Hip-Hop’s mafioso murders music mercilessly & it’s magnificent.
Yes, I wish he was prettier. I think we all do, I’ll say that upfront. But there is something about Rick Ross that is refreshing. Actually, not quite refreshing, rather reminiscent of 1990s hip-hop that raised me. His fourth solo, studio ablum, Teflon Don (download here), dropped last Tuesday, July 20, 2010.
“So fuck a nigga. I’m self made.
You a sucka nigga. I’m self-paid.
This for my broke niggas. This for my rich niggas.
Got a hundred on the head of a snitch nigga.
I think I’m Big Meech. Larry Hoover.
Whippin work. Hallelujah.
One nation. Under God.
Real niggas gettin money from the fuckin start.”
Rick Ross – B.M.F. (Blowin Money Fast) ft. Styles P.
The mafioso name-dropping though, seems to get Ross in trouble often. Apparently, the Gotti Family isn’t too happy about the name of the album being titled Teflon Don since that was John Gotti Jr’s, Boss of the NYC Gambino crime family, nickname. But then again, Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Larry Hoover don’t seem to have a problem with being mentioned. Sidenote: Is there something deeper here? Meech & Hoover are both Black. Seems like sometime we forget that the Italians didn’t fancy Blacks. I mean, just watch West Side Story. I doubt they meant to show how the Blacks were treated, and if you ignore it, you don’t see it. But if you’re Black, you’ll notice. Perhaps Rick Ross’s controversy can open up race conversation in certain circle although I have little faith that it will.
No matter the features, Ross holds his own. He has a raw way of speaking. His delivery is puporseful and shows no signs of hesitation. Ross’s way of speaking makes it seem like everything he’s saying is truth. Even his lady-aimed “Aston Martin” ft. Drake and Chrisette Michelle (What’d I say about this effin amazin feaures?!?!?) retains his gangsta as he says, “Everytime we fuck, her soul takes control of me.” Maybe that’s not how a lady wants to hear it, but that’s his truth. There’s nothing better than the truth. That’s the real hip-hop has been missing for a while.
You know an album’s good when you want it to be over so you can listen to it again.
Bra[fuckin]vo, Ross.