I Need Mine

I Need Mine is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper Lil' Flip. Originally set to be released on December 6, 2005 via Columbia/Sony Urban, it was dropped on March 27, 2007 through Asylum/Warner Bros. Records.

Production was handled by Attractive Productions, Carnival Beats, DJ Paul, DJ Squeeky, Falling Down, Fyngermade, Juicy J, Mannie Fresh, Mel Beatz, Nitti, Preston "Shorty P" Flowers, Russell Rockwell, Salaam Remi, Scott Storch, The Synphony, Z-Ro, and Lil' Flip himself.

It features guest appearances from Big Pokey, Big Shasta, Chamillionaire, C-Note, Collie Buddz, D-Red, Gudda Gudda, Kidd Kidd, Lyfe Jennings, Mannie Fresh, Mike Jones, MJG, Mýa, Nate Dogg, Rick Ross, Robin Andre, Supa Blanco, Three 6 Mafia, UGK, Yukmouth, Z-Ro and Viola Sykes.

The album also debuted at number 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart with 43,000 copies sold in the first week released. It was supported with singles "What It Do", which peaked at No. 71 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 67 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and No. 36 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and "Ghetto Mindstate (Can't Get Away)", which peaked at No. 77 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 74 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.

Critical reception
I Need Mine was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics.

Pedro Hernandez of RapReviews praised the album for scaling back on the humour to allow for diverse topics and sharp production, calling it "Lil' Flip's best album to date and yet it isn't. Even with the scarcity of humor on the album, if you put all the best songs on the double disc together you would have Flip's best album". AllMusic's David Jeffries complained about the project's length, saying "listening to the album in one sitting becomes a near impossible task", and also stated: "the problem Lil' Flip was faced with was whether he should whittle this album down to a stunning one-disc classic and sacrifice some truly B+ music".

Andrew Beaujon of Blender felt that a discord was found between the production and Flip's lyrics, saying that "The beats are often dazzling, the rhymes less so. His disses in particular need a little work". In his brief review for Rolling Stone, music editor Christian Hoard gave the album 3 out of possible five stars, saying "his deep-country drawl and casual braggadocio make for Southern rap that's hard not to like on tunes such as "Busta Clip" and the languorous "The Souf". Brian Miller of XXL wrote: "although tweaked, I Need Mine still includes some of the questionable material from its previous incarnation", and concluded with "buried among the upgraded tracks, the sore thumbs are not as prominent as before, but they hold Flip back from fully regaining his underground-legend status". HipHopDX reviewer wrote: "with versatility being his key selling point, he does hit many different angles. But while excelling on a few cuts, he falls hopelessly flat on more. This is unfortunate because the falls overshadow his highpoints throughout [the album]".

Track listing

 * Sample credits
 * Track 8 contains samples from the composition "Ecstacy" as performed by Endgames.
 * Track 15 contains samples from the composition "Overture of Foxy Brown" as performed by Willie Hutch.