Rick Ross set the internet ablaze yesterday when New York’s Hot 97 DJ Funkmaster Flex debuted “3 Kings” off his upcoming album “God Forgives, I Don’t.” The song, which features hip-hop legends Dr. Dre and Jay-Z, is the first single from his latest project.
The Miami native sat down with MTV in Washington, D.C. to discuss how he managed to get the two rap titans on the same track.
“I got on the phone with Dre and we just talking about collaborating and he was gonna come down to Miami for the first time to record with me in my element, in my zone…He came to Miami. I walked in the studio, I seen big homey, I turnt up. First night in the studio we went and did five records.”
“3 Kings” was one of the records that the two recorded, and after it was done Ross made one last phone call. “Me and Jay had another record already recorded,” Ross told reporters. “I’m pretty sure I’m one of the only people that could’ve called for another verse, before I put out the other record and get it done. I called him and let him know, ‘Man it’s the one.’”
Rick Ross went on to say, “I feel it’s the biggest collaboration in hip-hop. Not just this year, maybe previous years.”
While Ross’s assertion that this is the best collaboration in awhile may be a stretch, there is certainly no doubt that Rick Ross and Jay-Z have teamed up to create some powerful records in the past. Jay-Z has been featured on several Ross hits like “Hustlin (remix),” “Free Mason,” and they both appeared on Kanye West’s hit song “Monster.”
And of course the addition of Dr. Dre adds a new element, almost like the bringing together of three generations of hip hop royalty, from Dre to Jay-Z to Rick Ross.
