Reaching the top of Billboard Hot 100, “Dead and Gone” is another major hit from Atlanta-born recording artist T.I., born Clifford Harris, from his certified platinum album “Paper Trail”. Collaborating this time with Justin Timberlake after his ultimate, Grammy-grabbing piece with Jay-Z on “Swagga Like Us”, T.I. shows a compelling take on reflecting his neighborhood, youth, and life. Produced by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, “Dead and Gone” had rather a very strong and infectious chorus that would have everyone singing the lines even after the song had stopped.
A reflective track, T.I. breathes out his life, his mistakes, and even speaks of the true forces lurking the streets that had lead him to do and commit things that had pushed his life on the edge. “Dead and Gone” is the second track to which he collaborated with Justin Timberlake, the first of which has brought his fans the smashing single in 2006 with “My Love”. This single features nothing less of a solid beat that utilizes a rather noticeably tone of the piano, bringing a genuine character of a downright strong emotion.
With a true reflection of the dodgy urban street, T.I. narrated his life with much realization of his youth and how he had tried to transform for the sake of his family. A rather haunting narration of his life as a drug dealer and thief, the song paints his effort to rise up from the grim life that surrounds his childhood and youth.
Performing the cover for “Dead and Gone” is Dalena. Fully bringing the pop out of this single, Dalena had made an otherwise impressive take. While “Dead and Gone” is rather full of remorse and is exceptionally emotional, Dalena had provided a rather forgetful version. Her pitch is downright sharp and unable to enunciate the emotion that is inherent with the track. The chorus of “Dead and Gone” that had been designed to be infectious had been rather made bleak by her vocals. Hardly matching the charismatic and compelling ability of T.I. and of the poignant and infectious take of Justin Timberlake on the chorus, Dalena, though able to coast along the lyrics designed for T.I., could be rather recommended to stick on more pop tunes designed for her and more apt for her vocals.
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