Rick Ross f. Kanye, Weezy, T-Pain - "Maybach Music 2"

via Google

Rick Ross f. Kanye West, Lil' Wayne & T-Pain - Maybach Music 2"

"Tha Baauuse" comes hard on this track! Rick Ross is a popular rapper from Miami, Florida who has the build of Notorious B.I.G. and the beard of Baron Davis. Ross claims to have been a certified D-boy (his rap name is taken from "Freeway" Ricky Ross, a notorious cocaine dealer in L.A. in the 1980s) but I'm not sure I believe the hype. Not only did he attend Albany State University, but he was also a corrections officer in Florida in the early 1990s. Not saying that means he didn't slang, but it definitely raises some questions about Ross' credentials. "Maybach Music 2" - a reference to the German luxury car and Rick Ross' record label Maybach Music Group - is a cut off Ross' recently released third album, "Deeper Than Rap" and features the lyrical talents of Kanye, Weezy and T-Pain.

First of all, I love it when rappers at the top of the game collaborate. Whenever I see a song on album that has a bunch of stars on it, my expectations for that song are immediately raised; I expect the beat to be fresh and the flow to be sharp. Part of the reason for my heightened expectations is my assumption that when big name rappers come together, they feel the gravity of the occasion and it adds a little bit of friendly competition to the effort; their pride and ego provide extra motivation to come with the hottest verse. Rappers teaming up and competing with each other on wax is a time honored tradition in rap and has resulted in some truly amazing songs ("2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "Ignorant Shit", "I Love the Dough", "Black Republican", etc.).

Unfortunately, that logic does not always hold true. This song is the latest example of a troubling trend I've noticed: whenever Wayne is on a track with other superstars (with the exception of Drake who he collaborates with harmoniously), he doesn't rise to the occasion. In fact, he has a tendency to come with mediocre verses and he is often overshadowed by lesser supporting cast members (i.e. "Swagger Like Us", "Barry Bonds", "Hello Brooklyn", "Black Republican", etc.). This reality, along with others, supports my belief that while Wayne is an incredibly talented rapper and one of the best in the game right now, he is not even in the discussion of the best rappers of all-time; he doesn't even crack the top 10. Top 15, maaaaybe. [what are your thoughts on this subject?]

That digression aside, let us return to this particular song. The flow is pretty nice but not amazing. If I had to rank the verses, I'd say that Kanye has the best verse, followed by Weezy F then Ross. The highlight of this song - and the reason I share it with you - is undoubtedly the chorus, laced by T-Pain, and the beat, produced by the Grammy award winning group of hip hop producers, the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League (which stands for Just Undeniably Some of the Illest Composers Ever).

Enjoy.


.