Rick Ross: Port of Miami 2 is An Instant Rozay Classic

Rick Ross delivers hits with Port of Miami 2, an anticipated successor to his debut album of the same name.

Rick Ross dropped Port of Miami 2 August 9 and hit on all cylinders. No album is perfect. Every artist, no matter how seasoned has his flaws. Yet, Ross continues to flaunt his ability to recognize the ideal production for his sound. He slides gems in to offset the audience’s tendency to sink into the normalcy of his flow. It’s a Rozay classic that sits amongst his top three best releases.

“Summer Reign”  is a track that features up-and-coming songstress Summer Walker. Rick Ross soulfully raps as a sample of SWV’s vocals plays over a beat produced over the trio’s 1997 “Rain”. Walker’s fresh tone adds complexity to the track. Ross’ patented pause-and-go verses serve him well opposite Walker, never disappointing when it’s time to slow things down and create a silkier vibe. He invites you behind the scenes and creates a setting that you can almost get lost in.

As you listen to “White Lines” featuring Dej Loaf – who is also a listed composer for the song -think Miami. The beat alone paints a picture of a luxury Rozay in a luxury vehicle – worth more than a mild mortgage – with a beautiful woman sitting in the passenger seat as he cruises the expressway nodding in unison to the beat. With a Spanish guitarist listed, amongst others, as a composer for the track, the song is delicately layered. Although Dej Loaf’s voice is soft, it hits hard and puts a cherry on a classic Ross performance.

Another hit, which Rick Ross released as a single off the album, “Gold Roses”  bolsters producer credits for the likes of Oz, Syk Sense, Vinylz and the Rascals. I’m rarely disappointed when Rozay and the 6-God team up on a song (See “Stay Schemin”’, “Aston Martin Music”, “Money in the Grave”, etc.) The song by standard will include enough twitter quotes to last a lifetime, but more importantly, the artists play off each other so well. The production and flow scream that this song was cooked up just for the Toronto native. Yet, Rozay’s smooth delivery keeps the audience aware of his presence and only pulls us deeper in to the melody.

The Bop of the Album – “Nobody’s Favorite”

Rick Ross departs from his traditional rap style to give fans a steady flow as he rides the beat alongside Gunplay, who captures shine on the track. Ross’ cadence serves as an additional instrument. I listened to the song twice to absorb the lyrics from each emcee, because the beat puts the audience in a trance. The gong in the background fosters a more dramatic delivery for a less complex sound than a lot of the tracks Rick Ross raps over throughout Port of Miami 2.

Listen to Port of Miami 2 below.

Rick Ross sounds hungry, which can’t be spoken about many artists 10-plus years into the game. As developed as he is, Ross experiments – although carefully – with new sounds and refines his image as the seasons pass. Port of Miami 2 is an example of a hustler with a renewed sense of urgency to do more than just stay relevant, but to stay great. The album is clean – even if Pusha T didn’t make the cut.