Rick Ross’s
Mastermind album has finally come out. I have to say it was the most
anticipated album for me. Ross always has been one of my favorite rappers of
all time. He is very versatile when it comes to his verses, and his albums always
find a type of balance to them. I had very high expectations for Mastermind,
and Ross delivered, but not completely.
The first
track, Rich Is Gangsta really set the mood for the album. The soulful side at
least. Black Metaphor flips an amazing sample “Soul Searching” by Average White
Band, and Ross proclaims how “rich is gangsta”. And amazing intro.
Ross goes
to a trap beat for his next, which surprisingly is produced by Jake One. This
epic track is also pretty touching when he gives shoutouts to all his dawgs
that have been killed.
Rozay
follows “Drug Dealers Dream” with a skit about the shooting that took place
last year on his car. Never been a big fan of skits, but this skit is a major
theme throughout the album.
Nobody is
basically a remake of Biggie’s hit, “You’re Nobody (Till Somebody Kills You)”.
I wish the track wasn’t just a remake, but Ross honestly does his thing.
Thankfully French doesn’t have a verse, Puffy is just Puffy. “You wanna walk
around with them or you wanna walk with God, nigga?”-real talk
Devil Is A
Lie was the first single off Mastermind, and I still listen to it to this day.
This song is simply one of the dopest songs Ross has ever made, and Hov is the
cherry on top. That sample tho…
Mafia Music
III shows Ricky going Jamaican, and he brings along dancehall artists Mavado
and Sizzla, to truly bring that vibe. Ross delivers a lengthy verse, laden with
many metaphors explaining how he has a don. Not one of my favorite tracks off the
album.
War Ready
is the “is the anthem the streets been waiting for”, and this track was also
the second single on Mastermind. MikeWill cooks up a bass led, gunshot laced
beat. Ross and Jeezy have verses filled with gangsta references. This definitely
is one of the most turnt tracks on the album.
A lot of
this album is homage to 90’s hiphop, and “What A Shame” is one of those tracks.
Ross starts with saying a line from “Shame On A Nigga” by Wu Tang Clan, and
proceeds to rap about his cars and weed.
Now we get
to probably my favorite track on the whole album. Scott Storch is back, and
provides a horn led beat that Ross destroys. His flow on this track reminds me
of old school Ross, and it is incredible. This track bumps, and features Keith
Sweat-what a combination.
BLK &
WHT is a storytelling track about drug dealing. This D Rich produced banger
contains the controversial Trayvon Martin lyric(his explanation of this lyric
was not the best). This track is like any other Ross track.
Another
skit, and we are at “In Vein” featuring The Weeknd. This track is basically
about getting drunk. The real standout in this track is the beat-really
atmospheric.
Sanctified,
I would say, was the most anticipated track on the LP. The beat is produced by
Mr. West, Travis $cott, and DJ Mustard. Kanye goes off here. He touches on his recent
rants, how he is a god, and of course his woman. Sean handles the chorus and
hook, and Rozay provides an alright verse. The beat is fire though, because of
how it crescendos on each verse.
God flow
right here. I mean the song is called, Walkin On Air. Another D Rich produced
anthem, and Meek has to be featured on it. This goes hard, but this sounds like
a regular mixtape cut.
This next
song is magnificent. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League flip the same sample used in 93 Till
Infinity by Souls Of Mischief(one of my fav hiphop samples-jazz and hiphop what
can go wrong?). Weezy actually has the best verse on this song, which makes me
have high hopes for the Carter V. Great ending to an ok album.
Man…I wish
more of the album was like Thug Cry, Supreme, and Rich Is Gangsta. The LP was
good, but not to my expectations. He shows balance, but not enough lyricism for
me. (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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