ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Rick Ross
ALBUM: Rather You Than Me
RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2017
William Leonard Roberts II or Rick Ross as many may know him is an American rapper who was born January 28, 1976 in Coahoma County, Mississippi. He was influenced by rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. He got his rap name from hearing stories of the drug trafficker “Freeway” Rick Ross. Ross made his debut onto the music scene in 2006 with his single ‘Hustlin’. The single quickly gained popularity which powered the debut of his album “Port of Miami” that hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Albums Chart a few days after being released. The success of “Port of Miami” influenced Ross to release three more albums, “Trilla”, “Deeper Than Rap” and “Teflon Don” which also made it to the top of Billboard’s Top Albums Chart.
Ross was raised in the poverty deprived Carol City, Florida which is located north of Miami. At a young age Ross gained interest in famous rappers during the 1990s such as Notorious B.I.G., Luther Campbell, Ice Cube and Tupac Shakur. He attended Miami Carol City High School where he played football. During his senior year he received a full football scholarship to Albany State University located in Albany, Georgia. After only year at Albany State Ross dropped out and began working as a corrections officer in Florida for two years. But Hip-Hop and seeing the lavish lifestyle of drug dealers during his youth led him in a different direction. Not long after, he was signed to the independent southern rap label, Suave House Records but Ross did not stay with them for long. He later signed a contract with the Miami based record label Slip-N-Slide which released music by Hip-Hop favorites like Trick Daddy whom Ross would later tour with and female rapper Trina.
Ross created his own record label entitled Maybach Music Group and was later signed as the first artist to Sean “P. Diddy” Combs Ciroc Entertainment Company. He continued to produce many albums such as “God Forgives, I Don’t”, “Black Market” and “Mastermind” just to name a few, under his own record label. His album “God Forgives, I Don’t” includes featured hit singles like ‘Diced Pineapples’ and ‘Hold me Back’. This album has features from various known artist such as Andre 3000, John Legend, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Omarion, Meek Mill and Ne-Yo. Under his label Ross also signed rapper Wale and French Montana.
Ross is currently on tour doing shows across the United States. He resides in Miami, Florida.