My thoughts, after the jump.
Rawse is still on fire. Still. How long can it go on for? It seems insane that he's still riding this career surge. These things happen in rap. Hours in the studio, opportunity, luck and buzz come together and artists become untouchable over a period of time.
Wayne's mixtape run that culminated in him rocketing to unheard of levels of super stardom is a well-known example. Yeezy when he re-packaged electronic music and nearly did a mil, right before white America made him sit down. Both of these examples have had positive outcomes. DMX also had an untouchable run, and the last time he was in the news was because someone ran up on him on TMZ. These stretches of dominance dry up, and an artist can either gracefully evolve into the stage that comes next, or fall off.
Ross is in the midst of an impressive run, and to me, it seems like he's in the early stages of it. It's a surge that has lasted since before Teflon Don, through his otherworldly "Devil in a New Dress" cameo, through the building of MMG, the revival of Wale, the Take Care cameo, and now... this. Will it last through God Forgives, I Don't, the next MMG compilation, and YOLO? We don't know the order of when these projects will come out, and it's a tall order, but my gut says it will.
If Ross comes with the hits, he'll have fulfilled the modern formula of free music + radio play = big numbers. Plus MMG is hot property right now (see Meek Mill, and the hype around his debut) and everyone has seen that the compilation is the way to go (see Yeezy greenlighting the GOOD Music album). GFID will do big numbers, MMG will bring the heat and Drizzy/Ross has proven to be a deadly combo. 2012 is going to be very good to Mr. Roberts.
I know a lot of people still don't fuck with Ross. In fact, I'm sure a lot of people that check this site don't fuck with Ross. Getting over that hip-hop purist bias was one of the best things that happened to me in music in the last little while. It's worth it, trust me. There's so much to enjoy. The beats, the unstoppable adlibs, the incredible writing. You can hate him because he lied, or he's a phony, or he's not what hip-hop is about, or you can realize that William Leonard Roberts II was put on this earth to rap. It's as simple as that. I don't think him having the ability to create tongue-tying, syllable packed phrases that induce lucid imagery is an accident. I don't think that voice, one of the greatest this genre has ever experienced, is an accident. Rick Ross is in the middle of storming the castle. Believe that.
Now let's talk about the tape, and let's remember these are my initial thoughts. Things to note?
1.) Nas comes through blazing, keeping up the batting average. His next album is going to be a problem.
2.) 2 Chainz obliterates his guest spot, and that, coupled with a banging beat and Rozay in his prime, is enough to bury Wale as he performs anchor duties.
3.) The simple truth that John Legend's glorious, skying vocals brings out the best in Ross is not dispelled here; "Rich Forever" is a very high highlight, with Ross trying out that Wale-poetry-flow at the start. People might be feeling TM103 but Ross continues to shit on Jeezy. And it sounds dope.
4.) Impressively, Pharell's verse doesn't ruin "MMG The World is Ours," which I will consider a compliment, as I usually put Skateboard P in that same bracket with Swizz Beatz, Birdman and Diddy. What's this bracket called, you ask? "What the Fuck Are These Guys Doing on the Record, I'm Hitting Next."
5.) Speaking of the Ciroc Boy, who the fuck ghostwrote his verse on "New Bugatti?" It definitely wasn't Mr. Get Up Off The Sidelines. Probably some weed-carrier you see in the edge of those "Rick Ross goes to King of Diamonds" videos that come out every week.
6.) Rozay's penchant for writing choruses that strive to bash their way into your head, and into ubiquity (do you remember "I'm A Boss?" Jay kay, you do.) continues here, though improvement has been made, I feel. Check out "Holy Ghost".
7.) I don't really like Stalley, and I'm not sure I ever will.
8.) French Montana too.
9.) It's fun to play, "Which of These Songs Were Going to Be on GFID?" This shit should be retail.
10.) When Ross says "Timing is everything, rhyming is everything," I definitely believe him. This guy's pen-game has improved so much.
11.) LOL @ "My teacher said I was a piece of shit, I seen her the other day, driving a piece of shit,"
12.) Drizzy told us that "it's whatever if somebody wants to make it a thing". I officially believe him. His verse is fiyaaaah. He takes shots at Common, a "god acting like a broad," proving that he'll go toe-to-toe with anybody who wants it. Instead of this putting me in an awkward place, not knowing who to root for (these two put out maybe my two favorite projects of 2011) I find myself enjoying the ride. We'll see where this goes. Also, fuuuuck Drake can write. And there is scientific proof. A week ago my Dad was saying a line from Take Care over and over around the house, a line he'd heard in the car before he hastily switched from CD to radio. This man is not a rap fan. I've been saying "rich off a mixtape, got rich off a mixtape" non-stop, at the most nonsensical moments, ever since November. And finally, we have Rick Ross, so enamored with a line, that he's breaking into Drake's verse (in this world of emailed verses, not something you see often) to reiterate to Vanessa Bryant, "bitch you wasn't shooting with me in the gym." Free Kobe's money.
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Dope write-up, great job!
ReplyDeleteWe share a lot of common thoughts, I wasn't fucking with Ross until I got rid of that Hip-Hop purist bias you were talking about and now he's in constant rotation.
Where I do differ is that in my opinion, we're actually seeing Rozay's decline. We might not see it right away, but his buzz is dying. This 'tape wasn't even in the plans until God Forgives, I Don't was delayed.
Thanks man. And I'll respectfully disagree haha. I think the push backs have more to do with the seizures, and bit to do with "You the Boss" not blowing up. But all we can do is wait and see.
ReplyDelete