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Rick Ross (rapper)
Encyclopedia
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross
, to whom he has no connection (Ricky Ross even unsuccessfully sued the rapper for $10 million for using his name). Roberts/Ross founded the record label Maybach Music Group
, on which he released his studio albums Deeper Than Rap
and Teflon Don
.
, Mississippi. and raised in Carol City, Florida
, near Miami. After graduating from Carol City Senior High School
, he later attended the historically black college Albany State University
on a football scholarship.
, he eventually signed a deal with Slip-n-Slide Records, which has been under the Def Jam umbrella since 2006. While signed to Slip-n-Slide, Ross toured with fellow rapper Trick Daddy
and made guest performances on other Slip-n-Slide albums.
was released in August 2006 and debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200
album chart, with sales at 187,000 units after its first week. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone
magazine predicted that it would be "the summer's biggest rap record". The second single was "Push It", which samples "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)
", the theme song off the gangster film Scarface
. The music video for "Push It" was modeled after the film. During that time, Ross made guest performances on two singles from DJ Khaled
's debut Listennn... the Album: "Born-N-Raised" and "Holla at Me
". Port of Miami received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America
on November 8, 2006.
was released and, as its predecessor Port of Miami had, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. Its lead single "Speedin'" featuring R. Kelly
peaked at #121 on the Billboard Hot 100; the next one, "The Boss
" featuring T-Pain
peaked at #17 on the Hot 100. The third single "Here I Am
" featured Nelly
and Avery Storm
. MTV News
ranked Ross on the fourth spot in its 2008 "Hottest MCs In The Game" list among ten rappers. The fourth single "This Is The Life" featured Trey Songz
and was released in July.
A track from the album called "Valley of Death" was what stood out to MTV reporters. In the song, Ross speaks briefly on his controversial stint as a prison guard. "Keep it trilla, nigga, never had a gun and badge," which he stresses, leaving the word that he was indeed an officer of the law. "Kept a nice watch, smoking on a hundred sack/ Back in the day I sold crack for some nice kicks/ Skippin' school, I saw my friend stabbed with an ice pick/ Can't criticize niggas trying to get jobs/ Better get smart, young brother, live yours." Later, he implies that while he was working as a corrections officer, he was on the streets. "Only lived once and I got two kids/ And for me to feed them, I'll get two gigs," he raps. "I'll shovel shit, I'll C.O./ So we can bow our heads and pray over the meatloaf." Although, he still provided no explanation for lying about being a C.O. to begin with, nor did he explain why he failed to pay child support for his children.
The cover of the May 2009 issue of XXL magazine, titled "Rick Ross Up in Smoke", featured Ross wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton
sunglasses. After publication, a spokesperson for the luxury-goods maker contacted XXL to inform them that Ross was sporting fake sunglasses in the cover image. It was later revealed that the rapper was wearing authentic Louis Vuitton sunglasses which were altered by Jacob Bernstein, known as "The Sunglass Pimp". Bernstein defended his customizations despite Louis Vuitton's insistence that such modification and resale of trademarked property is not legal.
" featuring Ne-Yo
. Actress Stacey Dash
made an appearance in the music video. A second official single was released titled "Live Fast, Die Young" which features and is produced by Kanye West
. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200
selling 176,000 copies in its first week.
In November, 2010, rapper and frequent collabourator, Diddy
announced from his YouTube account, that him and Ross are working on an EP together, which is going to be released in 2011. A single has been released for the project, called "Another One".
Rick Ross premiered two songs from his new album God Forgives, I don't. One called You The Boss and I Love My Bitches.
Along with his music projects, Rick Ross was nominated by The Source
as its "Man of the Year".
Rick Ross performed at BET Awards 2011, which aired on June 26, 2011. He also received a nomination for Best Male Hip Hop Artist .
produced details linking Ross' social security number to an eighteen month stint as a correctional officer in a Florida prison facility, along with a photograph purporting to be Ross in his correctional officer
uniform. Ross initially denied that the photograph was of him; after overwhelming evidence of his past came into the public's eye, Ross later admitted that he did work as a correctional officer in Florida during the early 90's. In a 2008 interview with AllHipHop.com, "Freeway" Ricky Ross
, claimed offense that Roberts used his name and identity when he learned that The Smoking Gun posted documents revealing Roberts' previous employment as a Florida correctional officer.
In August 2008, YouTube entertainer DJ Vlad
filed a lawsuit against Ross for assault. Vlad claimed Ross organized an ambush on him at the 2008 Ozone Awards in Houston, Texas for asking questions about his past as a correctional officer.
On June 18, 2010, Freeway Ricky Ross sued Rick Ross for using his name,, filing a copyright infringement
lawsuit
in a California Federal Court. Jay-Z
had been called to testify in the lawsuit, as he was CEO of Def Jam when Ross/Roberts was signed. The reformed drug kingpin was looking for 10 million dollars in the lawsuit. Also, the release of his album, Teflon Don
, was threatened to be blocked by Freeway Ricky Ross. A week after the filing of the lawsuit, Rick Ross responded to the charges: "It’s like owning a restaurant, you’re gonna have a few slip and falls. You get lawsuits, you deal with them, and get them out your way…sometimes you lose." He then denied rumours that he would change his name to "Ricky Rozay" as a consequence of the lawsuit. The lawsuit was thrown out of court on July 3, 2010 and his album, Teflon Don, was released on July 20 as scheduled.
On March 26, 2011, Ross was arrested in Shreveport for possession of marijuana. According to the police records, a strong odor of marijuana was detected from his room at the Hilton in Downtown Shreveport.
Hospital confirmed that Ross had been admitted to the emergency room. TMZ
, who first reported the seizure, updated their story originally posted at 4:45 PST, stating that Ross was in stable condition.
because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards
. 50 Cent told news sources that he did not remember seeing Ross there. In late January, "Mafia Music", by Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seemed to diss 50 Cent. Days later, 50 Cent released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Ross's disparaging remarks on his "Mafia Music" song.
Before going to Venezuela
, 50 Cent uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot," wherein he stated: "Rick Ross- I'mma **** your life up for fun." In addition, 50 Cent released the first of a series of "Officer Ricky" cartoons. Early in February, 50 Cent once again made a video which he uploaded to YouTube in which he interviewed "Tia", the mother of one of Ross's children. She verifies that he was a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake and fraudulent. On Thursday, February 5, 2009, Game, who 50 Cent has a long-standing "beef" with, called up Seattle R&B station KUBE
. When asked about the beef between 50 Cent and Ross, Game sided with 50 Cent and said that things are not looking good for Ross. He offered to help, stating, "Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man," and, "50 eating you, boy."
On his album Deeper Than Rap
, Ross references 50 Cent in the song "In Cold Blood". A video for the song was released that portrayed 50 Cent's mock funeral. Upon release, Ross stated that he has ended 50 Cent's career. That same day Ross released a new diss track called "Push 'Em Over The Edge". The next day 50 Cent released the controversial video "A Psychic Told Me", dissing DJ Khaled
. On February 12, 50 Cent responded with "Tia Told Me", along with Lloyd Banks' response "Officer Down" and Tony Yayo's "Somebody Snitched".
In an interview, 50 Cent said Ross is "Albert From CB4
. You ever seen the movie? He's Albert," he added. "It never gets worse than this. You get a guy that was a correctional officer come out and base his entire career on writing material from a drug dealer's perspective."
Ricky Ross (drug trafficker)
Ricky Donnell Ross , also known as "Freeway" Rick Ross, is a convicted drug trafficker best known for the "drug empire" that he presided over in Los Angeles, California, in the early-1980s...
, to whom he has no connection (Ricky Ross even unsuccessfully sued the rapper for $10 million for using his name). Roberts/Ross founded the record label Maybach Music Group
Maybach Music Group
Maybach Music Group is a record label founded by Rick Ross, currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records, which took over distribution following the expiration of a deal with Def Jam Recordings....
, on which he released his studio albums Deeper Than Rap
Deeper Than Rap
Deeper Than Rap is the third studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released April 21, 2009 on his label Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, with distribution from Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 158,000 copies its first week...
and Teflon Don
Teflon Don (album)
Teflon Don is the fourth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent, No I.D., The Olympicks, J.U.S.T.I.C.E...
.
Early life
William Leonard Roberts II was born in Coahoma CountyCoahoma County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 30,622 people, 10,553 households, and 7,482 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile . There were 11,490 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
, Mississippi. and raised in Carol City, Florida
Carol City, Florida
Carol City is a former census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 59,443 at the 2000 census.Originally called "Coral City" by developers, pressure from the city of Coral Gables forced a name change to Carol City...
, near Miami. After graduating from Carol City Senior High School
Miami Carol City High School
Miami Carol City Senior High School is a secondary school located at 3422 N.W. 187th Streetin Miami Gardens, Florida, United States; its principal is Nelson Izquierdo. The school is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. The school serves students from area of Miami...
, he later attended the historically black college Albany State University
Albany State University
Albany State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Albany, Georgia, United States. It is one of three HBCU's in the University System of Georgia.-History:-Establishment:...
on a football scholarship.
Music career
After being signed to Suave House Records, former label for rap duo 8Ball & MJG8Ball & MJG
8Ball & MJG is an American Rap and Crunk duo from Memphis, Tennessee. The two rappers met at in 1980.They first appeared on the rap scene with their 1992 underground album Listen To The Lyrics...
, he eventually signed a deal with Slip-n-Slide Records, which has been under the Def Jam umbrella since 2006. While signed to Slip-n-Slide, Ross toured with fellow rapper Trick Daddy
Trick Daddy
Maurice Young , better known by his stage name Trick Daddy, is a certified platinum American rapper and producer from Miami, Florida.-Music career:...
and made guest performances on other Slip-n-Slide albums.
Port of Miami (2006)
His debut album Port of MiamiPort of Miami (album)
-Chart positions:-References:...
was released in August 2006 and debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart, with sales at 187,000 units after its first week. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine predicted that it would be "the summer's biggest rap record". The second single was "Push It", which samples "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)
Scarface (Push it to the Limit)
"Scarface " is the title of a song written by Italian record producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, and recorded by American musician Paul Engemann. It appeared on the soundtrack for the 1983 motion picture Scarface...
", the theme song off the gangster film Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
. The music video for "Push It" was modeled after the film. During that time, Ross made guest performances on two singles from DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled
Khaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
's debut Listennn... the Album: "Born-N-Raised" and "Holla at Me
Holla at Me
"Holla at Me" is the first single from DJ Khaled's debut album, Listennn... the Album, produced by Cool & Dre. The single features Lil Wayne, Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, and Pitbull...
". Port of Miami received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on November 8, 2006.
Trilla (2008)
In March 2008, his second album TrillaTrilla
Notes*"All I Have in this World" excepts from the film Scarface and contains a samples of "Scarface" by Geto Boys*"The Boss" contains a samples of "Broken Wings" by Mr...
was released and, as its predecessor Port of Miami had, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. Its lead single "Speedin'" featuring R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
peaked at #121 on the Billboard Hot 100; the next one, "The Boss
The Boss (Rick Ross song)
"The Boss" is the second single from Rick Ross's second studio album Trilla. It samples the song "Paul Revere" by Beastie Boys. It is produced by J. R. Rotem...
" featuring T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
peaked at #17 on the Hot 100. The third single "Here I Am
Here I Am (Rick Ross song)
"Here I Am" is the third single from Rick Ross's second album Trilla. It features Nelly and Avery Storm. This song, produced by Drumma Boy, contains an interpolation of Stevie Wonder's "Lately." Video appearances made are DJ Khaled, Birdman, Pitbull, Dre, Felicia Pearson, Ace Hood and others....
" featured Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
and Avery Storm
Avery Storm
Ralph di Stasio, better known by his stage name Avery Storm, is an American singer.Di Stasio was born to a working-class Italian-American family in New Jersey. He moved to New York City after he graduated from high school...
. MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
ranked Ross on the fourth spot in its 2008 "Hottest MCs In The Game" list among ten rappers. The fourth single "This Is The Life" featured Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
and was released in July.
Deeper Than Rap (2009)
"I look at the game and the business and all different aspects, it's a lot of great lyricists on the corner that will never properly understand the business and know how to market themselves and get in a position where they can gain capital. I look at all the strategies people use and what made them successful. What made Birdman just as relevant today after selling 50 million records? That intrigues me. To see the class of Jay-Z, his accomplishments and see how he sits backs and accurately makes his moves."
A track from the album called "Valley of Death" was what stood out to MTV reporters. In the song, Ross speaks briefly on his controversial stint as a prison guard. "Keep it trilla, nigga, never had a gun and badge," which he stresses, leaving the word that he was indeed an officer of the law. "Kept a nice watch, smoking on a hundred sack/ Back in the day I sold crack for some nice kicks/ Skippin' school, I saw my friend stabbed with an ice pick/ Can't criticize niggas trying to get jobs/ Better get smart, young brother, live yours." Later, he implies that while he was working as a corrections officer, he was on the streets. "Only lived once and I got two kids/ And for me to feed them, I'll get two gigs," he raps. "I'll shovel shit, I'll C.O./ So we can bow our heads and pray over the meatloaf." Although, he still provided no explanation for lying about being a C.O. to begin with, nor did he explain why he failed to pay child support for his children.
The cover of the May 2009 issue of XXL magazine, titled "Rick Ross Up in Smoke", featured Ross wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
sunglasses. After publication, a spokesperson for the luxury-goods maker contacted XXL to inform them that Ross was sporting fake sunglasses in the cover image. It was later revealed that the rapper was wearing authentic Louis Vuitton sunglasses which were altered by Jacob Bernstein, known as "The Sunglass Pimp". Bernstein defended his customizations despite Louis Vuitton's insistence that such modification and resale of trademarked property is not legal.
Teflon Don and other works (2010)
Rick Ross released his fourth studio album entitled Teflon Don, which was released on July 6, 2010. The lead is "Super HighSuper High
"Super High" is the first single from rapper Rick Ross from his fourth studio album Teflon Don. The song features Ne-Yo.The song samples "Silly Love Song" by Enchantment.-Music video:The music video premiered on May 24, 2010 on MTV Jams. The F...
" featuring Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
. Actress Stacey Dash
Stacey Dash
Stacey Lauretta Dash is an American film and television actress.-Career:She made her first TV appearance in Farrell for the People starring Valerie Harper and a virtually unknown Ed O'Neill in 1982, which did not make it past its pilot episode...
made an appearance in the music video. A second official single was released titled "Live Fast, Die Young" which features and is produced by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
selling 176,000 copies in its first week.
In November, 2010, rapper and frequent collabourator, Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
announced from his YouTube account, that him and Ross are working on an EP together, which is going to be released in 2011. A single has been released for the project, called "Another One".
God Forgives, I Don't (2011 - present)
Rick Ross had also announced the release of his next album, "God Forgives, I Don't", for December 13, 2011, however it was confirmed on November 17 2011 it has been pushed back for release in 2012.Rick Ross premiered two songs from his new album God Forgives, I don't. One called You The Boss and I Love My Bitches.
Along with his music projects, Rick Ross was nominated by The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
as its "Man of the Year".
Rick Ross performed at BET Awards 2011, which aired on June 26, 2011. He also received a nomination for Best Male Hip Hop Artist .
Correctional officer photos
In July 2008, The Smoking GunThe Smoking Gun
The Smoking Gun is a website that posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis. The intent is to bring to the public light information that is damning, shocking, outrageous, or amazing, yet also somewhat obscure or unreported by more mainstream media sources...
produced details linking Ross' social security number to an eighteen month stint as a correctional officer in a Florida prison facility, along with a photograph purporting to be Ross in his correctional officer
Prison officer
A prison officer , also referred to as a corrections officer , correctional officer , or detention officer , is a person charged with the responsibility of the supervision, safety and security of prisoners in a prison, jail, or similar form of secure...
uniform. Ross initially denied that the photograph was of him; after overwhelming evidence of his past came into the public's eye, Ross later admitted that he did work as a correctional officer in Florida during the early 90's. In a 2008 interview with AllHipHop.com, "Freeway" Ricky Ross
Ricky Ross (drug trafficker)
Ricky Donnell Ross , also known as "Freeway" Rick Ross, is a convicted drug trafficker best known for the "drug empire" that he presided over in Los Angeles, California, in the early-1980s...
, claimed offense that Roberts used his name and identity when he learned that The Smoking Gun posted documents revealing Roberts' previous employment as a Florida correctional officer.
Legal issues
In January 2008, Ross was arrested on gun and marijuana charges. During a deposition of Officer Rey Hernandez, a Miami Beach cop who arrested Ross, Ross's lawyer, Allan Zamren, asked Hernandez why Ross’s case was assigned to the gang task force. The officer stated that it was because Ross claimed affiliation with Carol City Cartel and other known gang members. Zamren then pressed Hernandez for a personal link between Ross and the gang members, but ultimately one could not be established.In August 2008, YouTube entertainer DJ Vlad
DJ Vlad
Vladimir Lyubovny, better known as DJ Vlad, is a disc-jockey and currently the Executive Vice President at Loud.com, part of the SRC/Universal family. He is also CEO of VladTV.com - a video website that many refer to as 'The TMZ of Hip-Hop'....
filed a lawsuit against Ross for assault. Vlad claimed Ross organized an ambush on him at the 2008 Ozone Awards in Houston, Texas for asking questions about his past as a correctional officer.
On June 18, 2010, Freeway Ricky Ross sued Rick Ross for using his name,, filing a copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
in a California Federal Court. Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
had been called to testify in the lawsuit, as he was CEO of Def Jam when Ross/Roberts was signed. The reformed drug kingpin was looking for 10 million dollars in the lawsuit. Also, the release of his album, Teflon Don
Teflon Don (album)
Teflon Don is the fourth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent, No I.D., The Olympicks, J.U.S.T.I.C.E...
, was threatened to be blocked by Freeway Ricky Ross. A week after the filing of the lawsuit, Rick Ross responded to the charges: "It’s like owning a restaurant, you’re gonna have a few slip and falls. You get lawsuits, you deal with them, and get them out your way…sometimes you lose." He then denied rumours that he would change his name to "Ricky Rozay" as a consequence of the lawsuit. The lawsuit was thrown out of court on July 3, 2010 and his album, Teflon Don, was released on July 20 as scheduled.
On March 26, 2011, Ross was arrested in Shreveport for possession of marijuana. According to the police records, a strong odor of marijuana was detected from his room at the Hilton in Downtown Shreveport.
Seizures
On October 14, 2011 Rick Ross suffered two seizures in the same day, once in the morning and once again early evening. Following the morning seizure, he was unconscious and CPR was being performed. He did, however, post a video to his twitter account later in the day saying that he was OK. Ross boarded another plane later in the day and suffered another seizure. On October 14, the University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
Hospital confirmed that Ross had been admitted to the emergency room. TMZ
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
, who first reported the seizure, updated their story originally posted at 4:45 PST, stating that Ross was in stable condition.
Feud with 50 Cent
In January 2009, Ross started a feud with rapper 50 Cent50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
. 50 Cent told news sources that he did not remember seeing Ross there. In late January, "Mafia Music", by Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seemed to diss 50 Cent. Days later, 50 Cent released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Ross's disparaging remarks on his "Mafia Music" song.
Before going to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, 50 Cent uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot," wherein he stated: "Rick Ross- I'mma **** your life up for fun." In addition, 50 Cent released the first of a series of "Officer Ricky" cartoons. Early in February, 50 Cent once again made a video which he uploaded to YouTube in which he interviewed "Tia", the mother of one of Ross's children. She verifies that he was a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake and fraudulent. On Thursday, February 5, 2009, Game, who 50 Cent has a long-standing "beef" with, called up Seattle R&B station KUBE
KUBE
KUBE is a rhythmic contemporary radio station licensed in Seattle. The station's slogan is "Hits & Hip Hop." KUBE offers a mix of personality-driven DJs and current-based hit driven R&B/Hip-Hop fare...
. When asked about the beef between 50 Cent and Ross, Game sided with 50 Cent and said that things are not looking good for Ross. He offered to help, stating, "Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man," and, "50 eating you, boy."
On his album Deeper Than Rap
Deeper Than Rap
Deeper Than Rap is the third studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released April 21, 2009 on his label Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, with distribution from Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 158,000 copies its first week...
, Ross references 50 Cent in the song "In Cold Blood". A video for the song was released that portrayed 50 Cent's mock funeral. Upon release, Ross stated that he has ended 50 Cent's career. That same day Ross released a new diss track called "Push 'Em Over The Edge". The next day 50 Cent released the controversial video "A Psychic Told Me", dissing DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled
Khaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
. On February 12, 50 Cent responded with "Tia Told Me", along with Lloyd Banks' response "Officer Down" and Tony Yayo's "Somebody Snitched".
In an interview, 50 Cent said Ross is "Albert From CB4
CB4
CB4 is a 1993 comedy film directed by Tamra Davis, and starring Chris Rock. The film follows a fictional rap group named 'CB4', named after the prison block in which the group was allegedly formed...
. You ever seen the movie? He's Albert," he added. "It never gets worse than this. You get a guy that was a correctional officer come out and base his entire career on writing material from a drug dealer's perspective."
Solo albums
- 2006: Port of MiamiPort of Miami (album)-Chart positions:-References:...
- 2008: TrillaTrillaNotes*"All I Have in this World" excepts from the film Scarface and contains a samples of "Scarface" by Geto Boys*"The Boss" contains a samples of "Broken Wings" by Mr...
- 2009: Deeper Than RapDeeper Than RapDeeper Than Rap is the third studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released April 21, 2009 on his label Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, with distribution from Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 158,000 copies its first week...
- 2010: Teflon DonTeflon Don (album)Teflon Don is the fourth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released July 20, 2010 on Maybach Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place during 2009 to 2010 and was handled by several record producers, including Clark Kent, No I.D., The Olympicks, J.U.S.T.I.C.E...
- 2012: God Forgives, I Don'tGod Forgives, I Don'tGod Forgives, I Don't is the upcoming fifth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, scheduled for release in early 2012. The album is preceded by two singles released simultaneously, "You the Boss" and "I Love My Bitches," which had obtained moderate success on the charts.-Background:Rick Ross...
Maybach Music Group Albums
- 2011: Self Made Vol. 1Self Made Vol. 1MMG Presents: Self Made, Vol. 1 has received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 7 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable".-Track...
(with Maybach Music GroupMaybach Music GroupMaybach Music Group is a record label founded by Rick Ross, currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records, which took over distribution following the expiration of a deal with Def Jam Recordings....
) - 2012: Self Made Vol. 2 (with Maybach Music Group)
Collaboration albums
- 2009: Custom Cars & CyclesCustom Cars & Cycles- Samples :White Sand* Till I Collapse by EminemGangsta Shit* Interpolates "Prelude" by N.W.AFiner Things* "A Chance For Heaven" by Christopher CrossDiamonds & Maybachs Pt. 2* "Chanson D'Un Jour D'Hiver" by CortexHustla* "Feel The Thunder" by Eric Bloom...
(with Triple C'sTriple C'sTriple C's, also known as Carol City Cartel, is a hip hop group founded by Rick Ross. It includes members Gunplay from Miami, Torch from the Bronx, New York, and Young Breed.-Early career:...
) - TBA: Bugatti Boyz (with DiddySean CombsSean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
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