Tales of extravagant spending, beautiful women, cocaine transactions, and other Scarface-type stories have been told by many an MC in Hip-Hop. But in recent years, it seems as if Williams “Rick Ross” Roberts as taken this blueprint and ran with it. Like all careers, his hasn’t come without a little bit of controversy, but those minor speed bumps in the road haven’t been able to derail his fourth solo album in four years; Teflon Don.
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The key to being a successful bawse is to surround yourself with the best help possible, and Rick Ross hires the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, T.I., Jadakiss, Drake Chrisette Michelle, Trey Songz, Diddy, Erykah Badu, Ne-Yo, John Legend, Gucci Mane, Styles P, The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and a few more to ensure a positive outcome.
With a payroll of assistance that rivals the New York Yankees, Ricky Rozay hits the ground running with horn-laced ‘I’m Not A Star,’ where he talks about not being one, but having the benefits of an A-Lister. Jay-Z then sets the record straight about his religious beliefs on ‘Free Mason,’ as John Legend mans the background vocals.
‘Tears Of Joy’ featuring Cee-Lo Green which is arguably the best song on the album comes into play, as No I.D. provides a soulful backdrop for Ricky to drop lines like;
“Life is just a p*ssy race/snatch ya b*tch/take her back to your place/next morning I can tell you how the p*ssy taste/I got expensive taste.”
Teflon Don then gets a boost of adrenaline with Trey Songz and Diddy-assisted ‘No. 1’ as Ross explains just why he is, while Diddy jumps in with another one of his ghostwritten verses.
The Albert Anastasia EP favorites ‘B.M.F. (Blowin Money Fast)’ featuring Styles P and ‘MC Hammer’ make the cut, but with Gucci Mane jumping on ‘MC Hammer’ this time around.
Other contributions that make Teflon Don bullet proof are ‘Live Fast, Die Young’ (feat. Kanye West), ‘Maybach Music III’ (feat. Jadakiss, T.I., and Erykah Badu), and the family tribute song ‘All The Money In The World’ (feat. Raphael Saadiq).
The key to having a prosperous career in the music business is simple: Find your niche, and perfect it to the point where no one can do it better than you—and Rick Ross has proven that theory to be true for the fourth time this decade.
From the very beginning starting with his 2006, Port Of Miami debut, Ross has showcased himself as not being the most lyrical rapper, but one of the best at getting people to connect with his music and his movement; which happen to be signs of actually being a bawse.
