Miami's hip-hop icon, entrepreneur, and record executive, Rick Ross has used the buzz around his recent Verzuz battle with 2 Chainz to release "Pinned To The Cross," a new single providing Ross's perspective on the current climate of social injustice and police brutality. Ross gave some incite into his process creating the track while speaking to Ebro in the Morning: "You can't go a day without making sure Breonna Taylor is in the conversation… I didn't feel right if I didn't release a record speaking on the current times."
Rozay rides the pocket, at home as always, giving his blunt condemnation of Terry Crews and describing how his bank account doesn't exclude him from the conversation. Lines like, "We was pinned to the cross since our birth under the sun," works through his own perspective of systemic racism and oppression.
Ross has consistently shown he has one of the best ears for instrumentals in the genre and this is another example of that. 808 Mafia's Fuse and AraabMuzik work together to form a cascade of astral synth breezes intertwined with a misty combination of snares and rumbling tones designed to let the lyrical content shine through while also setting the tone. Featured vocalist, Finn Matthews highlights the track with the vocal ability to mirror the emotion behind Ross's lyrics. The twenty-year-old LA artist gives an ephemeral chorus proclaiming, "I know the shit you've been through and you made it beautiful."
"Pinned to the Cross" is available to stream here through Maybach Music Group and Epic Records. Ross has also announced a new album titled, Richer Than I've Ever Been that will be released sometime later this year.
