Teflon Don (album)
Encyclopedia
Teflon Don is the fourth studio album
by American rapper Rick Ross
, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group
and Def Jam Recordings
. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent
, No I.D.
, The Olympicks, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
, Lex Luger, Danja, The Inkredibles, The Remedy, and Kanye West
.
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200
chart, selling 176,300 copies in its first week. It attained some international charting and produced three singles with moderate Billboard
chart success. Upon its release, Teflon Don received generally positive reviews from most music critics, earning praise for its cinematic production and Ross's lyrical persona.
his next album would be entitled Teflon Don. On the remix to his past single, "Maybach Music 2
", DJ Khaled
hyped the album, along with "Maybach Music III". In April 2010, on his official website, he stated that "Super High
" would be the first single. Artists Kanye West
, Jay-Z
, T.I.
, Raphael Saadiq
, and Drake were confirmed to be on the album. Producers for the album included No I.D.
and Kanye West.
and Def Jam Recordings
. Ross is supporting the album with his international "Blowin Money Fast" tour.
" featuring Ne-Yo
, peaked at number 100 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Its music video received airplay on MTV
and BET
. The album's second official single, "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)
", was released June 29, 2010, and features rapper Styles P
. It reached number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The radio single was "Live Fast Die Young" which was sent to Rhythm/Crossover radio on July 13, 2010. It did not receive promotion and did not chart. The song "Aston Martin Music
" which features Canadian rapper Drake
and American singer Chrisette Michele
debuted at #98 on the Billboard Hot 100 after heavy downloads the week of the albums release. "Aston Martin Music" was officially released as the third single on October 5, 2010. "Aston Martin Music" so far peaked at 30, making it the highest peaking single from the album.
chart, with first-week sales of 176,300 copies. It is Ross's first album not to debut at number one in the United States. It also entered at number two on Billboard
s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Rap Albums
, and Digital Albums charts. In its second week, the album dropped to number three on the Billboard 200 and 63,000 copies. It moved to number five on the chart and sold 39,000 copies in its third week. In the United Kingdom, Teflon Don entered at number 169 on the UK Albums Chart
, and also at number 23 on the Top 40 RnB Albums
chart. In Canada, it debuted at number 17 on the Top 100 Albums
chart. As of November 25, 2011, the album had sold 682,000 copies in the US.The album was then certified gold
by the Recording Industry Association of America
.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 79, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Critics noted it as Ross's strongest album at the time and found its production cinematic and "epic". Allmusic writer David Jeffries gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and viewed it as an improvement over Ross's previous album Deeper Than Rap
, stating "Teflon plays up the chilled and soulful elements of its predecessor, meaning Ross has graduated to a level where words like 'organic' and 'poignant' come into play". Entertainment Weekly
s Simon Vozick-Levinson called Ross "a competent rapper" and complimented his "ear for lush, expansive beats". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
described him as "a ferocious character, an impressive rapper... a clever and loose thinker" and wrote that Teflon Don "establishes him as one of rap’s most potent and creative forces". Sean Fennessey of The Washington Post
praised Ross's lyricism and wrote that he "is an enunciator of the highest order, his voice a tidal wave baritone... his word choice and onomatopoetic gestures... are unmatched in rap right now". Brian Richardson of Tiny Mix Tapes
gave it 3½ out of 5 stars and wrote "he employs such confidence and panache staying within his limitations". XXL
writer Rob Markman gave the album an XL rating and stated "if it is simply judged on the music, Teflon Don is damn near spotless. The lyrics are on par, the beats are lush, and the imagery is larger than life".
However, some critics viewed that the album favors style over substance and criticized Ross's lyrics. Slant Magazine
's Jesse Cataldo wrote that "despite fitful spots of brilliance, [it] feels distinctly swampy... too often comes off as a conspicuous mishandling of both assets and signifiers: too much drug posturing, too much repetition, too little real effort". OC Weekly
writer Nate Jackson gave the album a C+ rating and stated "Ross squanders opportunities to expand the content of his verses beyond the digits of his bankroll". Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club
gave it a B rating and stated "Producers [...] provide lush, cinematic, larger-than-life soundscapes for Ross’ crass consumerism, while classy guest vocalists [...] regularly outshine the star... the only thing deep about Ross are his pockets and his rumbling voice. Teflon Don excels as sleek, smooth, shiny pop escapism, pure and simple". Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun
noted his lyrics as "sleek, too-often shallow", but praised its "elegance" and "grandiose stunting". USA Today
s Steve Jones gave the album 3 out of 4 stars and wrote that Ross's "booming voice and colorful tales of ill-gotten wealth are hard to ignore. His Maybach music always sounds good rattling the trunk, even if your ride is less ostentatious". Ian Cohen of Pitchfork Media
compared the album's embracement of "an aura of dominance" to late-1990s hip hop music and elaborated on its indulgent Mafioso-themes and sound, stating:
Saxon Baird of PopMatters
viewed that Ross's performance compensates for his "wet-dream fantastical lyrics" and stated "Ross is good at what he does and rap needs guys like him to liven up the party and get us hyped". Rolling Stone
writer Jody Rosen complimented Ross's "gloating with wit and goofiness", stating "[he] pours out smart rhymes over sleek, synth-heavy beats". Tray Hova of Vibe lauded Ross's "penchant for exaggerated 16s and larger-than-life soundscapes" and "knack for picking colossal beats". Ben Detrick of Spin
commented on Ross's assumption of his "kingpin" persona, stating "If the Miami rapper has been a shell, though, he's become Fabergé
on Teflon Don, his fourth and best album. The songs here are baroquely structured, richly musical creations with humor and emotional depth". Jayson Greene of The Village Voice
noted Ross's subject matter as "transcendent absurdity" and called the album "ridiculously extravagant and extravagantly ridiculous". Los Angeles Times
writer Jeff Weiss gave it 3½ out of 4 stars and commended Ross's "chimerical mythologizing", while noting its sound as "beautifully constructed... a symphonic grandeur to match Ross’ elaborate delusions". Steve Juon of RapReviews gave Teflon Don a 7.5/10 rating and wrote "Over a short but impactful 50 minutes of music, the gravelly guru of hustling expands his repertoire beyond debates about authenticity... he's still able to weave together dope beats with great stories". was number 30 on Rolling Stone
placed it at number 38 on its list "The Top 50 Albums of 2010".
Sample credits
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American rapper Rick Ross
Rick Ross
Rick, Ricky or Richard Ross may also refer to:* Rick Ross , American rapper* Richard J. Ross, a Massachusetts State Senator* Richard Ross , an American photographer...
, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group
Maybach Music Group
Maybach Music Group is a record label founded by Rick Ross, currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records, which took over distribution following the expiration of a deal with Def Jam Recordings....
and Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent
Clark Kent (producer)
Clark Kent is a hip hop DJ, record producer and music executive of Panamanian descent . His crew of DJs is called "The Supermen", and his DJ moniker is derived from the name of Superman's alter ego....
, No I.D.
No I.D.
No I.D., officially known as Immenslope and also known as Ernest Wilson , is a hip hop and R&B record producer, also the vice-president of Def Jam Recordings, best known for his early work with Chicago rapper Common and is known as "The Godfather of Chicago hip hop".. The nickname No I.D...
, The Olympicks, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, which stands for Just Undeniably Some of The Illest Composers Ever, are a Grammy winning group of producers and instrumentalists from Tampa, Florida. The group consists of members Rook, Colione, and Kenny "Barto" Bartolomei. Most recently, they have been producing for Drake,...
, Lex Luger, Danja, The Inkredibles, The Remedy, and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
.
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 176,300 copies in its first week. It attained some international charting and produced three singles with moderate Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
chart success. Upon its release, Teflon Don received generally positive reviews from most music critics, earning praise for its cinematic production and Ross's lyrical persona.
Background
In 2009, Rick Ross announced to MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
his next album would be entitled Teflon Don. On the remix to his past single, "Maybach Music 2
Maybach Music 2
"Maybach Music 2" is a hip-hop song recorded by American rapper Rick Ross and released as the third single from his third studio album, Deeper Than Rap. The song features Kanye West, T-Pain, and Lil Wayne....
", DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled
Khaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
hyped the album, along with "Maybach Music III". In April 2010, on his official website, he stated that "Super High
Super High
"Super High" is the first single from rapper Rick Ross from his fourth studio album Teflon Don. The song features Ne-Yo.The song samples "Silly Love Song" by Enchantment.-Music video:The music video premiered on May 24, 2010 on MTV Jams. The F...
" would be the first single. Artists Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Saadiq has been a standard bearer for "old school" R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! He also produced songs of such artists as TLC, Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J...
, and Drake were confirmed to be on the album. Producers for the album included No I.D.
No I.D.
No I.D., officially known as Immenslope and also known as Ernest Wilson , is a hip hop and R&B record producer, also the vice-president of Def Jam Recordings, best known for his early work with Chicago rapper Common and is known as "The Godfather of Chicago hip hop".. The nickname No I.D...
and Kanye West.
Release and promotion
Originally set for release on June 29, the album was pushed back twice before its July 20, 2010 release date. It was released through Maybach Music GroupMaybach Music Group
Maybach Music Group is a record label founded by Rick Ross, currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records, which took over distribution following the expiration of a deal with Def Jam Recordings....
and Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
. Ross is supporting the album with his international "Blowin Money Fast" tour.
Singles
The album's first single, "Super HighSuper High
"Super High" is the first single from rapper Rick Ross from his fourth studio album Teflon Don. The song features Ne-Yo.The song samples "Silly Love Song" by Enchantment.-Music video:The music video premiered on May 24, 2010 on MTV Jams. The F...
" featuring Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, peaked at number 100 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Its music video received airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
. The album's second official single, "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)
B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)
"B.M.F. " is the second single from Rick Ross' fourth studio album Teflon Don. It features Styles P. It was produced by Lex Luger. The song was originally released as an unmastered version on Ross' promotional mixtape, the Albert Anastasia EP...
", was released June 29, 2010, and features rapper Styles P
Styles P
David Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
. It reached number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The radio single was "Live Fast Die Young" which was sent to Rhythm/Crossover radio on July 13, 2010. It did not receive promotion and did not chart. The song "Aston Martin Music
Aston Martin Music
"Aston Martin Music" is the third single from rapper Rick Ross's fourth studio album Teflon Don. The song was released as a single on October 5, 2010. It features Canadian rapper/singer Drake and singer Chrisette Michele, and is produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League.A song by Drake called Paris Morton...
" which features Canadian rapper Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
and American singer Chrisette Michele
Chrisette Michele
Chrisette Michele Payne , known professionally as Chrisette Michele, is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter....
debuted at #98 on the Billboard Hot 100 after heavy downloads the week of the albums release. "Aston Martin Music" was officially released as the third single on October 5, 2010. "Aston Martin Music" so far peaked at 30, making it the highest peaking single from the album.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 176,300 copies. It is Ross's first album not to debut at number one in the United States. It also entered at number two on Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Rap Albums
Top Rap Albums
Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004....
, and Digital Albums charts. In its second week, the album dropped to number three on the Billboard 200 and 63,000 copies. It moved to number five on the chart and sold 39,000 copies in its third week. In the United Kingdom, Teflon Don entered at number 169 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, and also at number 23 on the Top 40 RnB Albums
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
chart. In Canada, it debuted at number 17 on the Top 100 Albums
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
chart. As of November 25, 2011, the album had sold 682,000 copies in the US.The album was then certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
.
Critical response
Teflon Don received positive reviews from most music critics. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 79, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Critics noted it as Ross's strongest album at the time and found its production cinematic and "epic". Allmusic writer David Jeffries gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and viewed it as an improvement over Ross's previous album Deeper Than Rap
Deeper Than Rap
Deeper Than Rap is the third studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released April 21, 2009 on his label Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, with distribution from Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 158,000 copies its first week...
, stating "Teflon plays up the chilled and soulful elements of its predecessor, meaning Ross has graduated to a level where words like 'organic' and 'poignant' come into play". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Simon Vozick-Levinson called Ross "a competent rapper" and complimented his "ear for lush, expansive beats". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described him as "a ferocious character, an impressive rapper... a clever and loose thinker" and wrote that Teflon Don "establishes him as one of rap’s most potent and creative forces". Sean Fennessey of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
praised Ross's lyricism and wrote that he "is an enunciator of the highest order, his voice a tidal wave baritone... his word choice and onomatopoetic gestures... are unmatched in rap right now". Brian Richardson of Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
gave it 3½ out of 5 stars and wrote "he employs such confidence and panache staying within his limitations". XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
writer Rob Markman gave the album an XL rating and stated "if it is simply judged on the music, Teflon Don is damn near spotless. The lyrics are on par, the beats are lush, and the imagery is larger than life".
However, some critics viewed that the album favors style over substance and criticized Ross's lyrics. Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
's Jesse Cataldo wrote that "despite fitful spots of brilliance, [it] feels distinctly swampy... too often comes off as a conspicuous mishandling of both assets and signifiers: too much drug posturing, too much repetition, too little real effort". OC Weekly
OC Weekly
OC Weekly, a sister publication of both LA Weekly and The Village Voice, is a free, left-wing weekly paper distributed in Orange County, California and also in Long Beach....
writer Nate Jackson gave the album a C+ rating and stated "Ross squanders opportunities to expand the content of his verses beyond the digits of his bankroll". Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave it a B rating and stated "Producers [...] provide lush, cinematic, larger-than-life soundscapes for Ross’ crass consumerism, while classy guest vocalists [...] regularly outshine the star... the only thing deep about Ross are his pockets and his rumbling voice. Teflon Don excels as sleek, smooth, shiny pop escapism, pure and simple". Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
noted his lyrics as "sleek, too-often shallow", but praised its "elegance" and "grandiose stunting". USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Steve Jones gave the album 3 out of 4 stars and wrote that Ross's "booming voice and colorful tales of ill-gotten wealth are hard to ignore. His Maybach music always sounds good rattling the trunk, even if your ride is less ostentatious". Ian Cohen of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
compared the album's embracement of "an aura of dominance" to late-1990s hip hop music and elaborated on its indulgent Mafioso-themes and sound, stating:
Saxon Baird of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
viewed that Ross's performance compensates for his "wet-dream fantastical lyrics" and stated "Ross is good at what he does and rap needs guys like him to liven up the party and get us hyped". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
writer Jody Rosen complimented Ross's "gloating with wit and goofiness", stating "[he] pours out smart rhymes over sleek, synth-heavy beats". Tray Hova of Vibe lauded Ross's "penchant for exaggerated 16s and larger-than-life soundscapes" and "knack for picking colossal beats". Ben Detrick of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
commented on Ross's assumption of his "kingpin" persona, stating "If the Miami rapper has been a shell, though, he's become Fabergé
Fabergé egg
A Fabergé egg is any one of the thousands of jeweled eggs made by the House of Fabergé from 1885 to 1917. Most were miniature eggs that were popular gifts at Eastertide...
on Teflon Don, his fourth and best album. The songs here are baroquely structured, richly musical creations with humor and emotional depth". Jayson Greene of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
noted Ross's subject matter as "transcendent absurdity" and called the album "ridiculously extravagant and extravagantly ridiculous". Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
writer Jeff Weiss gave it 3½ out of 4 stars and commended Ross's "chimerical mythologizing", while noting its sound as "beautifully constructed... a symphonic grandeur to match Ross’ elaborate delusions". Steve Juon of RapReviews gave Teflon Don a 7.5/10 rating and wrote "Over a short but impactful 50 minutes of music, the gravelly guru of hustling expands his repertoire beyond debates about authenticity... he's still able to weave together dope beats with great stories". was number 30 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
placed it at number 38 on its list "The Top 50 Albums of 2010".
Track listing
Writers for Teflon Don adapted from physical edition booklet.Sample credits
- "Tears Of Joy" - Contains a sample of "Hospital Prelude of Love Theme" by Willie HutchWillie HutchWillie McKinley Hutchison, known professionally as Willie Hutch was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s....
and a interpolation of "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"D.O.A. " is a song written by American rapper Jay-Z. It was produced by No I.D. The song was released as a digital download on June 23, 2009, and as the first single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3. The song made its world premiere on the New York radio station Hot 97 on June 5...
" by Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010... - "Maybach Music III" - Contains a sample of "Ancient Source" by CalderaCaldera (band)Caldera was an American band, that combined jazz, funk and rock with a wide variety of Latin music. 1970s fusion explorers like Return to Forever and Weather Report influenced Caldera, but its members were also influenced by everything from Earth, Wind & Fire's soul/funk to Afro-Cuban salsa,...
- "Live Fast, Die Young" – Contains a sample of "If This World Were Mine" by The Bar-Kays, "Uphill Peace Of Mind" by Kid DynamiteKid DynamiteKid Dynamite was a Philadelphia-based melodic hardcore band consisting of drummer Dave Wagenschutz, guitarist Dan Yemin, vocalist Jason Shevchuk, and bassist Michael Cotterman, who replaced original bassist Steve Farrell. The band put out two full-lengths before lead singer Jason Shevchuk left the...
and "Funky President (People It's Bad)" by James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr... - "Super High" – Contains a sample of "Silly Love Song" by EnchantmentEnchantmentEnchantment may refer to:*Incantation or enchantment, a magical spell, charm or bewitchment, in traditional fairy tales or fantasy*the sense of Wonder or Delight**for the usage by J.R.R. Tolkien, see "On Fairy Stories"titles and proper names...
and "Gangsta Gangsta" by N.W.A - "MC Hammer" - Contains a vocal sample of "Too Legit to QuitToo Legit to Quit (song)"Too Legit to Quit" is a song by rap artist MC Hammer released in 1991 as the title track and first single of his third album of the same name. It proved to be successful in the U.S., peaking at the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, at #5. The single also peaked at #60 on the UK Singles Chart...
" by MC HammerMC HammerStanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s... - "Aston Martin Music" - Contains a interpolation of "I Need Love" by LL Cool JLL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
- "Audio Meth" – Contains a sample of "Shook Ones (Part II)" by Mobb DeepMobb DeepMobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
Personnel
Credits for Teflon Don adapted from Allmusic.- Chris Athens – Mastering
- Chris Atlas – Marketing
- Inderan K. Bailey – Assistant
- Gabriel Bartolomeiv - Drums
- Scott Berger-Felder – Engineer
- Alex "Gucci Pucci" Bethune – A&R
- Jeff Bhasker – Keyboards
- Chris Bonawandt – Engineer
- Leslie Brathwaite – Mixing
- Adam Brooks – Conductor, French Horn
- Dee Brown – Assistant
- Leesa D. Brunson – A&R
- Tanner Chung – Cello
- Andre Cleghorn – Guitar (Bass)
- Andrew Colella – Viola
- Sean "Puffy" Combs – Composer
- Andrew Dawson – Engineer
- Ben Diehl – Engineer
- Kaye Fox – Vocals
- Marvin Gaye – Composer
- Samuel Gibbs – Trombone
- Jacob Goins – Violin
- Jaymz Hardy-Martin III – Engineer
- Eldwardo "Eddie Mix" Hernandez – Engineer
- Nate "Danja" Hills – Composer, Producer
- Keith "Pika" Holme – Stylistic Assistant
- The Inkredibles – Producer
- Derrick Jackson – Trombone
- Rennie Johnson – Guitar (Electric)
- Darrel Jones – Viola
- Terese Joseph – A&R
- J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League – Producer, Additional Production
- Sang Kang – Cello
- Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton – Engineer, Mixing
- Clark Kent – Producer
- Khaled Khaled – A&R
- Anthony Kilhoffer – Engineer
- Rob Kinelski – Engineer
- Brent Kolatalo – Instrumentation
- Anthony Kronfle – Assistant
- Juliene Kung – Viola
- Stephen Lawrence – Violin
- John Legend – Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)
- Ken Lewis – Instrumentation
- Tai Linzie – Artwork, Photo Coordination
- Andre Lipscomb – Assistant
- Michael Lu – Violin
- Lex Luger – Producer
- Phil Mallory – Guitar (Bass)
- Jonathan Mannion – Photography
- Deborah Mannis-Gardner – Sample Clearance
- Marlon Marcel – Engineer
- Graham Marsh – Engineer
- Connie Mitchell – Vocals (bckgr)
- Latoya Murray-Berry – Stylist
- Edward J. "Uk" Nixon – Engineer
- No I.D. – Producer
- The Olympicks – Producer
- Duncan Osborn – Violin
- Joe Peluso – Mixing
- Poobs – Engineer
- Kevin Randolph – Keyboards
- Remedy – Producer
- Derek Roche – Stylist
- Rick Ross – Executive Producer
- TaVon Sampson – Art Direction, Design
- Ray Seay – Mixing
- Noah Shebib – Engineer
- Shaffer Smith – Composer
- Antonie Swain – Trombone
- Matthew Testa Engineer
- Forrest Watkins – French Horn
- Kanye West – Composer, Producer
- Jonathan White – Viola
- Edward Williams III - Trumpet
- Tony Williams – – Vocals (bckgr)
- Brandon Wilson – Trumpet
- Steve Wyreman – Guitar
- Jordan "DJ Swivel" Young – Engineer
- Tina Yu – Violin
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
17 |
| UK R&B Chart UK R&B Chart The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week... |
23 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
169 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 |
| US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 2 |
| US Billboard Rap Albums Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004.... |
2 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
55 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Gold |
External links
- Teflon Don at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...