Jeremih - All About Me
Bilal - Airtight's Revenge
Kanye West - TITLE TBA
Marques Houston - Mattress Music
John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up!
Maroon 5 - Hands All Over
Ne-yo - Libra Scale
Tank - Now or Never
Nelly 5.0
Ciara - Basic Instinct
Fantasia - Back to Me
T.I. - King Uncaged
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01. I'm Not A Star (Produced By J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
02. Free Mason (Feat. Jay-Z & John Legend) (Produced By The Inkredibles)
03. Tears Of Joy (Feat. Cee-Lo) (Produced By No I.D.)
04. Maybach Music III (Feat. T.I. & Erykah Badu) (Produced By J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
05. Live Fast, Die Young (Feat. Kanye West) (Produced By Kanye West)
06. Super High (Feat. Ne-Yo) Clark Kent & The Remedy)
07. No. 1 (Feat. Trey Songz & Diddy) (Produced by Danja)
08. MC Hammer (Feat. Gucci Mane) (Produced By Lex Luger)
09. B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast) (Feat. Styles P) (Produced By Lex Luger)
10. Aston Martin Music (Feat. Drake & Chrisette Michele) (Produced By J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League)
11. All The Money In The World (Feat. Raphael Saadiq) (Produced By The Olympicks)
12. Audio Meth
Review - Teflon Don (2010)
Ricky wastes no time, immediately letting loose his boastful aura throughout the introduction track I’m Not A Star produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E League. I’m Not A Star introduces listeners to the idea that Ross may spend 3 minutes explaining why he's just as 'normal' a person as you and I, when in fact, the title is more of a question. He shamelessly devotes 3 minutes to listing the many reasons why he is, in fact, a star. “Im not a star? Somebody lied, I spend a milli on a car. It come alive, never feed it after dark, gotta treat it like a Grimlin. It’s a multi-million dollar muthaf**ka in it!” The track starts slow, climbing, then crescendos at Ross’ first words.
Heavily talked about tracks MC Hammer and B.M.F (Blowin' Money Fast) both produced by Lex Luger, along with Super High (also heard on the Albert Anastasia EP) featuring Ne-Yo and produced by Clark Kent & The Remedy all appear on Teflon Don as great additions. They’ve also had an infectious effect on the listeners. All over the net people are proclaiming MC Hammer, Big Meech, Larry Hoover, and super high. Unfortunately the LP version of MC Hammer features a rather mediocre verse from Gucci Mane. He cannot be serious! “Ambulance, Ambulance, 911, 911, it’s Gucci Mane, yeah that’s my name I’m going dumb, going dumb.” Forgive me for stating the obvious, but you went dumb a while ago, sir. Lyricism at its worst! B.M.F is nothing short of amazing. Everything anyone could ask for from a Rick Ross joint. This track offers the luxury of liberation, allowing the listener to get lost in the hard-hitting beat to enjoy the track. When the bass alone catches the soul, lyrics disregarded., you’ve usually got a banger on deck.
For certain, the latest buzz from Aston Martin Music featuring Drake and Chrisette Michele is rather loud nowadays, luring Drake fans into Rozay’s corner. Though many are hype over the version featuring Drake's lost verse, the original has proven just fine for many.Kanye is back and producing! He jumped on the production side of Live Fast, Die Young alongside No I.D. in addition to lending a verse. This one has a 70s feel, and somewhat sounds like the instrumentals on Super High. Nevertheless, both Ross and ‘Ye kill it. They’re virtually oil and water when comparing styles but they are butter on this track together.
Footage of Kanye West and Rick Ross in the studio making "Live Fast, Die Young."
Free Mason features the incomparable Jay-Z and a hook sung by the soulful, John Legend. Jay annihilates the track while rebutting allegations of affiliation with the Illuminati. He states his case effortlessly.
“whole world want my demise turn my music up/here me clearly, if y’all niggas fear me, just say y’all fear me/f**k all these fairy tales/go to hells…so yall look in the mirror/double-check yall appearance...bitch I said I was AMAZING/ not that I'm A MASON…B-tch I’m red hot/ I’m on my third six but the devil I’m not”
As if John Legend wasn't enough soul for the entire album, Ross enlists Badu for Maybach Music III and Cee-Lo for an emotional go in Tears of Joy. Maybach Music (Trilla, 2008) was exceptional, Maybach Music II (Deeper than Rap, 2009) phenomenal, and Maybach Music III tops its sibling tracks. Of the artists featured, it seems that the instrumentals fit only Ms. Badu, but everyone delivers with perfection. T.I. grants the southern swing, Jadakiss the gangsta, Erykah Badu the soul and Rick Ross the swag. What more could you add to a track? Truly amazing! Of course, J.U.S.T.I.C.E League put the final touches on this one. Tears of Joy produced by NO I.D incorporate several interesting elements. Not only does it sample Curtis Mayfield, but it features Cee-Lo at his best. Ross doesn't come as strong on this one as he does on other tracks but NO I.D. did an amazing job on the production end. Not the usual Ross track but it definitely reeked of Black power and togetherness. Lines such as the following suggest a rather insightful side of Ross, a refresher for listeners, if you will. He states:
“Last night I cried tears of joy, what do we do to deserve this?/Not to dwell on the past, but to keep it real I gotta represent for Emmett Till / All the dead souls in the field.”
Footage of Cee-Lo and Rick Ross in the studio making "Tears of Joy"
The least intriguing tracks on the album were No. 1 featuring Diddy and Trey Songz and the final track, All the Money in the World featuring Raphael Saadiq. Though Trey Songz doesn't give much of a vocal performance in No. 1, Diddy throws in some flavor and Rick Ross has fun with the song adding in usual talks of various types of paper(s) and women. It's definitely a party track, sure to remain in heavy rotation in clubs if released as a single. Saadiq gave a neat, old school spin to All the Money in the World yet put against Rozay’s flow, he was well overpowered. Ross gets his Al Green on, making the track fun. I give it that.
Footage of Raphael Saadiq and Rick Ross in the studio making "All the Money in the World."
The album isn't as long as others, but in just 50 minutes, Ross delivered what is, perhaps, the album of the summer. Rick Ross shows why he is undoubtedly one of the best emcees in the game. This album has potential to change the direction of hip-hop indefinitely. Unexpected elements within this record show versatility, and aim to explain, without words, why he’ll be around for years to come. Personally, I never expected such a poignant feel, yet Ross brings new elements each time around, anything less would have been a disappointment. Rick Ross, compared to most rappers, is on another level. My final say, out of 10 stars I’ll toss him 9 and keep one for myself.
**Other tracks to look out for are Audio Meth, which was added to the final cut of Teflon Don as bonus. There is an amazing Remix to Super High scattered across the net, featuring Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa. Also, the remix to Aston Martin Music which includes a lost verse from Drake is a fan favorite.
Rick Ross featuring Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa - Super High Remix - Official Video
Author: Cierra Cox