Here's a sad-but-true fact: Rick Ross is best when taken in small doses. Better rappers seem to know this - hence Ross' star guest turn on recent tracks by Jay Z (FWMYKIGI), Pusha T (Millions) and The Game (Ali Bomaye).
It's a trend that continues on Rick Ross' overblown, undercooked sixth album. On his own, Ross isn't compelling enough to sustain entire five-minute songs on his own - especially when paired with the tinny throwback beats of Rich is Gangsta and Supreme.
His relentlessly thundering flow and drug dealing boasts come off better when paired with some guest stars of his own: Jeezy proves to be a suitable partner-in-crime on the doom-laden trap thud of War Ready, In Vein combines The Weeknd's grimy R&B sludge with some wickedly evil rhymes from Ross, while Kanye West and Big Sean have plenty of fun on the marching band stutter of Sanctified.
And The Devil is a Lie is a soul-laced stunner that becomes the album centrepiece thanks to another killer Jay Z verse.
When Ross closes the 19-track album with his own version of FWMYKIGI that axes Jay Z's verses, he comes off all the worse for it. Point proven, then.
