Rich Boy: Rich Boy : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Alabama rhymer Rich Boy has already scored a massive radio hit this year with his debut single, the excellent ode to rims, "Throw Some D's." Despite star guest spots by everyone from John Legend to AndrŽ 3000, Rich Boy's debut album hews close to the "Throw Some D's" template, boiling down the elements that made Young Jeezy a star: a hypnotic flow, vivid details, synth-soaked beats. A few differences: Rich Boy's thick Gulf Coast drawl makes Jeezy sound like Ted Koppel. And where the Snowman has one interest -- hustling -- ex-engineering student Rich Boy has a bunch: Cadillacs, chicken wings and, especially, women. While he can be sweet (the breezy "Good Things"), mostly he's supremely grimy ("Touch That Ass"). Huge credit goes to producer Polow da Don, especially on the standout "Boy Looka Here," where he mixes flamenco guitar, haunted-house synths and a Reznor-hard beat into a menacing banger custom-designed to be cranked from a drop-top Caddy. The Dirty South just got dirtier.