adminNEW YORK. – Rick Ross is a Grammy-nominated rapper and producer with a net worth estimated to be around US$45 million, with some reports suggesting it could be even higher.
A lot of his work centres around the themes of fortune and money, and he even named one of his children “Billions.”
Although he found fame in the world of music, he has since moved into the world of business and achieved success as an entrepreneur. His 2021 album “Richer Than I Have Ever Been” says it all, and he’s one of the wealthiest rappers in the world (although he’s got some catching up to do when it comes to the likes of Kanye West and Jay-Z).
Throughout his career, he has made more than US$90 million, affording him impressive purchases such as a 190-room mansion in George, which contains a total of 322 acres and 54 000 square feet – making it the biggest property in the state.
l Early Life
Ross started life from humble beginnings. He grew up in Carol City in Florida, a fairly poor area in Miami. From a young age, he felt an affinity with rappers like Tupac Shakur and Ice Cube.
After attending the Miami Carol City Senior High School, he studied at Albany State University on a football scholarship – talk about multi-talented.
It was when he was there that he started writing rap, but before he could make it a full-time career, he spent two years working as a corrections officer between 1995 and 1997 (an ironic past considering his current career, the details of which only emerged later on).
l Career
The name Rick Ross emerged thanks to stories the rapper heard about a drug trafficker of the same name; before this, he was known as Teflon Da Don.
Following in the footsteps of his inspirations, he started writing about his experiences watching drug dealing.
His first record was a track with Erick Sermon, but he later got his own record deal with Suave House Records.
After his track “Hustlin’” became a success, Ross went on to get a record label with the much more prominent record label Def Jam Records, and he went on to have a Billboard No. 1 Album with his debut “Port of Miami.”
Other successes followed, such as a Grammy nomination. At the prime of his career, he frequently made the list of the world’s top ten highest-paid rappers.
He created his own music label, Maybach Music Group (MMG), in 2009. This was the start of his transition into entrepreneurship. The label has gone on to host the likes of Meek Mill and French Montana.
Personal Life
Rick Ross has five children: Toie Roberts, William Roberts III, Berkeley Roberts, Billion Leonard Roberts, and Bliss Leonard Roberts.
Despite having children with three different women, he has never been married, although he was engaged to Lira Mercer in 2015. Like many rappers, Rick Ross has received his fair share of controversies along the way.
He has also been a victim of crime – he and his girlfriend were almost the victims of a drive-by shooting in 2013 after celebrating his 37th birthday by partying in Fort Lauderdale. Although both survived without being hurt, they did crash their car while escaping the scene. – MSN.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter