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I remember last summer I had to give Rick Ross a bit of a side eye. His feature on Usher’s song “Lemme See” seemed a bit inappropriate to me. In case you’re not familiar, the song is about a woman who’s been talking trash to Usher all evening, telling him what she’s going to do to him when she gets him home. Usher, wanting practice what she preaches, tells her to let him see what she can do.

Then Rick Ross comes in with his verse:

Got on all my ice, talkin’ cash Shyte

Been balling all my life, Lamborghini’s, fast whips

She down to ride and

Deserves a boss who down to provide

We run the streets but on G5’s, I’m talkin’ fly

Boots and blue jeans, Cartier, newer rings

You with a big boy, so we do the big things

Had the valet park it, Chanel hoodie on

Looking like Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman on warning

She on my morning poster,

Ciroc in my mimosa

I’m ballin’ like Lebron,

We shoppin’ in Milan

The 458 Ferrari, I park it on the lawn

I let her meet my tongue,

She blew up like a bomb

The sex is so explosive, her stuff is supersonic

She my new addiction, I swear I’m through with chronic

Rozay and Usher Raymond, girl we the hottest

Rocking the most ice, I said we the hottest

Uhhh… what does Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman have to do with your materialism and cunniligus skills?! Though I can understand Rick Ross, being from Florida, wanting to bring more awareness to the impending case at that time, there was something that seemed very distasteful about it. It didn’t fit, to me. Though I’m sure one could argue that black men of varying levels of wealth and status wear hoodies. And perhaps, in Rick Ross’ case, as it was with Trayvon, the hoodie didn’t mean he had any reason to rob anybody. Ross because he has his own money and Martin because he was just a kid trying to get home.

But apparently, after the trial and devastating verdict, Ross still has some more to say. In his new song “I Wonder Why,” Rick Ross describes life in his neighborhood. He talks about being loyal to his brother in jail, selling drugs and the new enemies he found once he started making money and becoming more famous.

In the bridge of the song Ross says this:

Now I’m being followed by some creepy-a** cracker

Now I’m being followed by some creepy-a** cracker

Stand your ground, stand your ground

Stand your ground, you gotta stand your ground

And then at the very end of the song, we hear Rachel Jeantel’s voice in her testimony while she was being questioned by Zimmerman’s defense attorney Don West.

(Okay, they’re having trouble hearing you, so take your time)

Creepy-a** cracka

And then he said [bleep]

(And he’s still following you?)

Yes…

Rick Ross is comparing his plight to Trayvon Martin’s in that now that he’s getting money he’s being followed as Trayvon was followed by Zimmerman. I’m kind of conflicted about this. While both are black men being followed, Trayvon hadn’t done anything wrong. But in this song Rick Ross is admittedly selling drugs. Arguably Rick Ross fans, who didn’t follow the George Zimmerman case closely might be inspired to do some research after hearing these lyrics. But on the other hand, should we be likening Trayvon to a drug dealer or any other type of criminal when the only items he was carrying were a pack of Skittles and an Arizona Ice Tea? Personally, I wouldn’t have done it. But who knows being from Florida Trayvon might have been flattered to be featured in not one but two of Rick Ross’ songs. Sadly, we’ll never know.

Take a listen to the song on the next page. And in the comments section tell us if you find Ross’ lyrics inappropriate. 

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