The Rundown: Rich Gang Album
Track-by-track review of the supergroup's debut.
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The Rundown: Rich Gang, Rich Gang - As Cash Money Records begat Young Money Records and both hold a bulk of hip hop music's most potent talent, it was a no-brainer that the two merge into a new supergroup. Hence, the arrival of the Rich Gang and an elevation of the money and ghetto opulence game they continue to shape. Here's a track-by-track look at the debut, self-titled LP.(Photo: Cash Money Records)
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"R.G." Featuring Mystikal - In case you were wondering what the Rich Gang is about, Birdman, over a sad piano, sparsely explains the crew's journey to you: from hundreds to hundred millions. From the project life to the high life. It's all a segue into a boom-and-roll synth ride with Mystikal spitting frantically about the material wealth he brings to the game. (Photo: CSM /Landov)
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"Million Dollar" Featuring Detail and Future - Future and Detail trade verses about a get-down-or-lay-down chick over the rhythm of a swaying piano melody. And at times the two get poetic and explicit in very note-worthy ways. (Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)
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"Tapout" Featuring "Lil Wayne, Birdman, Mack Maine, Nicki Minaj and Future" - Staccato drum licks and creeping synth-work accompany this five-way mic romp between Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Mack Maine, Future and Birdman about high-octane adventures of the flesh. (Photo: Johnny Louis/WENN.com)
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"We Been On" Featuring R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, Birdman - When you invite R. Kelly to croon on a Cash Money/Young Money project, the topic has to be about — what else? — ballin'. Kellz brings the vocal coloring while Birdman and Wayne bring the boss narrative. You know the routine.(Photos from left: Ray Mickshaw/FOX via Getty Images, Prince Williams/FilmMagic, Aaron Gilbert / WENN.com)
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"Dreams Come True" Featuring Ace Hood, Yo Gotti, Mack Maine and Birdman - Using the dope game to move from hood life to the big time. That's what this four-man collabo, kicked over rising/falling keyboard work, is all about. Get ya bird call on. (Photos from left: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images, Kris Connor/Getty Images, John Ricard / BET)
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"50 Plates" Featuring Rick Ross - Rozay jumps on the cut "50 Plates" to add another perspective on the topic of rhythmically moving keys and the beat bounces hard and creeps slow. (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Beats by Dre)
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"Bigger Than Life" Featuring Chris Brown and Tyga - This track, with C. Breezy delivering the pop-inspired chorus, doesn't hide its purpose for getting the Rich Gang the crossover. "Money on the grind/ Money on my mind," spits Birdman. "Do it big time." (Photos from left: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel, Jason Kempin/Getty Images, C Flanigan/WireImage)
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"100 Flavors" Featuring Detail, Birdman and Kendrick Lamar - You can't say Birdman and crew can't show their sensitive sides, which is what happens when Kendrick Lamar joins the fray. He and Detail help the Cash Money CEO talk about lavishing their wifeys with the finer things in life. (Photos from left: Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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"Every Day" Featuring Cory Gunz, Busta Rhymes and Mystikal - In the most lyrically stylish track, Cory Gunz, Busta Rhymes and Mystikal whip multi-syllabic verses about beating folks over the head with their street-gained funds. "Every single morning that a n---a get up, better know a n---a got to get it," Busta spits. "Money to burn, raw OG kush ... in a hundred dollar bills: [I] smoke weed with it." (Photos from left: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images, Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for BET)
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"Burn the House" Featuring Detail - Things get hot when Detail rocks this sultry tune about his and his lady kindling the love fires so intensely that they could, well, burn down the house. A song for gettin' it in ... literally. (Photo: Cash Money)
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"Panties to the Side" Featuring French Montana, Tyga, Bow Wow and Gudda Gudda - You can't have a Rich Gang project and not have an ode to the sexual skills of strippers, which is exactly what this cut is about. Yes, there will be sex in the Champagne room... And Bow Wow and Gudda Gudda join in the fun. (Photos from left: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for BET, Paras Griffin /Landov)
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"Angel" Featuring Mystikal, Jae Millz, Ace Hood, Gudda Gudda, Mack Maine and Birdman - Another celebration of a woman's sexual prowess. This time it's centered on praising a girl named Angel. (Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images)
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"Sunshine" Featuring Limp Bizkit, Flo Rida, Birdman and Casey - Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit gets down on the chorus of this track celebrating the goal of making it. The production mixes the crawl of Southern bounce with the sunny, inspirational synth sound of Euro-dance pop. (Photo: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
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"Paint the Town" Featuring Game, Birdman and Lil Wayne - Look out, it's another keyboard-ladened, Scarface-inspired banger where MCs flex about their wealth. Only this one, at times, really pushes the color red (ala Bloods). "Red everything. Red Bentley," Game declares. "Chop a n***a down and tell his momma, 'Red sent me." (Photos from left: Kevin Winter/Getty Images, Christopher Polk/Getty Images For BET, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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"Have it Your Way" Featuring T.I., Birdman and Lil Wayne - T.I., Lil Wayne and the Birdster put their voices together to show these small hustlers how to elevate their game. "You know what it is, pimpin', [a] king in the building," says T.I. "All about the millions/ No time to play with children."(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)