Rick Ross Verse

Rick Ross’ Trilla debuted at Number 1 on the charts – but when you stack Trilla up against old Ross as well as similar music from his contemporaries, I’m not so sure Trilla holds its own. Now Ross is an important figure in hip hop, not solely because he can move units in the dark days of internet downloads, but also because he revived Florida after Trick Daddy took a nap (with little children?) and even found the talent that is Flo Rida (who has quite possibly conspired with Plies to strip the MI-yAyO of any credibility) Either way…here you have it… Rick Ross vs. Ross, Ross vs. Wayne, Ross vs. Jeezy, Ross vs. the world!

The Boss (ft. T-Pain/Trilla) vs. Boss(ft. Dre of Cool n' Dre/Port of Miami)


While The Boss was released as a single, most likely due to production by JR Rotem and a T-Pain feature, Boss was a completely overlooked track on Port of Miami. Listen to Boss (because not many have) - I always felt like it could be a great summer jam, whereas The Boss is just more of the same. Also, hasn't Ross explored the theme of a Boss' life enough at this point? Or is his next album going to have a song called Da Boss?

On the side: "I'm the biggest boss that you've seen thus far" - Ross. In terms of physical size, probably, but in reality, isn't Birdman probably the biggest boss we've seen thus far? He started an empire out of nothing that has lasted for over 10 years. Also, on Boss, Ross claims "I made a million dollars last year dealing weight." I'm going to have to go ahead and say shenanigans. No platinum rapper is still that heavy in the game. I honestly appreciate more honest lines like "I ain't have to touch a piece of work since 'o4" - Birdman (1st Key/Like Father Like Son). Believable? Who knows, but certainly more reasonable.

More on the side: Do you like DJ shout outs? On the beginning of The Boss you hear a JR before the first verse kicks - does this get you excited? I will say this, hearing DJ Drama yell Gangsta Grillz ya bastards! does - for whatever reason - pump me up, even though it pisses most people off. At this point, I'm pretty lukewarm hearing an MC shout out Just Blaze, but i will say it is baller to have the MC give you the shout out seeing as how bigging up the DJ was the MC's original purpose. As much as a Drama or Just shout out gets you ready for a track, how much does a Khaled We the Best! and Listennnn! make you reevaluate your whole life?

Winner: Boss

While we're on the topic...

DJ Khaled Interlude (Trilla) vs. silence

A whole 1:29 of DJ Khaled incoherent yelling? Who was like, yup, get Khaled, we need him babbling for at least a minute and a half. I will say "Rick Ross is the logo of the hustle" does make me laugh but you still got to take silence over anything DJ Khaled has to yell.


Winner: silence


Luxury Tax (ft. Lil' Wayne, Jeezy, Trick Daddy/Trilla) vs. I'm a G (ft. Lil' Wayne, Brisco/Port of Miami)

I'm a G is a very solid song. Just like Luxury Tax, Wayne spits a decent hook but the difference here is clearly the beat and the supporting casts. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League made one hell of a beat for Luxury Tax, it reminds me of a more up-tempo December 4th and when Ross goes in it is quite a moment. Additionally, Young Jeezy and Trick Daddy vs. Brisco? Murken' em. Lyrical "gems" of the song:

Make more that the model for the mob,
Need a blowjob my model, get a model for the job.
- Rick Ross

They said I couldn't play football I was too small.
They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall.
They say I couldn't play baseball at all.
And now everyday of my life I ball.
-Wayne

On the side: I just noticed Lil' Wayne references turtle in I'm a G (bulletproof car got me feelin like a turtle). He also references being like a turtle when he sips the purple in Kush (on The Leak), and i'm also pretty sure at one point he says he feels like he's racin a bunch of turtles, and keeps a bandanna on like the ninja turtles - is Weezie secretly obsessed with turtles? Should we call him Weezie F. Turtle? For those keeping score at home -

Wayne's car = Turtle
Wayne sipping purple = Turtle
All Rappers that aren't Wayne = Turtle
Wayne wearing a bandana = Turtle

So therefore (in Wayne's World)...

All rappers = Turtle

Winner: Luxury Tax



This Me (Ross/Trilla) vs. I'm Me (Lil' Wayne/The Leak)

DJ Toomp, just like J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, made a beat that fits Ross perfectly. Now as for Ross, choosing to make a song called This Me when Weezie just made a song called I'm Me is going to draw comparisons. Rap, just barely edging out emo, is clearly the most narcissistic genre of music and how well you brag is a huge factor in how well you rap. Wayne on I'm Me is emotional, creative, funny, and when he states I'm Me, Who are You? he is challenging you to be all you can be like the marines - basically, don't talk about it be about it.

The beat on I'm Me follows a trend Wayne started on Like Father, Like Son - sampling himself. While producers are complaining about the prices of clearing samples, Wayne stepped up and said fuck 'em I'll just sample myself. I told ya rap was the most narcissistic genre of music.

The game fucked up, more fucked up than it's ever been
I'm married to that bitch, call me Kevin Federlan
-Wayne

Winner: I'm Me


Speedin (ft. R. Kelly/Trilla) vs. Go Getta (Jeezy ft. R. Kelly/The Inspiration)



For me, being objective about Young Jeezy is like Jared Fogle being objective about Subway - it's not going to happen. However, for the sake of argument, I will at least try judging the songs on this one criteria - When you hear the song do you feel like 'oh shit, something, i have no idea what, but something big is about to go down'? Speedin? Uh, no. Go Getta? 'Young Jeezy and your boy Kells' ... Yes, very much, yes.

People consider Jeezy and Rick Ross to be in the same vein - mainstream down south coke rappers still strong two albums deep. But no, this is very much a misconception. The best analogies I can draw is what my friend Sam said about the difference between Lost and The Wire and what I said about watching tv.

Sam's analogy: Lost is like a fun meaningless fling, good for an hour once a week, but has no real staying power, whereas The Wire is like a steady meaningful relationship that really matters.

My analogy: Rick Ross is like watching tv and flipping through the channels (a leisure activity) while Young Jeezy is like watching something On Demand (a commitment).

So basically, Rick Ross is a one night stand, Lost, and channel changing while Jeezy is a relationship, The Wire, and On Demand.

Editor's Note: The one exception being that Rick Ross would have to be Season 2 of The Wire because most of Rick Ross (Port of Miami, etc.) and Season 2 of The Wire are mostly about drugs coming in through a port.

Winner: Go Getta



As for the rest of Trilla: Very mediocre. On no song does Trilla come close to classic whereas Port of Miami, to me, flirts with timeless on Everday I'm Hustlin, Push It, AND Blow (my personal favorite Ross song). Trilla is by no means a let down for Rick Ross because honestly, what were you expecting? Even though they aren't classic or even the best mainstream rap songs on the subjects of money, drugs, and narcissism, I'll be bumping Luxury Tax, The Boss, and This Me all summer.