
3:26
11."When I See Ya" (featuring Fetty Wap)
3:34
12."Blasé" (featuring Future and Rae Sremmurd)
DJ Spinz4:46
13."Only Right" (featuring YG, Joe Moses and TeeCee4800)
3:10
14."Bring It Out of Me"
  • Griffin, Jr.
  • Mikkel Storleer Eriksen
  • Tor Erik Hermansen
  • Proby
  • Paolo Prudencio
Stargate3:45
15."Actress" (featuring R. Kelly)
D'Mile6:12
16."Finale" (featuring Sa-Ra and PJ)
2:53
Total length:72:34
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Like a Drug"
  • Griffin, Jr.
  • Eugene Padgett
YungFlamez4:42
18."Wavy" (featuring Joe Moses)
  • Griffin, Jr.
  • Allen
  • McFarlane
  • DJ Mustard
  • Twice as Nice
3:07
19."Long Time" (featuring Quavo)
Metro Boomin3:08
20."Westside"
  • Griffin, Jr.
  • Jodd Knight
  • Kristal Oliver
  • Kristofer Murray
  • Alexander Izquierdo
  • Gamal Lewis
DJ Mustard4:05
Total length:87:32

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer
  • "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

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[4]

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)
  • Two Inch Punch – instrumentation (track 10)
  • Noah Breakfast – 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 Sign – 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 – 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 (Alien Music)
  • Carolyn Tracey – packaging production
  • Virgilio Tzaj – art direction, design
  • Jory Lee Cordy – photography

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for Free TC
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[38] Gold 500,000

sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history
Release dates and formats for Free TC
Region Date Label(s) Format(s) Edition Ref.
Worldwide November 13, 2015 Atlantic
Standard [48]
March 25, 2016 Deluxe [49]
April 20, 2016 Vinyl Standard [50]

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