If you needed anymore further proof of why Rick Ross is hip hop's most consistent artist, just look at this. It was just earlier this year in March I was reviewing his sixth album Mastermind, which is one of my favorites this year. Now here were are, eight months later, and I'm reviewing his seventh album. Two albums in one year. This is a rarity in hip hop for an artist to drop twice in a year. Only a few have done it. But this again shows how hard working Rick Ross is and how consistent he is. Well anyway, here we go again. This is album number seven. Hood Billionaire. Now as I said before, Mastermind was one of my favorite albums of the year. In fact I honestly believe that it's Ross's best album yet. So I gotta admit, I was a little worried to hear that Ross would dropping another album this year following one that was stellar. I just thought to myself it's too soon and it might not be as good. These were my early expectations. Well after listening, my expectations were right on the money. In comparison to Mastermind, Hood Billionaire is a major decline. Not that it was straight up terrible but no where near as good as Mastermind. Also, like I expected, the album just sounds totally rushed. He only had a handful of months to put it together so that's easily explainable. There are so many generic trap beats and bad repetitive hooks that this actually sounds more like a mixtape than an album. Which it probably was supposed to be. It just seems like he didn't take his time with this like he did with Mastermind. You can listen to both albums and tell. He just simply rushed to put another album out before the year ended. Well now here's the break down (like always, I'll be skipping all interludes/skits and the intro/outro):
1. Intro
2. Hood Billionaire
This song starts off what's gonna be a string of trap beats to start this album with. Nothing special here though. Just your typical hood drug rap over a generic trap beat. Now of course this is nothing new with Rick Ross. He's been doing song like these for eight years now. But a lot of people love this sound. Especially in the car. But yeah...not much more I can say about it.
3. Coke Like The 80's
Repetitive hooks, repetitive hooks. I simply cannot stand them. This one was a major headache. Sad thing is Ross is notorious for this (remember "Hold Me Back"?). Besides the mind numbing hook, the song itself is nothing but more drug rap. Nothing special.
4. Heavyweight (featuring Slab)
This is now the third trap beat in a row. Again, like the previous two, the content doesn't change. Drugs, wealth and power. Slab doesn't really do much on his guest feature to make it better or worst. Nothing special here overall though.
5. Neighborhood Drug Dealer
Fourth trap beat in a row. At this point it becomes a joke. It's also at this point where I'm saying to myself this is nothing but a mixtape. It literally feels like you're listening to the same song over and over when you hear these four tracks in a row. The songs sound good in the car (as do majority of Ross's trap beat assisted songs) but this just sounds like a lazy effort on this song and the ones before it. Bad way to start this album.
6. Phone Tap
Well now we finally get a break from the trap beat madness. This song changes the pace up a bit. It's a more slower paced trunk banger. He continues his mafioso talk as he seems to be telling the story of a former associate of his who took the stand to testify against him. Becoming a snitch. Which no leaves Ross fearful that all the phones are tapped. I thought it would have been cool if he had sampled the classic song by The Firm of the same title. Or at least did it the same way they did and rap over the phone. Regardless this song is still pretty cool and a huge sigh of relief from how this album starts.
7. Trap Luv (featuring Yo Gotti)
This song certainly caught me by surprise. I was expecting yet another trap beat but instead you get a more soulful sound with a great Donny Hathaway sample. I guess instead of giving you the typical thug trap rap and glorifying it, they kind show the emotional side of the trap here. The struggles and all of that. Yo Gotti, despite sounding a bit like Ross with his flow, wasn't bad at all on here. Decent song overall.
8. Elvis Presley Blvd. (featuring Project Pat)
This is definitely one of my favorite beats on the album. Props to DJ Toomp. Now again, Ross isn't talking about much but his usual hood/drug/rich man rap. But the production makes this an easy listen. Especially in the car. I actually thought Project Pat sounded better on this that Ross did. Quite surprising a song like this is one of the first singles. Cool song though overall.
9. Movin' Bass (featuring Jay-Z)
Well...here's more drug rap. "Bass" = weight = drugs. He's trying to convince us that's he still in these streets in the drug game even while being a successful rapper/entrepreneur at the same time. The beat is average to okay for me. Would've been nice if there was well...more bass. It was surprising to hear Jay only being on the hook. This certainly is the type of beat he normally kills. Especially when Timbaland is behind it who of course he has a history with. The song as a whole has to grow on me some more I think.
10. If They Knew (featuring K. Michelle)
Who would have thunk one of the best songs on a Rick Ross album would be the one song for the females. Very uncharacteristic. Normally Ross is up and down with these R&B features. They sometimes are either a hit ("Magnificent", "All I Really Want", "Aston Martin Music") or a miss ("Speedin", "Touch 'N You", "In Vein"). Anyway, this song is the second single as it should be. K. Michelle sounds great on this hook. Almost to the point where it sounds like it's her song. He showing affection to her by showering her with gifts, taking her around the world. You know things that somebody with his wealth would do for a girl. Things her man can't do. Good song and probably one of the better rapper/singer collaborations of the year.
11. Quintessential (featuring Snoop Dogg)
Hands down my favorite beat on the whole album. DJ Toomp was on a roll on this album. I love how the sound of it just smoothly glides through effortlessly despite the "bounce" it has to it. Now no disrespect to Snoop, who wasn't bad on here, but I probably would have got a more newer artist to spit over this production. Wasn't really Snoop's styles at all. I could totally have seen Drake on this beat. It actually sounds like one of his. All in all though this song is dope. Definite replay value here.
12. Keep Doin' That (Rich Bitch) (featuring R. Kelly)
I was just previously talking about how his R&B features are either hits or misses. "If They Knew" was the hit, and here is the miss. Didn't really like this at all. Specifically because of R. Kelly and his terrible sex bars. They take the two most commonly rapped about topics, money and sex, and pretty much do nothing with it. Also, the fact that this follows just two tracks after a very good R&B feature just makes it worst on this song. I just didn't like it at all.
13. Nickel Rock (featuring Boosie Badazz)
Here's another song saved by an awesome beat. Tracy Tyler is the producer here and did an excellent job with this somewhat twist on a trap beat. I didn't like how "nickel rock" was constantly repeated though. I think they really could have got the point across without doing that. I also could have done without Boosie on this as well. Not only because he sounded bad but because here barely rapped. Only spit like four lines if that. Just another song that's all production.
14. Burn
....and now we're back to how this album started. Trap beat madness. This one reminds me a bit of "9-11" from his album God Forgives, I Don't. I laugh as I listen to the lyrics because I swear, Wing Stop needs to give this man some kind of endorsement deal or something. But overall, this is nothing more than another trunk banger.
15. Family Ties
It seems like this is the part of the album where production just get much much better. Cardiak and Critical did a great job here on production. I loved the smooth and slow pace mixed with the awesome bass and R&B sample. It actually feels like a straight up R&B song. I like it. Dope song.
16. Brimstone (featuring Big K.R.I.T.)
I was looking forward to this track the most and it was well worth the anticipation. This song was great. I love the soulful jazz production courtesy of the man featured, Big K.R.I.T.. Ross is basically reflecting on his good and bad times of his life and career. I loved K.R.I.T.'s hook on here as well. I'm a little disappointed he didn't have a verse but it's all good. The song is awesome nonetheless. Great way to end the album.
In closing, I thought this album just made it past average. With the exception of a few tracks, the album just sounds like a straight up rushed mixtape. Especially in comparison to Mastermind which was stellar. I give this a final grade of a B. Despite repetitive hooks, despite trap beat abuse, despite him reaching with this mob boss persona of his, Rick Ross continues to prove why he is among hip hop's mainstream elite. No one is more consistent than him. No one has a good ear for production and music like him. No one grinds like him. For those things he will always get my respect. If you really want to make it as a boss, regardless of what field it's in, just sit and take note. End.
Final Grade: B
ALSO CHECK OUT
Rick Ross - Mastermind ALBUM REVIEW
Maybach Music Group - Self Made Vol. 3 ALBUM REVIEW
CREDITS
Executive Producers
William Roberts
Alex Bethune
Lead Artist
William Roberts
Production
Lexus Lewis
Keondrea Williams
Shamann Cooke
Leland Wayne
Benjamin Diehl
Deonte Hayes
Aldrin Davis
Timothy Mosley
Mack Loggins
Tracy Tyler
Carl McCormick
Calvin Price
Justin Scott
Collaboration
Mario Mims
Patrick Houston
Shawn Carter
Kimberly Pate
Calvin Broadus
Robert Kelly
Torrence Hatch
Justin Scott
Karim Kharbouch
Label
Maybach Music Group/Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam Recordings
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