"God Forgives, I Don't" vs. "Rich Forever": Which Rick Ross Project Is Better?

Rozay's had two epic releases this year, but only one can prevail.

Aug 02, 2012
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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

At the top of the year, Rick Ross released his Rich Forever mixtape. It was a lengthy set full of quality gems meant to hold fans over until God Forgives, I Don’t, which hit stores this week. They're both great projects, but with their respective release dates mere months apart, the question remains: Which is better, the mixtape or the album?

The conversation can't be avoided, so we created a rubric of sorts and decided to dive in and declare a winner. Which project has better beats? Features? Artwork? Continue reading to find out.

Written by Brad Wete (@BradWete)

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Lyrics

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As far as delivery is concerned, Ross has pretty much plateaued, and that’s okay when you’re as good and versatile as he is. Ross is a nimble lyricist, capable of cruising through thumping trap beats with his peers or laying smooth bars on romantic cuts with Usher. Still, he hasn’t grown exponentially since the high points reached on Teflon Don.

Many would like to hear more rhymes about who he was before the fame and his supposed drug kingpin days—when he was just William Leonard Roberts on the block. Most are still clueless as to who Rick Ross really is.

On Rich Forever, Ross is clearly dealing with less pressure to impress and sounds more comfortable as a result. On his new album, he’s a bit more scattered, trying to cram in his usual tales of affluent exploits and coke-moving with more earnest insights about life.

Winner: Rich Forever

Production

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From top to bottom, Rich Forever is filled with gritty, speaker-rattling bangers. “MMG Untouchable” plays like it was made to function as a hood militia’s anthem. The instrumental behind "Yella Diamonds" is downright confrontational.

The records on God Forgives, I Don’t boast that same grit, but also a sheen of regal authority. “Pirates” and “3 Kings” come off cleaner than most beats on Forever. Tracks like “Touch’N You” and the Pharrell-produced “Presidential” have a subtle, tasteful bump to them that can't be undervalued. Rich Forever sounds like it was made for the hood, in the hood. God Forgives sounds like it was made for the hood, in a castle.

Winner: God Forgives, I Don't

Guest Appearances

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Though God Forgives, I Don’t has some major features on it, including a slick-mouthed Jay-Z casually eating Rozay and Dr. Dre’s lunch on “3 Kings,” Rich Forever prevails. Whether it’s Diddy hilariously praying for protection “from brokeness and bitch-ass niggas” on "Holy Ghost," 2 Chainz setting the stage for a banner year of features on “Fuck Em,” or Drake’s vicious “Stay Schemin” verse, the guests just went harder on the mixtape.

Winner: Rich Forever

Artwork

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In all black and adorned by several Jesus pieces, Ross looks like the Grim Reaper on God Forgives, I Don’t. The art direction is executed to the point that a glance makes you feel like he’s really ready to snatch mad unforgiven souls. Come on, he’s just hitting a blunt on the Rich Forever cover.

Winner: God Forgives, I Don't

Replay Value

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It’s tough to decipher the long-term playability of an album that came out days ago, but Rich Forever possesses several songs that impacted radio and general conversation way harder when they initially dropped. Though fans and critics alike admit Rozay’s latest is a quality effort, hardly any are praising its records the way they did for standouts like “Stay Schemin” and “Yella Diamonds” at the top of 2012.

Overall Winner: Rich Forever

Rick Ross

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