9. Port of Miami (79):
Ross’s debut isn’t bad. The album was very well produced and had a lot of
guests. I wasn’t a fan of Ross at all before I heard this. Lyrically the album is rather weak. Still
tho, for a 2006 rap album, its not bad at all. Top Tracks: Push It, Hustlin, White House, Hustlin (Remix)
8.Hood Billionaire (80): HB is good, but Ross sounds really uninspired on this album. There are some gems…but I seriously think he rushed this since it came out in 2014 after Mastermind. Still the production is good…..TT: Movin Bass, If They Knew, Burn.
7.Trilla (80): I have slightly more regard for this album over the first 2 albums you saw. Trilla has filler, sure; but there are seriously good songs here. The guests are here too, just like on Port of Miami. The production sounds flashier than on PoM, albeit not really better. TT: This is the Life, All I Have in This World, The Boss, Maybach Music.
6.Mastermind (87):
While somewhat uneven, Mastermind is really good. Ross flaunts the gangsta boss
life style. There’s not really that many guests like there are with most Ross
albums. The album has kinda grown on me from 2014. “Drug Dealer’s Dream” is
kinda dumb tho. Then there’s songs like “War Ready” and “Sanctified” which are
just excellent. Top Tracks: The Devil is
a Lie, Sanctified, Rich Is Ganagsta, Thug Cry, War Ready
5.Deeper Than Rap (88):
This 2009 album is the one that me realize; Ross is a potent lyricist.
Before that it was like ehhh. You can tell from the first song, “Mafia Music”
that he ain’t playin. There’s a lot of guests for arguably is Ross’s most unknown
album. “Maybach Music II” is dope, as is “All I Really Want”. The production isn’t
really as good as other albums here, but again, the lyrics are dope. TT: Maybach Music II, Mafia Music, Face,
All I Really Want, Yacht Club, Magnificent.
4. God Forgives, I Don’t (89): How would Ross come back 2 years after Teflon Don? With another dope album. On this album I feel Ross had perfected his sound….or so I thought. There’s filler sure. In fact the placement of the all those love songs back to back is kinda annoying. However songs like “3 Kings” and “Sixteen” are really amazing. Meanwhile I like “Maybach Music IV” but I gotta admit it’s the weakest of the 5 despite having Ne-Yo. “Touch N You” is the best love song of the bunch which features Usher.
3.Black Market (90): BM is a weird Ross album for Ross. It’s more focused and laid back…kind of like Deeper Than Rap, but better, more entertaining. The production and lyricism ain’t bad either. Some of these songs are a little too similar, but that’s a minor complaint. “One of Us” is arguably the best song Nas has been featured on…on a Ross album. (Yeah there’s more than one). TT: Dope Dick, Money Dance, Ghostwriter, Black Opium.
2.Rather You Than Me (93): Critics weren’t really feeling this one…but I sure was. This 2017 offering from Rossay is like a better version of…idk. Its just dope af. Everything clicks here for the most part. Ross is lyrically really good, but you kind of expect that by now. “Maybach V” is amazing. “Summer Seventeen” sounds too similar to “Purple Lamborghini” which was on the Suicide Squad album. I like most of these songs…but like BM, some are a little too similar. Top Tracks: Trap Trap Trap, Santorini Greece, She on My Dick, Powers That Be, Maybach V.
1.Teflon Don (94): This
2010 album has aged very well. Every song is good to great here. The production
is stellar too. Ross improves lyrically too. The guests are so well used to:
Trey Songz, Drake, and Kanye in particular. “Maybach Music III” might be the
best Maybach Music out of them all. “I’m Not a Star” might be the best solo
song Ross has ever done. Who could forget “Free Mason” which features a
powerful verse from Jay-Z. Ultimately the album is looking to be untoppable for
Ross, as RYTM was a good attempt.