Rick Ross has put in the work to become one of the biggest bosses in hip hop, so it’s no wonder that his peers are recognizing his grind. Such was the case after the rapper’s Dec. 1 performance at Drai’s Nightclub in Las Vegas.
In a video circulated on social media, The Lox frontman, Jadakiss, appears on stage with the nine-time Grammy-nominated artist. In an act of giving Ross his flowers, the New York native states, “Ain’t nobody bossed up like this n**ga right here… Rozay is the only artist I know that got in the game and told the world he was gon’ be the biggest boss and then made all that s**t come to true fruition by hard work and grinding, [you know what I mean]?”
Two years ago, Ross published his second book, “The Perfect Day to Boss Up: A Hustler’s Guide to Building Your Empire,” where he shared his secrets to success. While promoting the literary work, he gave Audible a breakdown of five life experiences that helped shape him into the biggest boss.
5. Growing up in inner-city Miami
The hip hop mogul began with the recollection of witnessing two neighborhood OGs fighting. “The dude that everybody assumed was gonna win, he actually lost. And the dude that won, no one [would’ve] imagined [that he] would win. That was one of those [memories] that stuck in Rozay mind,” he said. The big takeaway boiled down to: “Respect everybody equally and deal with them all the same.”
4. He chased greatness as a student athlete
Ross said making the All-City football ranks in Dade County, Florida, during his senior year of high school was a pivotal milestone he achieved by remaining dedicated and putting in the work to achieve his goal. “I didn’t have nobody after hours, [after] school giving me training and you know all that extra s**t. It was just something that I wanted. I think that was one of the first physical testimonies of my passion,” he recalled.
3. Signing his first major record deal with Def Jam in 2006
Ross’ memory began, “Seven figures, of course there was a huge bidding war, of course I sat down with LA Reid and JAY-Z. Phone rings, it’s going down in a major way… Seven figures, the advance, the percentages, none of that s**t really didn’t matter. It was really the small talk. Just getting that opportunity, I released my debut album, Port of Miami. Classic. Biggest boss, I told them what I was coming to do.”
2. Twenty-one shots were fired into his Rolls Royce in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
In January 2021, Ross narrowly evaded a targeted drive-by shooting after leaving his 37th birthday party. He said, “Now, that’s when you decide do you take your foot off the gas or do you tap the breaks? Or do you turn up and say guess what? I’m finna invest more into the streets, this year I’m staring five new business ventures.”
1. Setting goals and not stopping
If there’s one message the Too Good to Be True rapper wants the youth to know it is: “Take it from Rozay, whatever you want to become, you can be. Wherever you at right now… whatever it is you doing, I just need you to understand and know that success on the largest scale is so realistic.”