Rich Gang (album)

Did You Know?

• The album sold 24,000 copies in its first week in the United States, debuting at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
• In its third week, total album sales reached 40,000 copies.

Background

On February 16, 2013, Birdman released a mixtape titled Rich Gang: All Stars to promote the album, featuring 24 tracks with appearances from Tyga, Jae Millz, Meek Mill, Mack Maine, Busta Rhymes, and Mystikal, among others. The mixtape included YMCMB singles such as Drake's "Started From the Bottom," Tyga's "Dope," Ace Hood's "Bugatti," and Lil Wayne's "Love Me" and "Rich As Fuck." On February 18, 2013, Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records announced the album Rich Gang: Flashy Lifestyle for a May 21, 2013 release, but it was pushed back to June 25, 2013, and later to July 23, 2013. In May 2013, Birdman told MTV News that the project would feature non-YMCMB artists, citing relationships over money. The album cover was released on June 10, 2013. Reported appearances included YMCMB members Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Mack Maine, Tyga, Bow Wow, Limp Bizkit, Kevin Rudolf, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda, Caskey, Busta Rhymes, and Mystikal, with outside artists Future, French Montana, T.I., 2 Chainz, and Meek Mill. The final track list added Rick Ross, Chris Brown, Yo Gotti, Game, Kendrick Lamar, and R. Kelly. Drake, though announced, did not appear; Birdman said Drake was recording out of the country and wanted to hold out for the upcoming Big Tymers album.

Singles

The first single, "Tapout," featuring Lil Wayne, Birdman, Mack Maine, Nicki Minaj, and Future, premiered on March 19, 2013. Its music video, released on May 5, 2013, included cameo appearances from Kimora Lee Simmons, DJ Khaled, Bow Wow, Paris Hilton, and Christina Milian, and the song peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100. On July 16, 2013, the second and third singles "We Been On" (featuring R. Kelly, Birdman, and Lil Wayne) and "50 Plates" (featuring Rick Ross) were released. Music videos for "50 Plates" (August 30, 2013) and "We Been On" (September 3, 2013) followed. The first promotional single, "Fly Rich," featuring Stevie J, Future, Tyga, Meek Mill, and Mystikal, was released on March 5, 2013. A second promotional single, "100 Favors," featuring Detail, Birdman, and Kendrick Lamar, was released in mid-July 2013 alongside the album's pre-order on iTunes. Music videos for "Dreams Come True" (July 22, 2013), "Million Dollar" (August 19, 2013), and "100 Favors" (December 12, 2013) were also released.

Critical response

Rich Gang received mixed reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, the album scored 47 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews" based on six reviews. Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone gave the album two out of five stars, describing it as a crowded disc of Maybach waxing and club banging, with Kendrick Lamar delivering a "marvelously bendy verse" on "100 Flavors" and Mystikal and Busta Rhymes providing "gonzo barking" on "Everyday," but noting it felt like a crowded party where one does not get to talk to anyone long enough. Chris Dart of Exclaim! gave the album a three out of ten, calling it an incredibly boring "super-group" album where most contributors sounded disengaged, with songs bleeding together due to similar slow-to-mid tempo, overproduced, synth-heavy beats. Dan Rys of XXL gave the album an L, stating that while not especially lyrical, its strengths lie in hooks and club appeal, making it a solid chapter in the Cash Money canon.