With a barrage of preincarceration records from Lil’ Wayne (Rebirth, We Are Young Money), the arrival of Drake‘s first single, “Over,” and news that Kanye West was working on his new album, Good Ass Job, in Hawaii, it’s been a good time to be a hip-hop fan. But something’s been missing.

We’re thinking you’ll agree that within the first few seconds of his postincarceration single, “I’m Back,” “something” was T.I. After being released from prison earlier this month (he’s fulfilling the rest of his sentence under home confinement), T.I. went right back to work. The result is this bouncing, bass-heavy blast of boasts — a statement of intent that this man is BACK.

If you couldn’t hear the passion in his voice, T.I. made his intentions plain, recently telling MTV News, “”As long as there is air in my esophagus, champ, I’mma keep going.” Long live T.I. May his esophagus be full of air for a long, long time.

+ Listen to T.I.’s “I’m Back,” here.

Read more here:
Song You Need To Know: T.I., ‘I’m Back’