In January 2013, B.o.B announced an upcoming Grand Hustle compilation album titled Hustle Gang.[1][2] On April 4, T.I. revealed the label would release a mixtape titled, G.D.O.D (Get Dough or Die), during the first week of May 2013, preceding the compilation album.[3] On April 19, 2013, T.I. formally introduced GOOD Music producer Travis Scott and Grammy Award winning songwriter Kris Stephens, as Grand Hustle signees.[4] On April 28, a release date for the mixtape would later be announced to be May 7, 2013.[5] As promised the mixtape was released on May 7, featuring 20 tracks and contributions from Grand Hustle artists T.I., Mitchelle'l, B.o.B, Young Dro, Big Kuntry King, Trae tha Truth, D.O.P.E., Travi$ Scott, Chip, Kris Stephens, Mac Boney, Doe B and Shad da God. It also featured guest appearances from Lil Duval, Juicy J, Iggy Azalea, Meek Mill, Mystikal, French Montana, and Young Jeezy.[6][7][8]
Release and promotion
On May 4, 2013, T.I. appeared on BET's 106 & Park, alongside B.o.B, Young Dro, Trae tha Truth, and Kris Stephens, to promote the mixtape and premiere the "Memories Back Then" music video.[9][10] On July 11, 2013, two songs from G.D.O.D. (Get Dough Or Die) were released to iTunes; "Problems" featuring T.I., B.o.B, Problem, Trae tha Truth, Mac Boney and Young Dro, along with "Poppin' 4 Sum", featuring Young Dro, B.o.B and Yung Brooke.[11] On August 11, "Kemosabe", another song from the mixtape, featuring Doe B, T.I., B.o.B, Birdman and Young Dro, was released to iTunes.[12] On August 29, 2013, the mixtape was released for retail sale on iTunes.[13] On September 10, 2013, "Here I Go" by Spodee featuring T.I., Mystikal, Young Dro and Shad Da God, was released as the mixtape's fourth single.[14]
G.D.O.D. (Get Dough Or Die) was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Jesse Fairfax of HipHopDX deemed the mixtape a "free album", their highest praise for mixtapes. He also said, "Throwing his hat in the ring to compete with compilations from well received rosters such as G.O.O.D. Music and Rick Ross' MMG brand, T.I.'s Hustle Gang sets themselves apart from the run of the mill mixape mob with G.D.O.D. The squad proves to be generally captivating, making fully developed songs despite predictable mentions of the fashionable drug molly and the project's countless boasts of materialistic wealth. Responding to the urgency of their motto's acronym, most of the heavy lifting is handled by T.I., B.o.B. who cuts loose as a tough spitter outside of his pop lane, and the still razor sharp one hit wonder Young Dro."[16]
NMB of XXL also gave a very positive review saying, " The sheer volume of verses squeezed into this mixtape keeps G.D.O.D. from ever really getting boring and it's exciting to see everyone seize their spots. Altogether it's a project that not only bodes well for Tip as an artist, but as a cultivator of talent as well."[17] Calvin Stovall of BET stated, "by his own admission, money has clearly clouded T.I.'s artistic vision, watering down the trap sound he helped pioneer. At times Get Dough or Die is reminiscent of the glory days of his Pimp Squad Clique, with Tip occasionally kicking up and hitting his stride with one of his trademark accelerated flows. But for the most part, the tape is merely a disappointing reminder that money stacks does not a throne make."[15]
In August 2014, in an interview with MTV, T.I. revealed plans to release the Grand Hustle compilation, which is tentatively due in December, following his ninth album Paperwork: "What's holding up the Hustle Gang project is that we have some new additions to the mix, and we didn't wanna put out the project out without including or allowing those new additions to be part of it. Maybe we'll do a stroke of midnight release on New Years. We did that with F**k Da City Up and it did well, so maybe we'll try that again."[19] On September 19, 2014, the label released the second installment to the G.D.O.D. (Get Dough or Die) series.[20]
Track listing
No.
Title
Producer(s)
Length
1.
"Welcome To My City" (T.I., Doe B, Shad Da God & Spodee)
