Exclusive – Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group is one of the most stacked collectives in the game today. Rozay, Meek Mill and Wale are the “Big 3” of MMG, and although the label has seen artists come and go, they’ve always managed to keep the core together.
The label’s newest signee, Smoke Bulga, is the rookie of the group, and he understands what type of team he’s now a part of with MMG. In a statement regarding his signing in August, Smoke Bulga said it feels like his draft day joining a team with the Bawse. When asked which organization he would compare the collective to, Bulga tipped his hat to his hometown team.
“I feel like I got drafted to the Boston Celtics,” Smoke Bulga told HipHopDX. “I feel like I’m the truth, Paul Pierce, you know? Bulga will come through, fourth quarter, and then work my way in the game, take game-winning shots and put another rafter when it ain’t been up there. MMG, we got thousands, we got the rafters full right now, but we are going to put some more up there.”
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At its height in 2011, MMG was putting out hits on the regular. Their first compilation album, Self Made Vol. 1, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, while their following two albums, Self Made Vol. 2 and Self Made Vol. 3, both did one better and charted at No. 4. At that time, no other collective in Hip Hop was achieving what MMG was doing on the charts.
These days, the label’s franchise players are focusing on their solo careers, which led some fans to think there was friction amongst members in the group. But the bond between MMG is as strong as it’s ever been, according to Bulga.
“See, the thing is, everyone’s still together,” Bulga said. “They just focused, like you said, on their solo projects right now, but the team is still together. Everybody is dropping their solo projects. Meek dropped. Wale dropping. Rick Ross dropping.”
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Smoke Bulga has an opportunity to learn from the best when it comes to bossing up. Rick Ross is one of those leaders who wants to see his soldiers win and become bosses in their own right. Meek Mill and Wale have already solidified themselves in that category, and now it’s Bulga’s turn to learn from The Biggest Boss.
“Ross being one of the GOATs and definitely the boss of all bosses, you learn a lot,” Smoke Bulga added. “You have, in front of you, one of the biggest examples of how to be an entrepreneur. So you pick up different things, and you learn as you go along, you know what I mean? How to carry it and how to run a business, and definitely how to be an icon and carry yourself in the game.”
Bulga continued, “It’s like being around a bunch of veterans that been to the championship already. You learn how to be a champion and how to be great. I’m a be an MVP, the most valuable player.”
Fans will get to see if that happens when Smoke Bulga drops his MMG debut album 100 Million Ain’t Enough in Fall. As of now, Bulga only revealed Rick Ross as a feature but said there are more coming, and fans just need to sit tight.