Fans of rapper Rick Ross have had lots to be happy about in the past few days. Following a string of consecutive daily song premieres via SoundCloud, his #RozayWeek peaks with Black Dollar, an all-new full-length album released recently for free via popular online mixtape hub DatPiff. But with this new strategy of releasing music work for Ross whose last 2 albums have been labelled commercial failures? Gary Suarez writes for Forbes.
The release strategy for Black Dollar runs counter to that of Ross’ prior records, as well as those albums from others on his Maybach Music Group (MMG) label, which releases music via partnerships with Atlantic Records or Def Jam Recordings depending on the artist. Though DatPiff previously hosted his official mix tapes like 2012′s Rich Forever and The Black Bar Mitzvah, surprisingly Black Dollar is being labelled an album. Guests on the record include rappers Future and Gucci Mane, as well as R&B artists August Alsina and The Dream.
While not entirely unprecedented, given that the platform once premiered a collaborative record made with rapper Birdman called The H, Ross’ decision to offer his new music in this way follows an industry trend of high-quality hip-hop releases that blur the lines between album and mixtape. Largely meant to encompass the variety of mostly-free promotional releases available on-line or in limited CD runs, the definition of a mixtape has evolved as rappers and labels grapple with the demands of an audience less and less inclined to pay for music in an overcrowded rap marketplace.
Some of today’s most popular mixtapes scarcely resemble the DJ-heavy ones from just a couple years ago. Absent from these high-quality affairs are paid hosts like DJ Holiday and DJ Scream shouting their catchphrases over the beginnings of songs. Dropped from his Interscope deal in 2014, Chicago-born rapper Chief Keef has ramped up his mixtape game to produce multiple DJ-free projects of new music, including this year’s Bang 3 which premiered for free at Audiomack before its eventual iTunes bow. Following the lacklustre performance of his 2014 album Honest, Future rolled out three free album-quality mixtapes that not only rallied his core fans but significantly broadened his audience. This move paved the way for this summer’s Billboard 200 chart-topping DS2, an Epic Records released commercial album sequel to his Dirty Sprite mixtape.
After years of more traditional months-long album rollouts, Ross’ new approach comes amid a mixed twelve months for the imprint. Prior to Black Dollar, the most recent MMG album came from Miami rapper Gunplay, a member of Ross’ Triple C’s project. A Def Jam release, his Living Legend arrived in late July to fewer than 1,000 first week sales. Despite guest features from Ross and Yo Gotti, as well as a single produced by hip-hop hitmaker DJ Mustard, Gunplay’s album peaked at #171 on the Billboard 200, only to disappear the following week.
After a lengthy delay due in part to his 2014 incarceration, Meek Mill’s highly anticipated Dreams Worth More Than Money dropped this past June, claiming the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 for two consecutive weeks. One of MMG’s most prolific artists, Wale saw his Seinfeld-themed The Album About Nothing top the same chart in April. “Post To Be,” a single off R&B singer Omarion’s late-2014 Sex Playlist, has been a staple at radio and was certified RIAA platinum this July. An October 2014 offering, Stalley’s Ohio sold poorly.
As MMG’s signature artist, however, it’s Ross himself whose output has been cause for concern. Last December’s Hood Billionaire was a commercial disappointment, his first after years of consistently strong debuts on the Billboard 200. Released some eight months after his delayed Mastermind album, Hood Billionaire sold far less than its predecessor, received mostly middling critical reviews, and raised concerns among hip-hop fans as to whether or not Ross’ career was in decline.
Though initial excitement for Black Dollar seems high, there’s no guarantee this will translate into renewed career momentum for Ross the way the mixtape trio of Monster, Beast Mode, and 56 Nights did for Future. Nearly a decade since his chart-topping Def Jam debut Port Of Miami, his run in the upper echelon of rap may very well be nearing its end.