“Trilla” – Rick Ross

Rating: 6/10

Rick Ross is trill; there’s no doubt about it.

Throughout his second album “Trilla,” a play-on-words of the classic Michael Jackson album “Thriller,” the Miami rapper uses his trademark swagger to unequivocally pronounce himself as “a boss.”

Ironically, Ross rhymes with boss, and on every track, the listener will hear how much of a boss Ross is. Does he have a lot of money? Check. Does he drive fast cars? Check. Does he say the word boss nearly 100 times before the album is over? Checkmate.

Nearly every rapper these days who rhymes about selling drugs unleashes his egomania over every noun and verb. Usually claims of being the best of the game are without merit and reason. Rick Ross nearly falls into the same category as all of these other rappers, except Ross doesn’t make outrageous claims about his lyrical abilities or weight; he just wants to be “the biggest boss you’ve seen thus far.”

Although Ross’s sophomore album is a major step up from his 2006 album, “Port of Miami,” it relies on the work of too many guest spots, rather than focusing on Ross’ unique delivery. Throughout the 15-track album, there are 14 featured artists.

“Maybach Music” featuring Jay-Z is the stand-out track of the album and could be Ross’s best song to date. The two trade verses while explaining why they wrote the song in their Maybachs so we can listen to it in our Maybachs. A song about a Chevy Cobalt would have done just fine.

On “Luxury Tax,” Ross is accompanied by Young Jeezy, Lil’ Wayne and Trick Daddy, and it’s another song about selling cocaine and making money, which comprises everything that mainstream rap has to offer. That’s not to say the song isn’t a solid collaboration; it just paints an all-too-familiar picture. You sell it, you get money, then you buy stuff; what kind of new revelation could occur?

Then, something really weird occurs. Probably the most annoying person in music right now, DJ Khaled, appears on an interlude by himself praising Rick Ross. He’s going to be, “down with Ross till he dies / through the good times and bad,” which sounds like more of a marriage vow than a shout-out. He also proclaims Ross is “the president of poor people,” which negates Ross’s extravagant image. The interlude is not only creepy, it’s out of place.

The album does contain some decent tracks in “The Boss” featuring T-Pain, “All I Have In This World” featuring Mannie Fresh, and “Reppin’ My City.” However, a good portion of the album is unmemorable and features an amalgam of past themes for rappers.

If Rick Ross was setting out to make a trill album, he accomplished his goal. But one thing’s for sure, if he wants to become one of the rappers on the forefront of coke rap, he needs to develop his own craft and not depend on big-name stars.

“Trilla” is trill, but it should be triller.