Rating: NNN
Miami heavyweight Rick Ross is obsessed with gangsterism, clearly. He named himself after drug peddler Ricky Ross and created an image of himself as a Tony Montana-like thug. This album, whose title references New York Mob kingpin John Gotti’s nickname, goes even further, bigging up Larry Hoover and Big Meech among other despicable characters.
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Sounds like a good time, doesn’t it? It usually is, since the former corrections officer is like an exaggerated cartoon version of a real gangster. But not here. Even though the production is immaculate, featuring amazing work by Lex Luger, and the guest list is impressive, the album falls flat. The problem: Ross takes himself too seriously. His lyrics are consistently dark, the soundscapes menacing. There’s no Hustlin’, The Boss or Maybach Music 2 (although the third instalment is here) – three dynamic songs from his past. The tone of the whole joint is off.
An unwritten rule in hip-hop is that seriousness is left to conscious rappers, while gangstas get to have the fun. Ross has things mixed up for the worse.
Top track: B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)
