Rick Ross is a polarizing hip hop figure: hate him or love him. People that don’t care for him go back to his checkered past in the streets (or lack thereof). People that love him talk of his catchy lyrics and ear for production. Either or, both have reasons to feel what they feel. Rick Ross isn’t for everybody. Yet, even with his previous album Teflon Don being so immaculately done, one wonders if he can strike gold again with God Forgives I Don’t. In short, can Rick Ross make magic happen again?

 

Albeit a tad bit too long, God Forgives, I Don’t is a pretty good album.

 

Rick Ross will rap about what he raps about: the extravagance of MMG, love, hood lore and whatever else that comes to mind. “Diced Pineapples”, featuring Wale and Drake, makes a comparison between a female and a healthy treat. “Triple Beam Dreams” has Ross and Nas reflects on the struggle of street life and managing to leave it all behind. Even the self-explanatory “Hold Me Back” gives a cool chin check to all detractors. So, don’t expect any type of “growth” subject matter wise.

 

Yet, the production on the album still manages to be as immaculate as ever. “Maybach Music IV” is a worthy addiction into the “Maybach song series” due to its lush instrumentation that takes one into the eye of opulence. That opulence perfectly segues into “Sixteen”, which almost sounds like an elegant night on Miami beach. In fact, the vast majority of the album is produced with a sense of excellence. With that said, Rick Ross has proven to have a great ear for musical construction.

 

There is still a drawback for those that are truly fans of Rick Ross: the album is a tad bit too long. “Teflon Don” was a great album because it was concentrated. At 17 tracks, it loses its potency. Maybe removing the more R&B laden tracks with Omarion and Usher may help. Then again, this is my opinion. People will agree or disagree.

 

If you think Rick Ross will lose steam, then you may have to wait until next album. God Forgives, I Don’t is another worthy album to add to his catalog. Ross has found his lane in the rhyme books. His ear for production is hard to even tough. People will still mention his past and his misdealing so they can hold it over his head. In the end, Ross knows one thing: how to flawlessly make his type of music.