Trilla : Rick Ross : Review : Rolling Stone

Rick Ross has one supreme asset: the thundering basso-profundo voice that threatened to puncture a million sub-woofers when his drug-kingpin anthem "Hustlin'" went massive back in 2006. On the Miami rapper's second album, little has changed: The voice still booms, the cocaine and cash still arrive by the boatload, and Ross' beard is still as thick and majestic as an Afghan tribal elder's. Trilla sets Ross' stentorian flow against sleek, synth-swamped beats by producers such as J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and the Runners; "The Boss," produced by J.R. Rotem, is goth crunk, with Ross and T-Pain trading lines over eerie vocal chorales straight out of a Fifties horror flick. The beats are terrific — the problem here is the MC. The best crack rap is reportage, spiced with earthy details of street-corner re-ups and stove-top freebasing. But Ross offers only clichés, boasting dully about his wealth and indulging in timeworn gangsta fatalism. ("I don't give a fuck about death/'Cause death don't give a fuck about flesh," he raps.) By far the best moments come from the guest stars: Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and especially Lil Wayne, who swoops in on "Luxury Tax" to teach Ross a lesson about the difference between talking loud and saying something.

JODY ROSEN

(Posted: Mar 20, 2008)

News and Reviews

How to Play This Album

Click the play button.
Register or enter your username and password.
Let the music play!

No commitment.
It's FREE.

Track List

Play All

Trilla Intro (Album Version (Explicit))
All I Have In This World featuring Mannie Fresh (Album Version (Explicit)) (track not available in Rhapsody)
The Boss featuring T-Pain (Album Version (Explicit))
Speedin' featuring R. Kelly (Album Version (Explicit))
We Shinin' (Album Version (Explicit))
Money Make Me Come featuring EbonyLove (Album Version (Explicit))
DJ Khaled Interlude (Album Version (Explicit))
This Is The Life featuring Trey Songz (Album Version (Explicit))
This Me (Album Version (Explicit))
Here I Am featuring Nelly, Avery Storm (Album Version (Explicit))
Maybach Music featuring Jay-Z (Album Version (Explicit))
Billionaire (Album Version (Explicit))
Luxury Tax featuring Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Trick Daddy (Album Version (Explicit))
Reppin My City featuring Triple C, Brisco (Album Version (Explicit))
I'm Only Human featuring Rodney (Album Version (Explicit))

Your Turn

Give us your review of Trilla

Review 1 of 1

4of 5 Stars

Whoever wrote that review needs to be fired and banned from ever writing again. "Trilla" is a great album considering there are no good albums out in the hip-hop world besides Fat Joe's Elephant In The Room. The beat selection is perfect!!! I havent heard a album with this many good beats since Jay's "The Black Album". The lyric's is just plain ol Ross. Ross isnt a lyricist like a Jay or Nas but damn, he is out of sight out of mind. "Riding Thru The Ghetto" is a classic to me. Im bumping it as we speak. "All I Have In This World" and "Money Makes Me Cum" is bannanas. Straight Apples and Oranges, lol. overall if you only had 10 bucks and some change and you had to pick between food and this Trilla album..... Get the album. you wont be sorry. Thanks for the album Ross. People who dont make music dont understand how hard it is to put a album together. you did your thang sir. BOSS!!!!!!! anyone wanna email you can at killatruth@yahoo.com or torezwilliamson@gmail.com

Mar 24, 2008 14:44:37

Previous Next