[Opinion] Hip Hop Forgives Rick Ross, I Don't
The title sounds harsher than this is really all about. This isn’t as much about Rick Ross as it is about the culture that praises his method of entertaining the masses. Without there being a trace of dope boy authenticity in his music, Rick Ross has pulled off the greatest feat in the history of hip hop. He singlehandedly changed hip-hop’s motto from “Keep It Real” to “It’s Just Entertainment.”
It sounds stranger than fiction, but how else can you explain what The Bawse has accomplished over the course of the past half decade? He created a character, played said character, got his card pulled for being a character, disregarded the truth and we bought it all hook, line and sinker as he was anointed by MTV as “The Hottest Rapper in the Game.” Somehow, he jedi mind tricked us into forgetting his past and we created a monster that slurps lobster bisque and shines his beard with soul glo sheen.
It’s like living in hip-hop’s twilight zone. Journalists and bloggers mindlessly wave pom poms that would have otherwise cast him aside as a fraud in a normal universe. Record execs utter phrases like “He doesn’t have an office in a building because the streets are his office” and “Rick Ross has revolutionized the mixtape” when we know good and damn well that both statements are outrageously over exaggerated. Yes, he has a brilliant marketing scheme and a great team around him. Yes, he has surrounded himself with solid artists that represent all sides of the streets. It’s just strange that he’s become such a huge star considering that his life is a manufactured fairy tale based on what we desire.
But this really isn’t about hating on Rick Ross. Truth be told, he has steadily improved as an emcee since his “Hustlin” days and his ear for production is impeccable. Put it like this, if Nas had Rick Ross’ ear for beats, he would have signed Jay-Z to Def Jam. Think about it, but not too hard because it will give you an aneurism and take this entire conversation off course. Simply put, Rick Ross’ sleight of hand has been remarkable and kudos to him for pulling it off. I just don’t understand the disillusioned fandom that has elevated him to the hottest rapper in the game and crowned God Forgives, I Don’t as a brilliant album.
The issue I have here is the round of applause Ross is getting despite this album being a Xerox of the very formula used for Teflon Don and the albums preceding it. We’ve heard this all before. Actually, we’ve heard this done better by Rick Ross before. If the name of the game is progression, Rick Ross has opted to chill on the bench and practice his grunts. Considering that this is his fifth album, you would think that the formula could use an upheaval. But no, what we get is the same luxury rap talk and fictional dope boy tales. Apparently, it doesn’t take much to excite us and we don’t demand that Ross get creative with how he approaches an album.
God Forgives, I Don’t is the same dinner that Rick Ross has served us for the past six years. It just tasted better the first four other times we had it. Street anthems like “Hold Me Back” and “911″ pale in comparison to the chest pounding “BMF” and “MC Hammer.” I’ll take John Legend and “Magnificent” over the blahzay Usher and “Touch’N You.” I also prefer the smoothness of “Aston Martin Music” over the syrupy and strangely juxtaposed collaborative effort “Diced Pineapples.” Listening to Wale’s finger snapping headwrap poetics get belly flopped by Rozay grunting “Shorty so fine, pussy so fresh…” and then Drake’s sing songy hook is an assault on the senses. The album’s subject matter never wavers from the predictable and is an exercise in hyperbole to the fullest extent. While “Ashamed” and it’s Wilson Pickett sample is one of the better moments on the album, I can’t help but cringe a little when he says “Until then I’mma be the d-boy I’m ashamed to say.” Calling yourself the “Christopher Wallace of my time” on “Pirates” should be labeled as blasphemy. But because Rozay has mastered the art of the ludicrous, we’ll just act as if we’re all in on the same joke. You know, like the friend everybody has that constantly boasts about all of his women when we all know that he’s lying through his teeth. We just accept him for what he is.
Well written Andreas!
Well written and spot on!!! You actually sat down, thought about it all and figured the shit out.
If Nas, Jay-z , snoop etc who saw hip pop flourish from the streets can shake his hands, how can we criticise??!! Hip pop has evolved and money is the name of the game!!
This. was. brilliant.
On ‘I Love The Dough’ Biggie once said; “n*ggaz is actors,n*ggaz deserve Oscars”. Rick Ross really said; “Christopher Wallace of my time” on GFID????? I got nothing.
Solid editorial Andreas.
Most of the tuff talking rappers in the game are liars, so how is rick ross any different?
Sixteen is the best song on that album and it’s not even because of Rawse. The hood still bangs this guy out their whips because they’re living (or emulating) what he’s selling.
Sad to say that the next award show we should be airing on BET is an Oscars-styled program that rewards the best phony MCs in the game. Dope piece as always, Dre.
I agree. These dudes don’t promote or translate positive messages they should mainly be rewarded for acting, all of them did a damn good job.
The R. Kelly mess, and the community and media’s utter disregard for the crimes he perpetrated, let me know that there was no hope for our nation’s sensibilities any longer. The fact that people ran out and bought his albums in droves after what he did showed that it was all downhill. Rick Ross is just another in a line of trash that people enjoy watching.
Great piece, but it is just u now. 2 years ago I was a big Rick Ross hater I refused to even listen to his music no matter how good all because of my G-Unit fandom(50 is still my fav rapper for the moment) But these past few years I’m beginning to see through 50s bullshit(talking shit about Banks) Big KRIT is about to be my new favorite rapper.
But the part I don’t get is yes Rick Ross may have lied but what the difference than what 50 and T.I. are doing, 50 is always talking about smoking and drinking and does neither, TI talks about his bitches and is married with kids, and I am pretty sure at this point Ross is closer to the streets than those 2,
But to sum it up, if u are rich and still rapping and boasting about negative stuff instead of attempting to uplift the youth and your people who are we to say whats real or not the thing that they have in common is that its all negative if it caters to the streets.
Rick Ross came from the dead and is now on top while 50 is stuck in a rut so I admire his determination he deserves respect in a business sense and he actually makes good music now. U need to write something about Cheef Keif 16 year old dumbass about unleash on a new generation.
AGREED!!!!
Agree with the sentiment totally, but writer is definitely practicing revisionist history. There has always been rappers that exaggerate their credentials.
Fake ass rappers have always been a part of Hip Hop and the back drop for Sucker MC dissin.
I mean the Sugar Hill gang got called out for not being authentic and biting other style. Do you really think Ice Cube was kicking bitches in the tummy when he grew up in a two parent home and was going to architectural design school before he blew with NWA. He wasn’t no gang banger. Neither was Dre. Cube is considered the quintessential reality/gangster rapper but he wasnt bout that shit. He is my personal fav after NAS but let’s be real. Common was more gangster than Cube if you knew where Common was from.
Rick Ross is just another link in a long chain of rappers who exaggerate claims. Nothing more, nothing less.
Cool story, only thing is the dude is the most consistent rapper in the last few years. Rapper, not singer/skateboarder/euro making music artists, but rapper.
Ross was a CO at 19, 17 years ago, for one year. So at least by 20=21, he was immersed into a different lifestyle, one that may or may have not included these many grams of substance, but what we do know, that he was around some major major players of that game. The guy he looks up to, is doing a life sentence for being part of a 100 million dollar drug ring, and connected to 35 murders. But he had a job when he was 19, in a prison, no less, surrounded by dope pushers and murderers, but I guess we should take your opinion.
Dude was never around any major players in the game. E-Class, the CEO of Poe Boy Records is probably the only official street cat Officer William Roberts was ever affiliated with. He did not run with Boobie Williams. He was never part of the clique called Boobie Boys.
What he is, is an academy trained law enforcement officer who produced a documentary film called M-I-Yayo that jeopardized the cases of several people currently fighting their convictions through the appeal process.
I’m from South Florida- my family does their thing in Carol City and Opa-Locka. No one in the street ever heard of this guy. Ever. He got on as Trina’s ghostwriter.
William Roberts is a buster, and all his fans are lames.
Word up.
Great work Andreas, agree with every word.
Rick who? Hip hop is not monolithic like the Catholic Church, and doesn’t have unified opinions as such. I seriously couldn’t name 1 song Rick Ross is associated with, and I certainly consider myself hip hop.
FYI, Dr. Dre was the original studio gangster.
Fortunately, somebody already pointed out the historical revisionism evident in this piece, so Hale is temporarily spared the full brunt of my vitriol.
I’ll simply say this: you hurt your own argument, by prefacing with complaints about Ross’s following and placement on the hottest rappers list. Because hey, guess what he is? A rapper. If the list was for biggest gangster? Biggest drug trafficker? FBI Most Wanted Felons? Then, and only then, is your argument valid. They awarded a rapper the title of one of the best rappers. To argue otherwise you’re gonna have to reference some aspect of his flow, his rhymes, his technique, NOT his perceived lack of authenticity.
JAY-Z IS THE ONE WHO PUSHED THE IDEA THAT HIP HOP WAS NOTHING MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT. GO AFTER HIM FOR PROPOSING THE IDEA AND HIS FANS FOR EXCEPTING AND PERPETRATING IT. RICK ROSS JUST CAPITALIZED ON WHAT PEOPLE WERE ALREADY EXCEPTING OF.
preach!
completely agree with Andreas, thanks for stating an unpopular opinion.
the studio gangster is nothing new, but taking it to the level of international trafficking for 4 albums is kind of a new level, when it seems like he really didn’t do anything remotely close. theres a difference in talking tough about fighting, shooting, selling on the corner verses moving kilos (for 4 albums).
with that said i dont really see what so special about Ross besides his ability to pick beats. he’s a very average rapper lyrically with 2 subjects. A ton of rappers have a limited their subjects to crack selling and violence but the lyrics are more witty and stories better rounded (Sean Born’s album Behind The Scale is a good example).
Hit the nail dead center on the head…one of the best hiphop editorial jounalistic pieces i’ve read in years….
It amazes me how everyone keeps omitting this one fact…
THIS DUDE WAS A COP!!!
There’s no such thing as “He was just working a job.”
In Florida, to become a Corrections Officer, you must attend a Law Enforcement Academy. C.O.s in Florida are Peace Officers with the power to arrest, and use deadly force. This dude wasn’t just some turnkey.
HE WAS A COP!!!
For an (ex?) cop to be talking all this dope boy shit, and get a pass… man…
Just highlights to me how lame and ignorant this entire generation of listeners is.