128 Oz. of Haterade: 'Teflon Don,' by Rick Ross

This isn't the album cover, but it shoulda been...

Negligible corrections-officer past aside, I have kind of a soft spot for Rick Ross (pause). I don't really have much use for his raps, but his producers have occasionally done what I think is a pretty good job taking Jay-Z's debut 'Big Willie' aesthetic and sound, and slowing it down a little. On tracks like "Magnificent" and "Yacht Club," from Deeper Than Rap, a '96 Jay verse wouldn't sound out of place at all. His guest spot on Teflon Don's "Free Mason" is equally well-matched... although Jay spends his bars dispelling the winter's Freemason/devil-worship rumors, while Rick sort of courts it... the Freemason part, at least. Although me personally, I wouldn't equate "Maybach Music" with building the pyramids...

Anyway, when he's not flossing over heavy downtempo thudders, the executive-lounge atmosphere is definitely still in effect: in the smoothness of DJ Clark Kent's beat for "Super High" and the rough-edged bounce of the Drake-assisted "Aston Martin." J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League handle the latter, as well the bulk of the production. Unfortunately, none of Raphael Saadiq's recent Motown vibe rubs off in his guestwork on the closer, "All the Money in the World," but as Rick Ross albums go, well... if you liked the first two, you'll probably like this one.