Release Date: Jan. 6, 2012
Writer Bill Simmons was interviewing comedian Jeffrey Ross a little while back on the ever-so popular “B.S. Report” podcast when they broached the subject on how Ross became forever known as the “Roastmaster General.” Ross proceeded to tell a story about starting out at a few roasts around New York, finding success and then trying to parlay that into expanding his stand-up career. One set bomb after another led Ross to seek advice from friend and fellow comedian Dave Chappelle. Chappelle’s response: “Stay your lane.” He told Ross that if you’re tremendously good at one thing, become the best at that one thing instead of spreading yourself too thin.
Maybe Rick Ross ran into Dave Chappelle early in his life, or maybe he just knows what he’s good at because he’s definitely one that knows to “stay your lane.” Ever since Ross broke on the scene with Port of Miami, it’s been easy to know what to expect from Ricky Rozay: tales of large scale drug dealings, repetitive phrases dropped in every song, and a mixture of hi-hats and 808s that seem to keep every song grouped together. His latest mixtape, Rich Forever, definitely sticks to that script, complete with a few new repetitive phrases (joining “MMMMaybach Music” are the shout outs for this tape, “Rich Forever,” his upcoming album, “God Forgives, I Don’t” and “Untouchable”). The only variation from the usual formula comes late in the tape during an awkward love song stretch of “Ring Ring” featuring Future, and “Party Heart” featuring a song-saving verse from Stalley and the Atlanta flavor-of-the-month 2 Chainz.
Ross handles his usual cocaine-laced bars with the professionalism and money-making ambition that’s come to be expected of him while throwing in the requisite sports references—a few mentions of his Miami neighbors Alonzo Mourning and coach Pat Riley, and even the NFL’s savior Tim Tebow on “Fuck Em” (“though I wouldn’t make it, now I’m winning, Timothy Tebow”). But, what Forever really plays like is a Ross-centric mix thrown together, albeit well thrown together, by MMG’s DJ Khaled, which means it’s slam-packed with guest features, some kind of special and noteworthy.
The aforementioned 2 Chainz also makes an appearance on “F*ck Em,” along with MMG ‘untouchable’ Wale, who breezes through the track with the same arrogance and adept lyricism that made Ambition one of last year’s best releases. Diddy swoops in to get his Puff Daddy on by adlibbing on intro track “Holy Ghost,” and kind of rapping on “New Buggatti.” Meek Mills blesses “Last Breath” (along with Birdman) and “MMG The World Is Ours” (along with Skateboard P, Pharrell) with his usual aggressive howl, and Kelly Rowland and John Legend bless a few hooks. French Montana is on a couple too but just sounds super weird.
The two buzzworthy tracks have to be “Triple Beam Dreams” and “Stay Schemin’.” The latter features Drake performing what was perceived to be a Common diss (“Don’t be ducking like you never wanted nothing/It’s feeling like rap changed, there was a time it was rugged”) which caused Common to not just fire back, but hop on the very same track and rip Aubrey’s young ass a new one. “Triple Beam Dreams” is memorable for a more positive reason: a fire-breathing verse from Nas, eliciting memories of Illmatic and It Was Written, painting pictures of hustling and ‘street dreams’ like only he can.
Ross definitely stays his lane on Rich Forever and churns out a solid holdover for Rozay fans who are counting the days until they find out why God Forgives, but Ricky doesn’t.
Rick Ross – Rich Forever tracklist:
- “Holy Ghost” (featuring Diddy)
- “High Definition”
- “MMG Untouchable”
- “Yela Diamonds”
- “Fuck ‘Em” (featuring 2 Chainz & Wale)
- “London Skit”
- “Rich Forever” (featuring John Legend)
- “Triple Beam Dreams” (featuring Nas)
- “Mine Games” (featuring Kelly Rowland)
- “New Bugatti” (featuring Diddy)
- “Keys to the Club” (featuring Styles P)
- “Last Breath” (featuring Meek Mill & Birdman)
- “I Swear to God”
- “Off the Boat” (featuring French Montana)
- “King of Diamonds”
- “Ring Ring” (featuring Future)
- “MMG the World Is Ours” (featuring Pharrell, Meek Mill & Stalley)
- “Party Heart” (featuring Stalley & 2 Chainz)
- “Stay Schemin’” (featuring Drake & French Montana)
