Richer Than I Ever Been

Rick Ross followed the reflective and sometimes grim Port of Miami 2 with Richer Than I Ever Been, an album more typical for the rapper in that its weight is almost exclusively related to coke dealing -- and the lifestyle its profits yield -- rather than mortality and grief. It's meat-and-potatoes Ross. Laced with another surplus of highly descriptive couplets that are braggadocious and motivational, its beats bring all the necessary regality and ruckus, though the selection here isn't quite up to the rapper's high standard. Ross skeptics attracted to specific tracks based on the features won't likely be swayed by what else is on offer. This is a perfectly adequate Ross LP differentiated by its mix of collaborators more than anything else. ~ Andy Kellman