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Tuesday, June 1, 2010
CD Reviews / News Mixtape Review: Rick Ross
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 10:20 AM
The Deal: Ross sneaks out an EP in advance of his next album, Teflon Don, and manages to steal some of T.I.'s mixtape shine last week in the process.
The Good: More than a handful of album and summer sun ready tracks. Who knew John Legend could produce? No one would've predicted a Kool G Rap feature on "Knife Fight", let alone that feature be dope. (Now Ross has to find the Juice Crew). As corny as it is, it's hard not to give Diddy credit for getting your mind in the right place to receive this kind of an album with a intro that deserved a counter for all the N-bombs and motherfuckers he dropped.
"Super High" with Ne-Yo is the smooth sound you love to hear from Ross, while "Gotti Family" with Yo Gotti is a cool song with a even doper sample. "Blowin' Money Fast (B.M.F.)" has some very real references to Big Meech (from Black Mob Family - learn more about their empire in this Creative Loafing Atlanta expose) and Larry Hoover, leader of the gang, Gangster Disciples.
I also appreciate how he manages his woman's expectations on "MC Hammer," rappping, "she thinking Phillipe (Chow), I'm thinking Wing Stop." Hey, when you're fiending Lemon Pepper wings, Chinese food just won't do. "Fire Hazard" was a banger that'll make longtime fans reminisce on his first album, Port Of Miami.
The Bad: If you had to illustrate for an alien why people discredit and hate music from the South,"Money Maker" would be a great example. ("White Sand Pt. II" also suffers from this but isn't nearly as intolerable) Neither creative or unique, it was actually produced by someone from Toronto but I'm sure only people below the Mason-Dixon will catch the backlash.
Beginning to feel bad that Birdman is becoming my Johnny Drama. Someone affiliated with dope people but I'm tempted to take a star off a review every time he makes an appearance and his feature on "All I Need" with Trey Songz wasn't terrible. "300 Soliders" sounds like a throwaway from the Master P & No Limit era.
The Verdict: You know it's all lies and innuendo but damn, when it's good, it's really good. Problem is, there may have never been a better indicator of the types of tracks in which Ross excels vs. the ones he should pass on when it's time for the album. Hopefully he took note.
INFO
Release date: May 27, 2010
Download Rick Ross' The Albert Anastasia EP here.
Tracklist (Production Credits):
1. Diddy Intro (Produced by Infamous)
2. MC Hammer (Produced by Lex Luger)
3. Blowin' Money Fast (B.M.F.) (Feat. Styles P) (Produced by Lex Luger)
4. Money Maker (Produced by Boi-1da)
5. Gotti Family (Feat. Yo Gotti)
6. Fire Hazard (Produced by The Runners)
7. All I Need (Feat. Birdman & Trey Songz)
8. Sweet Life (Feat. John Legend) (Produced by John Legend)
9. Super High (Feat. Ne-Yo) (Produced by DJ Clark Kent)
10. Knife Fight (Feat. Kool G Rap)
11. White Sand Pt. II (Feat. Triple C's)
12. 300 Soldiers
13. BONUS: Nasty (Feat. Masspike Miles)
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