"The Way [Rick] Ross Is Killing It Right Now, [He's] Like A Wayne"

Producer Pharrell Williams recently gave out his accolades to Miami rapper Rick Ross and said he is quite possibly the biggest hip-hop entertainer in rap next to Lil Wayne.

Pharrell credits Ricky Rozay's authentic sound for helping him excel.

Pharrell names Rick Ross as one of hip-hop's current MVPs. "The way Ross is killing it right now. It's been a minute since the last time we had somebody like him to come out and do what he's doing or like a Wayne," Pharrell tells VIBE. "It's just completely authentic. [Ross] knows what he wants to do --knows his sound, has a style, has a definitive position, has a perspective on the game and what he adds to it and how he's gonna change it," he continues. "So music is in a really, really good place now and I'm watching it. I'm in the studio and everything is changing." (VIBE)

Despite the co-sign, rap veteran Ice-T recently called out Ross for stealing his rap aliases.

"That's fake," Ice-T blurts out. "Rick Ross stole a n****'s name. I call him 'Identity Crisis.' He thinks he's [Freeway] Rick Ross, he thinks he's Larry Hoover, he thinks he's Big Meech, he thinks he's MC Hammer, he thinks he's Tupac. Like, who the f*ck are you really, dude?" Ice continues, "When we rapped about dope-- me, Snoop and everybody--it was like we doin' it because we GOT to. Now these n***** is actin' like it's somethin' that's FUN. It's so easy to fantasize about it. To actively do it? That's a whole 'nother f*ckin' thing. (Vh1)

Earlier this month, fellow rap vet Uncle Luke gave Ross a few suggestions at how he could become a fixture in hip-hop.

"Carol City native Ross has certainly evolved into a h*lluva lyricist. But he needs to do a song on his own that will stand the test of time like Biggie's "Juicy" or Tupac's "Dear Mama." The same can be said of Lil Wayne and Drake. I'd like to hear those two cats produce an album without a guest appearing on songs," Luke added. "Don't get me wrong -- Lil Wayne's lyrics are out of this world. But you can't just do one verse per song and then call yourself the greatest. That's bullsh*t...If Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Drake want to take that title from Jay-Z and Eminem, they need to carry albums on their own." (Miami New Times)

In his new XXL Magazine feature, Ross admits he does not currently hold rap's top spot.

"I'm enjoying my last few moments at No. 2," Ross says, sitting on the bed in the back of his tour bus. "It's like I'm watching the No. 1 man on stage, my legs crossed, I'm smoking big, hollering at the b*tches in the crowd. And this album gonna do it. I got the formula." His sunglasses are off, and his eyes are heavily lidded but alive. "Everybody on my d*ck," he says, "like they supposed to be." (XXL Magazine)