Ricky “Rozay” Ross is humming the streets with his cleverly titled latest project “Black Dollar.” The 17-tracklist mixtape is crammed with A-list features by the likes of Anthony Hamilton, Gucci Mane, Meek Mill, and more.
As with most of his previous work, Ross’ content material often varied from one extreme to the other, making him appeal to a wide range of audiences. At one end of the spectrum lies the gritty street smart hustler. Ross uses this narrative to paint a picture of the rough realities of street life, while also moving in and out of social consciousness.
Songs like “Foreclosures,” raise thoughts about financially responsible perspectives in the community:
“Death Row, life is fast
Sequestered on my past life
White folks call us niggas stupid
We spent it all, nothing for our kids
That’s all, now it’s been taken over
Unable to feed clicks that bypass bad checks
Time to learn son, the Cash Rules
Success is a precious gem”
Mogul MMG also lends its powerful imagery and tools to the tracks’ magnificently produced and flow of mindfulness narratives.
Pondering at the other end, is the more general “Look at all the money I got” approach, which paints a picture of glitz, glamour, and all things excess. This sophisticated street grace is one of Ross’ signature sounds — hence making this project a slam dunk for core fans.
On songs like “Money Dance” and “Bel-Air”, Ross combines this completely braggadocios delivery with witty punchlines and popular culture references:
“Bel Air, New Prince
Jazzy Jeff, forty bricks
Uncle Phil, he never was
Now we got the baddest bitch laying her eggs all over the place
Call your friends, poetic justice
Janet Jackson braids, time to show me something
Introduce you to my cousin M
Maybe we can shoot a movie
To all my Jewish friends, L’chaim” – Bel-Air
This self-proclaimed “hip-hop caviar” was a collective success with multiple tempos and catchy hooks to make many heads nod. Regardless of how one feels about Rick Ross or even “Trap Music,” the talent on display here is indisputable.
“Black Dollar” is the perfect soundtrack for driving around town on payday (I personally find it hard to be penniless listening to people brag about elevators in their houses) and another home run to add to a long string of successes.
