Rick Ross & Meek Mill Can't Recreate MMG Magic On 'Too Good To Be True'

During the blog era, few labels were as rife with talent and consistent in their output as Maybach Music Group (MMG). Spearheaded by Miami Hip Hop legend and pear enthusiast Rick Ross, the label housed a promising roster, including Stalley, Pill, Gunplay, Wale and of course, Philly’s own Meek Mill. While these artists all experienced success in their respective lanes, it was clear that Ross and Meek were two artists cut from the same cloth, with Meek serving as a stylistic protege for Ross to take under his wing and simultaneously, one of his best lyrical sparring partners.

Born William Roberts (Ross) and Robert Williams (Meek), you would be hard-pressed to find a pair that has been so consistently complementary to one another. Smash hits like “I’ma Boss” rang out through every car stereo, while other fan-favourite album cuts ranged from smooth luxury raps to thudding, hi-hat-laced bangers. Regardless of the song, the duo have always brought the best out of each other. But neither rapper is still in his prime, making their collab album, Too Good to be True, a little too late.

The pair showcase that while they would likely have crafted a classic collab album a decade or so ago, they have nothing to offer beyond what’s expected of them now, struggling to meet that bar throughout. With neither of them having anything new to say and instrumentals that are generic at their best, and at worst, completely void of anything other than a manufactured MMG sound, the album falls completely flat.

It tries as hard as it can to capture the essence and sound of their early work to indulge their fans’ nostalgia, but the result is to the contrary, with songs feeling so dated and soulless that you’d be better off listening to their older work. This stale energy bleeds into the features on here as well, as they feel like they were hand-picked to recapture the energy of a bygone era. The guest that suffers the most on this front is Future, delivering an abysmal hook on “In Luv With the Money” that feels devoid of any magic.

Rick Ross lacks gravitas, feeling checked out throughout most of the tracklist. A rapper known for his impeccable ear for beats and consistent output, he delivers his laziest and most elementary rhymes to date, pairing them with some of the least interesting instrumentals of his career. It is beyond disappointing since Meek is still rapping like he has something to prove, while Ross coasts on, using single-syllable rhyme schemes and the same lackadaisical flow on every beat.

The only positive to how low-effort Ross appears across nearly the entirety of this project is that it highlights the energy the Meek brings to almost every track. “Iconic” for example, is Ross at his most boring, lazily meandering through the song with one of the most languorous flows he’s ever used. On the other hand, Meek revitalizes the track for the duration of his verse, bringing an energy that elevates the relatively stripped-back instrumental to new levels.

A few instances in the tracklist deliver on the premise of what this record was supposed to be. The Cool & Dre-produced “Go To Hell” sees Ross and Meek trading verses over an extravagant organ-laced instrumental that features grandiose drums and a great sample of the Tears for Fears hit, “Shout”. The lead single “SHAQ & KOBE” is the prototypical Meek & Ross collab, with a solid instrumental and great verses from the pair.

The biggest highlight though is “Fine Lines,” which features an immaculate verse from fellow MMG member Wale and an exquisite hook and backing vocals from The-Dream. It’s the one moment on the record that truly and organically feels like a vintage MMG moment, with Ross at his most luxurious and Wale accenting the track with his smooth, conversational delivery. It’s just a shame that Ross decided to showcase himself at his best on the one song that Meek didn’t contribute to at all, as this album would’ve greatly benefited from Ross putting this level of effort into his verses throughout.

Sadly, the output on this record is rarely more than serviceable, as it either barely meets or rests right below the bar that the decade-plus of history between these two has set.

The pair recently stopped by Funk Flex’s Hot 97 show as part of his freestyle series. The video shows an always-up-for-the-task Meek Mill freestyling for over five minutes as a gauntlet of rotating instrumentals plays one after the other. Meanwhile, Ross spends most of that time scrolling through his phone before eventually doing a little dance to the “Knuck If You Buck” instrumental. 

It’s a fitting visual representation of the disparity in effort between the pair on this LP and a testament to the energy Meek brings to try and make it work despite Ross’ shortcomings.