Rick Ross may have started his working life as William Leonard Roberts II, a Florida corrections officer, but he's made his way to the high rollers suite with hits like 'Hustlin', 'The Boss,' 'Magnificent' 'Maybach Music 2' and 'Speeding' featuring R Kelly.
Now with four albums under his belt, his latest, 'Teflon Don', is a step up from his disappointing 'Deeper Than Rap'. With more rights than wrongs, it deservedly debuted on the US albums chart at number two, only held off the top spot by the currently unstoppable Eminem.
Taking close on a year to record, its pedigree is impeccable. Producers called up for duty include No I.D., J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Danja, The Inkredibles, Kanye West, and Clark Kent who all do well to hide any obvious samples. And every single song features a big name guest.
Ne-Yo shows up on the pretty average first single, 'Super High', while the upbeat Swizz Beatz-influenced 'No. 1' features Diddy and Trey Songz. The subtler and heart-filled 'Tears Of Joy' featuring Cee-lo on vocals, shows a softer side to Ross who seems to be telling his life story.
'Aston Martin Music', featuring Drake and Chrisette Michele, is equally impressive, leading a field of other chart contenders including 'Free Mason' (with Jay-Z and John Legend on board), the Raphael Saadiq showcase 'All the Money In The World', and 'Live Fast, Die Young' featuring Kanye.
Only 'Maybach Music', which makes its third appearance on a Ross album, is unwelcome, although this installment does feature a different feel thanks to Erykah Badu's vocals, and rapping from T.I. and Jadakiss.
With 'Teflon Don' his first album without Lil Wayne and most of his former Slip 'n Slide Records members, Ross has clearly decided to improve his content from "rap coke" to "hip-hop rap". He's stepped out of his comfort zone and is heading to the top.
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