Rick Ross

Since emerging with his breakout single, "Hustlin," in 2006, Rick Ross has been a gangsta rap staple, fusing sharp lyricism with a knack for theatricality and speaker-rattling anthems. His debut album, Port of Miami, was released in 2006, with "Push It" helped the album get RIAA-certified gold by the end of the year. Between 2007 and 2010, Rozay would see his career reach new heights, with Trilla (2008), Deeper Than Rap (2009) and Teflon Don (2010) earning top five debuts on the Billboard 200 albums chart. While Ross had been a star, Teflon Don saw him earn new levels of critical acclaim, with tracks like "BMF" and "Aston Martin" being considered among the best records of his career.

From there, he began forming his own mini rap dynasty, signing Wale and Meek Mill to his Maybach Music Group label. As the label founder, he helped oversee the releases of Wale's Ambition (2011) and Meek's Dreams and Nightmares (2012), two projects that helped propel the MMG signees to new levels of rap stardom. In 2012, he also released Rich Forever, an acclaimed mixtape that was praised for its album quality material, and God Forgives I Don't, another LP considered to be among his best. What followed was a series of MMG compilation albums and solo releases from Rozay himself. In 2019, he had a proverbial full circle moment when he released Port of Miami 2, a sequel album that received better reviews than its predecessor. He followed that up with his 2021 LP, Richer Than I've Ever Been.

  • Selected Discography: Port of Miami (2006), Trilla (2008), Richer Than I Ever Been (2021), “Hustlin” (2006), “Aston Martin Music” featuring Drake and Chrisette Michele (2010), “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)” (2010)
  • Related Artists: Meek Mill, Wale, Gunplay
  • Read More: Rick Ross – The Boss Rides to New Heights
For Love of the Art: The Boutique Labels Behind XXL’s Freshmen
For Love of the Art: The Boutique Labels Behind XXL’s Freshmen
For Love of the Art: The Boutique Labels Behind XXL’s Freshmen
During the past two decades or so, as owning and managing your own business has become a realistic and easily attainable goal, many musicians and managers have decided to start their own boutique record labels and explore their artists' creativity, instead of it being stifled by the major label system...
Top Headlines of the Week: 3/24 – 3/31
Top Headlines of the Week: 3/24 – 3/31
Top Headlines of the Week: 3/24 – 3/31
In this week’s news, Lil Wayne speaks about his recent hospitalization for the first time, Rick Ross is criticized for rapping about the date rape drug, and Joie Manda resigns as Def Jam president for a new opportunity in Los Angeles. We a...
New Petition Compels Rick Ross To Apologize For “U.O.E.N.O” Lyric
New Petition Compels Rick Ross To Apologize For “U.O.E.N.O” Lyric
New Petition Compels Rick Ross To Apologize For “U.O.E.N.O” Lyric
Earlier this week, Rick Ross found himself in hot water when he was criticized over a lyric in Rocko's "U.O.E.N.O.," in which he raps, “Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” It appears t...
Rick Ross Raps About Date Rape on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.”
Rick Ross Raps About Date Rape on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.”
Rick Ross Raps About Date Rape on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.”
Rocko enlists the help of Future and Rick Ross for “You Ain’t Even Know It, one of the tracks from his upcoming mixtape Gift of Gab 2. The Atlanta rapper hops on an eerie-sounding beat with his cohorts that serve as a tough trap anthem. Check it o...
In the Cut: XXL’s Song Picks of the Week
In the Cut: XXL’s Song Picks of the Week
In the Cut: XXL’s Song Picks of the Week
After an incredible amount of controversy, false reports, out-of-context quotes and TMZ videos, Weezy seems to be back home and recuperating, and actually looks pretty virile for a guy who's been laying in a hospital for the past week. Fans and journalists have mixed feelings about how the situation unfolded, but I think the one thing we can all agree on is that we're glad Weezy's okay... Read Mor
Kings of the Game: On Sale Now
Kings of the Game: On Sale Now
Kings of the Game: On Sale Now
XXL has been the world's go-to-source for hip-hop news, reviews, and features on the game's biggest artists for close to fifteen years now, and we've shown no signs of slowing down with franchise issues like the annual Freshman Class. We pride ourselves on our connection to hip-hop and as a valuable resource for fans of the genre...

Load More Articles