(ThyBlackMan.com) Rick Ross just dropped his eleventh solo studio album, Richer Than I Ever Been, and I think it’s safe to say that there is nothing left for The Biggest Boss to prove in hip hop. His staying power has been amazing with fifteen years in the game and his record label, Maybach Music, has given us the rise of great artists like Wale and Meek Mill. Rick Ross has also stepped outside of music and became a business man by opening multiple Wing Stop franchises across the country.
Although his new album will not be included in this list because it is too soon to judge whether it is good enough to be on the list, I have listened to it and all I can say is that it is more Rick Ross, which is a good thing. Like most artists, either you like them or they aren’t your cup of tea. For fans of Rick Ross, I think that Richer Than I Ever Been will be a very nice and easy listen for you and a welcome part of his legendary catalogue.
3. Port of Miami (2006)
Although I think that there are three other albums in Rick Ross’ catalogue that should be in the third spot, you just simply cannot do a must listen list for him without including the origin and very core of Rick Ross. Port of Miami is probably the most classic album that he has, and that is not a bad thing even if it is his first album.
There is more that goes into this album’s status of a classic. When this album dropped, you couldn’t go anywhere in the south without hearing Port of Miami. It was the voice of a whole wave of people and it sits as an anomaly in his album library because he has no other album that sounds like this one. The sound is so gritty and street. There was a drastic jump in lyricism and production from this album to his next album and going back it makes you love this album so much more.
The vibe that you get from this album is that of an upcoming dope boy that was still trying to make it big. Of course, he probably had money at this point, but the music made you root for him and want to see him level up to that next level. He was also coming out of Miami, which was hot at the time, even though he sounded nothing like a Miami rapper. He had his own style. It was led by the hit single “Hustlin’”
Must listen songs: Push It, Cross That Line ft. Akon, Pots and Pans ft JRock
2. Teflon Don (2010)
Fresh off a break in his lifelong beef with fellow rap superstar, 50 Cent, Rick Ross dropped is shortest and most concise album. Of the eleven songs on the album, there is only one song that is a sometime skip and the song isn’t bad, it just feels like it does not fit in with the rest of the album. The rest of the ten songs are must listens.
You get a wide range from Rick Ross on this album, from street bangers to more laid-back songs. Some of his biggest songs come from this album. If he could’ve kept up the strength of the songs on this album, I wouldn’t have minded three or four more songs, but the album is perfect the way it is.
He has some big-time feature on this album like Jay Z, Drake, Kanye West, and Gucci Mane. Every song on the album has a feature on it and while I usually complain about features on major artists albums, Rick Ross has a knack for bringing out the best in his features so I didn’t mind it at all.
After two great projects before this one (Trilla and Deeper Than Rap), this is a Rick Ross continued the new direction of his music. Following Port of Miami, Rick Ross’ music style change to something amazing. A few words that come to mind when listening to Teflon Don are high class, luxury, elite, and grandiose. The production of many of his songs make you feel like you are rich just from listening to it. “Super High” ft. Ne-Yo was the lead single off of this album and all I can say is give it a listen and will give you a small taste of what Rick Ross became.
Must listen songs: Free Mason ft. Jay Z, Live Fast, Die Young ft. Kanye West, Aston Martin Music ft. Chrisette Michele and Drake
1. God Forgives, I Don’t (2012)
The single best Rick Ross album, don’t @ me! This project is the follow up to the highly successful, Teflon Don. There are some absolute legendary album cuts on this album and some of the overall best songs that he has produced. I will say that the singles for the album, “TouchN’ You” ft. Usher, “So Sophisticated” ft. Meek Mill, and “Hold Me Back” were all good, but you can tell that they were radio songs.
Throughout the whole album, Rick Ross is in prime form and somehow manages to outdo Teflon Don which is hard to do. The production across the board on this album is top notch and Rick Ross should always be applauded for his ear for beats because all of his songs are always easy to listen to and it is something that you don’t always find in hip hop for some reason.
There are a lot of songs on this album that you can close your eyes and just let the song take you away. The album goes together so well and not only does Rick Ross get to shine, he lets his features shine whether they are only on the hook or got full verses on the song.
If I had to pick one album to listen to from Rick Ross, it would be this one because it is proof of what he became and where his position in hip hop was at the moment. He is one of the only people who can hang with all of the heavy hitters in rap and still keep his music and sound true to himself.
Must listen songs: Sixteen ft. Andre 3000, Diced Pineapples ft. Drake and Wale, Ten Jesus Pieces ft. Stalley
Staff Writer; Tardell Swift
This brother is new to writing yet has many different interests such as gaming, hip hop, wrestling, and manga.
You can follow him on Twitter; PhirewoodGaming and keep up with his thoughts there as well.