Rick Ross poses for a portrait at Def Jam In...

Rick Ross poses for a portrait at Def Jam In New York in promotion of his album "Hood Billionaire," released on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014. Credit: AP / Victoria Will

Maybe it's because "Hood Billionaire" (Def Jam) is Rick Ross' second album of 2014. Maybe it's because seven albums is a lot of time to dedicate to tales of drug dealing and Florida.

In any case, Ross seems to have run out of new stories and, unfortunately, it's coincided with a decision to get more conservative with his beats. That combination makes "Hood Billionaire" quite a drab affair. Even Jay Z seems bored with these surroundings on "Movin' Bass." "Quintessential," with Snoop Dogg, is so laid back and lackadaisical that it seems like they just got bored with it and let it fade away rather than finish.

THE GRADE C

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