Rick Ro$$: Trilla

Depending on your definition of success, Rick Ross has definitely paid his dues. His introduction to the rap game, aptly titled Port of Miami, was a breath of fresh air to an otherwise stale state of Hip-Hop, but many questioned whether or not he could recapture that same magic he had with his certified, street anthem “Hustlin”. Needless to say, not only does Rick Ross capture that same vibe but, in the process, delivers a timeless piece of work, encompassed as Trilla.

Production wise, the album is on point and much of the credit can be attributed to The J.U.S.T.I.C.E League. Joints like “Maybach Music” featuring Jay-Z and “Luxury Tax” featuring Lil’ Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Trick Daddy come off heavy on the synthesizers, but the meshing of great production and quality sound is what makes these songs stand out. My personal favorite is a track called “This Is The Life” featuring Trey Songz but each and every track is equally good in their own way.

Subject matter has always been a knock on Rick Ross and with Trilla, he does absolutely nothing to alleviate that stigma. To be honest. I didn’t even notice nor did I even care. I knew going in that Rick Ross was not the most lyrical so instead of criticizing his lack of versatility, I took this album for what it is. Most sophomore LP’s suck but Rick Ross should be proud. Trilla exceeds all expectations for what a follow up to Port of Miami should be so my hat’s off to the boss, Rick Ross.

Rating: 7.5 headphones out of 10