Rick Ross

Born in 1976 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and raised in Carol City north of Miami, Rick Ross emerged in the mid-2000s on the southern US hip-hop scene. Previously affiliated with Slip-n-Slide Records, he broke through in 2006 with the single “Hustlin’,” which paved the way for his debut album Port of Miami (2006), rooted in street rap laced with images of trafficking, mafia codes, and Miami references. Ross followed with Trilla (2008), Deeper Than Rap (2009) and Teflon Don (2010), solidifying a style marked by a deep voice, slow, cinematic productions, and a blend of neighborhood narratives, ego trips and ostentatious luxury. In 2009 he founded the label Maybach Music Group, around which he gathered various rappers and forged numerous collaborations with artists such as Jay‑Z, Drake and Meek Mill. His discography continued with God Forgives, I Don’t (2012), Mastermind (2014), Hood Billionaire (2014) and Rather You Than Me (2017), extending a hip‑hop aesthetic that moves between trap, orchestral sounds and soul influences and remains associated with Florida and Southern US rap culture.