But as any head knows full well, there are major pros and cons to coming up as part of a collective. Let’s look at some of those right here.

Pros

• You aren’t doing everything by yourself
• Everyone loves a posse cut, EVERYONE
• You can throw a concert without worrying about who will open because you can just let members of your crew do that
• You don’t have to find a hypeman
• You’re likely to have a producer or two at your immediate disposal
• You have a bunch of like-minded artists to bounce your ideas off of
• You can harness your sound and style in the background

Sounds about right, no? Well…

Cons

• Everyone in your crew will want to be onstage at the same damn time 
• Someone is going to steal the spotlight and hold onto it until you inevitably leave
• There will be more creative differences than you probably thought
• You’ll have an incredibly difficult time standing out from the bunch…
• Which means no one will probably know you by your voice until you rock a solo track
• Anytime you argue with a member of your crew, it will become “news”
• You will not stay together forever

All of these positives and negatives are becoming increasingly apparent as certain crews trudge on and try to further establish themselves as a group entity. Just think about the fact that G.O.O.D. Music was a team for years but only just released a group project, Cruel Summer, in September 2012. Not only that, but it didn’t really pop off like it could have considering one of rap’s biggest names (Kanye West) is steering the ship.

West also had guys like Big Sean, Pusha T, Common, and Kid Cudi help push it along and all four of them are stars in their own right. Cudder, however, announced his amicable split with G.O.O.D. Music last week. Why? Because he wants to do his own thing and start a label. Does Cudi need Yeezy in his corner? Maybe, but not like that. The same goes for the other artists mentioned, though having that loose affiliation definitely helps.

But then you have the so-called scrubs and bench-riders (like CyHi the Prynce) with splinters in their bums who mostly get put on because of their affiliation. So maybe it all depends on your star power (or potential) when it comes to running with a collective? Could be, but that also can obviously hinder you as you try to branch out. Everyone is going to associate CyHi with G.O.O.D. and the same goes for acts like Mr. Hudson and Travi$ Scott. Oh, and hey, where’s that Cruel Winter project at?

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For a while there, everything was going right for Rozay. Even the most angst-filled hip-hop heads—myself included!—let their “to hell with fake rap” shields down and embraced the lovable Miami native. There was something … almost innocent about his larger-than-life appeal.

Sure, his rhymes, beat choices, and approach have become altogether monotonous. But back in 2010, things were different. A huge weight of debt is owed to Lex Luger, whose one-two punch of basically the same song (“MC Hammer” and “B.M.F.“) helped propel Ross into a different stratosphere of hip-hop fame. “Aston Martin Music“, which featured Chrisette Michele and a then-fully blossoming Drake, didn’t hurt either. The same goes for the onslaught of remixes and “freestyles” over Ross’ collection of beats, particularly Luger’s. Lest we forget that he adopted that sound from trap mainstays like Shawty Redd and Zaytoven, but theirs never really captured the rap world like “B.M.F.”.

The acclaim showered upon Teflon Don was universal, save a few dissidents who can still be seen frequenting Rozay posts with coolers filled with ice cold hater-ade. What would follow were some choice guest appearances (Kanye West’s “Devil in a New Dress” remains one of Ross’ finest moments), a shoulder-shrugging mixtape (Ashes to Ashes), and an eventual tiptoe into his downfall.

In the first four months of 2011, Ross would begin to expand his Maybach Music empire outside of the Triple C’s (Gunplay being the only other notable member), recruiting and signing then little known rappers Wale, Stalley, and Meek Mill. Oh, and Pill too, who– despite appearing on the cover of the crew’s first compilation, taking part in various press conferences, and everything else minus actually putting ink to paper– was gradually ostracized from the group.

At this point, it was starting to become clear that Ross was spreading himself too thin, hustling perhaps too hard for his own good. Maybach Music Group’s Self-Made Vol. 1 was a mess, from its recycled-sounding beats to its flawed solo tracks—especially Pill’s awkward stripper anthem. It also exposed Wale as a shallow chameleon of sorts, as he abandoned his more soulful approach for empty rhymes about money, women, and drugs (crucial elements to MMG’s canon)

Despite all of this, Ross remained relevant and, for better or for worse, extremely prevalent. His songs played in heavy rotation on multiple radio stations and music blogs drowned in his name. Magazines were swooping in to throw his tattooed spectacle of a body on any and every cover they could. Even Rolling Stone hopped on the bandwagon, declaring Rozay a “Gangster of Love.” And yet amid all of the press and hype, the singles put forth from Ross’ follow up to Teflon Don floundered. Remember “You The Boss” and “I Love My Bitches”? Probably, but only for how tacky and boring they both were, though I admittedly dug Just Blaze’s beat on the latter.

Were the magazines and blogs wrong in covering his every move? Not necessarily. Despite not doing anything for his solo career in 2011, Ross was in fact building a seemingly formidable rap empire. That would change, of course, when Ross’ Rich Forever mixtape arrived six days into 2012. It set an incredibly high standard not just for Rozay, but for any project coming from his ever-growing camp. “Stay Schemin’”, dreadful French Montana hook aside, was one of the year’s best radio singles and also received our attention for fueling the whole Drake vs. Common thing that fell apart before it really started.

Meanwhile, Ross was still trying to release his next album, God Forgives, I Don’t. This meant more singles, including the way too visual “Touch ‘N You” with Usher, followed by one of the most overblown press conferences in recent memory. Ross and various members of Maybach Music Group sat in front of a room full of rap journalists with Rap Radar’s Elliott Wilson playing host only to announce that Omarion (who briefly went by the hilariously terrible Maybach O alias) had joined the squad. Oh … OK. Another questionable signing came a few months later when Ross signed buzzing (and boring) Chicago rapper Rockie Fresh.

Flash forward several disappointing Rick Ross releases to today. While each project had its moments, nothing from Ross’ album God Forgives, I Don’t, the Self-Made Vol. 2 compilation, nor The Black Bar Mitzvah mixtape resonated or remained in rotation for long. But the saga continues– Ross is scheduled to drop his sixth studio album this year, the not-so-aptly titled Mastermind. And as we reluctantly await another bloated, overbearing promotional cycle, I realize I have hit my limit.

While we don’t really cover Ross at Potholes outside of album reviews and occasional track postings when he corrals some high-profile guests, the man’s every move is still covered ad nausem across the internet. I say, enough. Here are my 12 reasons why Rick Ross should take the year off.

Navigate through the pages below.

Since Jay-Z’s “Roc Boys”, the whole black bar mitzvah idea has been rolling around in rap’s consciousness. To Jay, the black bar mitzvah is “a celebration bitches!” In other words, the Jewish coming-of-age fiesta is a relatively apt metaphor for his success as a drug dealer/rapper. In his view, the black bar mitzvah is a celebration of self-imposed career success, in comparison to a whole bunch of aunts and uncles giving you checks.

And then there is Drake’s “HYFR” video, the superimposition of a classic rap party video over a humorous representation of suburban judaism. Its a clash of silly stereotypes, lavish bacchanalia meets nerdy solemnity. In some sense its yet another representation of “swag”. If doing something uncool with flair makes your paradoxically more cool, than what’s less cool than a snot-nosed 13-year-old reading the Torah?

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to think about how Rick Ross’ Black Bar Mitzvah fits in between these two-examples. In some sense Ross kind of occupies both concepts. He’s all about being “self-made” just like Jay and he’s also all about walking the line between badass and completely silly. It seems that the black bar mitzvah is the perfect Rick Ross motif.

Sadly, Rick Ross should have used it years ago. Now, not only is it just more of the same old Rick Ross mythology to pile on the mound, its absolutely half-assed. As far as I can tell from the mere two skits in which the term “bar mitzvah” is mentioned, the concept serves simply to add yet another layer of ridiculous to Ross’ already-ridiculous-enough media persona.

As far as I can tell, this tape exists for three reasons:

1. To promote Meek Mill’s upcoming Dreams and Nightmares
2. To remind us that Ross owns a bunch of Wing Stop franchises
3. To release his remix of Lil Reese’s “Us”

The most buzzworthy of the three seems to be the remix. While Drake’s verse is a somewhat interesting take on the a drill scene flow, the best thing about it is when he says, “Only n***ga making albums with no fucking filler.” Did he know when he wrote this verse that Black Bar Mitzvah would be almost entirely composed of it? The tape is essentially a greatest hits of summer 2012 compilation with Ross rapping a phoned-in verse over the first 40 seconds of each track. Each song procedes to continue through its entire run, including all of its original performances.

At the end of the tape, “Bible on the Dash” and “Young and Gettin’ It” are included with no Rick Ross contributions. While these songs are under-par MMG tracks, he’s just basically tricked me into downloading MMG promotional material. And while Gunplay does put in a good verse on “Clique” and the remix of Ross’ own “Presidential” with Pharrell and Rockie Fresh is mildly entertaining, neither is worth digging through a bunch of tracks I’m already kind of tired of hearing. At this point, I thought I knew better.

1 out of 5 stars

1 out of 5

What happens when you take one of the worst corporations in America (Budweiser), and team them up with Jay-Z for a festival in Philadelphia? Well, the Made In America festival, unfortunately. There are some good acts on the list, like DJ Shadow, Run DMC, Dirty Projectors, D’Angelo, and more. But you are going to have to sit through buzzing shit storms like Calvin Harris, Chris Cornell (look at them put a star next to his name like its something to be proud of), and Skrillex, as well as fork up a pretty penny to see them throw it down. Okay, maybe it won’t be that bad, but you can bet your bottom dollar you will be in the company of raging, neon-wearing teenage girls if you decide to venture down to Philly on the first and second of September.

Enough with the jokes, though, the bigger issue here is that there is not a single risk being taken at this festival. I get it, big corporate money trying to ride already mainstream indie acts. But damn, isn’t the best part about a festival seeing a bunch of acts you’ve never heard of before and being absolutely blown away? This might be the most contrived concert of all time, and you are going to have to drink absolute shit beer if you happen to go.

Tickets go on sale Aug. 3 at 12 p.m.

Anyway, you can navigate the list through the page numbers below.

The constant use of the phrase “self made” by the Maybach Music Group is the product of multiple inflated egos, but, in some sense, it’s appropriate. You’ll notice that Rick Ross is rarely a participant in the signing drama that often surrounds an intensely hyped new rapper. He has never signed a Chief Keef, a Tyler the Creator, or a Kreayshawn to MMG. Meek Mill, Stalley, Gunplay, Omarion, and Wale are all seasoned musicians coming from successful careers.

Before signing to MMG, Meek Mill was a captivating and frenetic street rapper from Philadelphia with a giant local following. Stalley was a Ohio-repping golden era rap revivalist known for his finely crafted mixtapes. Gunplay was an old cohort of Rick’s and a relatively successful mixtape rapper with a strong following. Omarion was an R&B superstar and former member of B2K. Lastly, Wale was a local DC rapper whose name had been repeatedly spoken in dorm rooms across the country. Prior to MMG, these careers were not based on novelty or hype, but hard work and serious entertainment value.

While Ross’ choice of these specific men may seem a little arbitrary, the Self Made albums are based on a concept similar to that of a rock supergroup. Bring disparate but well-known artists together to make a group that is greater than the sum of its parts. They will have a mammoth audience consisting of a wide variety of listeners, ready to be exposed to new sounds: top 40 listeners, trap rap fans, hip-hop heads, and frat boys alike. The weak point in this formula is that it assumes that the distinct sounds of these various artists can somehow be combined into a coherent whole while still maintaining each member’s artistic voice. This is one of many reasons that most rock supergroups are disappointing.

Ross’s approach to this problem has simply been to recycle his own well-tested sound. Results so far have been less than exciting. “Tupac Back” was the first single of 2011’s Self Made Vol. 1, a behemoth of a track made to rattle windows on city blocks across the nation. It began strong, Rick Ross delivering his patented, pregnant-pause weeze. When he handed the track to Meek Mill, however, the song deflated. It remained a solid track, but in the end “Tupac Back”  was tainted by Meek’s less-than-Ross flow. Rick Ross’s mythmaking is based upon the idea that he can back up grandiose imagery with rapping to match. When the rapping wavers, the entire concept crumbles.

As one might expect, Self Made Vol. 2 sees Ross steadfastly maintaining the same stale myth to the bitter end. The album is equal parts condescendingly humble, wildly self-indulgent, and  menacing. It’s an understandable if unfortunate instinct, given that with the help of this formula he can produce hard-hitting solo tracks at an above average success rate. Songs like “All Birds” and “Bury Me a G” are made in his classic mode, with huge, dispassionate beats. Unfortunately, having maintained this mode for six years, his vocal contributions to the album are less than invigorated.

To its own credit, Rick Ross’s larger-than-life image has always included an element of the ridiculous. After all, “BMF”, his biggest hit, is based upon the premise that he’s proud of how fast he wastes his own money. On Vol. 2, however, he borders on self-parody. He begins the album by declaring that Michael Jackson would want everyone to smoke a joint in his honor if he were to come back from the dead. It’s an almost unintelligible piece of nonsense. On multiple occasions, he compares his woman to a bag of money and he makes it very clear that he’s serious. The line turns him into cartoon, as if he’s Wile E. Coyote looking at Roadrunner and seeing a steak. It might be a good line if he said it once, but after the sixth time, we’re no longer impressed.

Thankfully, Ross is mostly relegated to a supportive position. In comparison to Vol I, Vol. 2 sees the MMG crew settling into their roles, for better or for worse. Each member of MMG performs his part with equal parts complacency and comfort. Luckily, this means that most of them manage to shake themselves out of the hypnosis at least once or twice. Given that Meek Mill and Gunplay are the best rappers in the group, the best songs are those with the darkest emotions. Unfortunately, neither are offered very many opportunities to show their talent.

Meek manages to shed much of Ross’s influence on “Black Magic”, switching out the pause-heavy rap for a nuanced, lyrical verse in his most comfortable, hyped-up voice. His other three appearances, however, are either simply lackluster or out-of-place. Meek is a great rapper, but only shows it when he takes the time. Gunplay, who wasn’t even allowed on the cover, is offered a measly two verses. He excels in both, giving us nuanced, chilling lines like, “Take a close look at my face / the war paint is on”, all delivered in his own unhinged billow. He may not be commercially viable, but Gunplay is the most dynamic and creative rapper in the group.

Most of Self Made Vol. 2, however, is given to the three weakest and most marketable members. Wale and Stalley put in a surprisingly valiant efforts. In the wake of Wale’s signing, he had seemed like an overinflated balloon, obsessed with his own perceived potential while no longer producing any of the content that had made him appealing to his fans to be begin with. He seems to have regained a semblance of conscience at times, although most of it takes the form of complicated MMG apologetics. With that said, his rapping is forced, colorless, and forgettable. Stalley has the least off-putting personality of the group, but also the least appropriate style for this attitude-driven sound. Neither of have distinct enough voices to fit well into a posse album. Positioning them next to more talented rappers simply highlights their own lack of character.

Omarion’s inclusion is the least appropriate of all, although his contributions are by no means unappealing. The Maybach sound slides easily from sentimental to mildly romantic, but the rappers of the group are not predisposed to their own romantic sides. Alone, he produces perfectly serviceable R&B tracks with a sensitive personality and polished voice. “MIA” is the most effective, most likely because Wale is the most sentimental rapper of the group, but his other track, “Let’s Tall”, is crippled by an awkward Rick Ross appearance and an even more awkward Biggie sample in the chorus. His attempt at rapping on “This Thing is Ours” serves only to prove that his creative career choices are as misguided as the rest.

Given the diversity of this crew, it’s hard to say that an album with a wider variety of moods would produce a higher number of entertaining tracks. It would, however, have given the group a chance to expand upon their deep well of creative potential. In January, the group was featured on a song with the other two members of Triple Cs. “Slow Down” featured a sped-up, funky EPMD sample with none of the drama of the MMG standard. Listening to it now, the group raps like they are a bunch of kids being taken to get ice cream after a long dinner full of vegetables. It only makes the complacent consistency of Self Made Vol. 2 that much more disappointing. If Rick Ross cared about what he had in his grasp, we could have a lot more than consistency.

2.5 out of 5 stars

2.5 out of 5

Where do I begin? The first time I heard Wale was back in 2009 when he spit vicious bars for what felt like forever over Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.”. Since then, we have seen one of the most promising emcees fall short of any and all expectations that he set with his fabulous mixtape releases. With one major label full-length behind him, and his latest singing to Maybach Music Group, Wale seems a tad lost. Contriving his image and lyrical content in the hopes of turning some sales his way, we now find ourselves wondering where this dude is going to take his career next. Either way, Wale has been able to keep the attention of many. With over 850,000 followers on twitter, he decided to unleash a track that has me reminiscing about the days Wale would spit raw rhymes over those irresistible go-go drums. While I have no idea where “Lacefrontin” will eventually land, if anywhere, it certainly has shown me a glimmer of hope once again for this talented artist.

Stream “Lacefrontin” or download after the skip.

Download: Wale – “Lacefrontin” [Right Click Save-As]

Stream the mix or download it after the skip! Artwork by Theodore.

Download: Potholes Podcast (May 2011) [Right Click Save-As]

Track Listing:
01 Gil Scott-Heron – “I’m New Here”
02 Bon Iver – “Calgary”
03 Blu – “7 4 U”
04 Serengeti – “Ha-Ha”
05 Hail Mary Mallon – “Smock”
06 Maybach Music Group – “Self Made”
07 Shabazz Palaces – “Swerve… The reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)”
08 TOKiMONSTA – “Day Job”
09 Chad Valley – “Now That I’m Real”
10 Blueprint – “Automatic”
11 Michael Kiwanuka – “Tell Me A Tale”
12 Mayer Hawthorne - “A Long Time”
13 L.A.U.S.D. – “Ignite” feat. U-N-I
14 Danny Swain – “Theme Music To A Killing Spree” feat. Danny Brown
15 Oddisee – “You Don’t Close Your Eyes”
16 Samiyam – “Cushion”
17 Drake – “Dreams Money Can Buy”
18 Imani – “L.A. Blazers” feat. Luckyiam & Blu
19 Danny Brown – “Outer Space”
20 Thundercat – “For Love I Come”