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
The 8 Best Short Films Based On Rap Songs
The 8 Best Short Films Based On Rap Songs
The 8 Best Short Films Based On Rap Songs
A little over a week ago, the perpetually groundbreaking Jay Z released the music video for his recent Magna Carta … Holy Grail single "Picasso Baby." The video—which was shot in a famed art gallery in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood—was directed by Mark Romanek, and features Jay performing to a rotating crowd of artists, musicians and fans in an intimate setting. Jay and HBO, who ...
Best Hip-Hop Videos Of The Week, 8/4- 8/13
Best Hip-Hop Videos Of The Week, 8/4- 8/13
Best Hip-Hop Videos Of The Week, 8/4- 8/13
We’re already two weeks into August and things are about to pick up when hip-hop gets another wave of new releases. On the horizon, A$AP Ferg is ready to prove himself with Trap Lord, No Malice celebrates his first solo album with Hear Ye Him, and Earl Sweatshirt is poised to make hip-hop history with Doris. Whil...
North Carolina Pastor Fired For Attending Rick Ross Concert
North Carolina Pastor Fired For Attending Rick Ross Concert
North Carolina Pastor Fired For Attending Rick Ross Concert
Pastor Rodney Wills was voted out of Mt. Salem Baptist Church for attending a Rick Ross concert in his local North Carolina area. Rev. Wills was removed from the church when several of his peers came to the conclusion that they didn’t need his services anymore. The ...
DJ Khaled’s “No New Friends” Strikes Gold
DJ Khaled’s “No New Friends” Strikes Gold
DJ Khaled’s “No New Friends” Strikes Gold
DJ Khaled is going to have even more success to suffer through. The founder and CEO of the We The Best Music Group's latest single, "No New Friends," was officially certified Gold this week, marking 500,000 units sold for the Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross assisted song...
Twitter Reacts To Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home”
Twitter Reacts To Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home”
Twitter Reacts To Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home”
Drake's definitely charting new territory with the release of "Hold On We're Going Home". The smooth sounding disco-esque track has a completely new feel and with that comes both admirers and critics. Here at XXL, our staff did a little digging to discover how the streets were feeling about the record...
Rick Ross “Salutes” Drake And His OVO Movement
Rick Ross “Salutes” Drake And His OVO Movement
Rick Ross “Salutes” Drake And His OVO Movement
Rick Ross isn’t a stranger to working with some of the hottest rappers in hip-hop. We’ve seen the biggest boss collaborate on tracks from the YMCMB crew, Southern heavyweights and more. But one notable artist is Drake, where the pair has worked on big hits like “Aston Martin Music,” “Lord Knows” and the current summer smash “No New Friends.” Earlier this morning, Drizzy release...
Yowda Featuring Rick Ross “Ballin'” (Video)
Yowda Featuring Rick Ross “Ballin'” (Video)
Yowda Featuring Rick Ross “Ballin'” (Video)
Las Vegas rapper Yowda teamed up with Rick Ross back in June for the enthusiastic anthem "Ballin'," and now the pair is at it again, joining up for the song's luxurious (and literal) new music video. In keeping with the song's ballin' theme, the clip finds the two hosting an intramural basketball game with a few models as the all-stars...
Best Hip-Hop Tweets Of The Week, 7/28-8/3
Best Hip-Hop Tweets Of The Week, 7/28-8/3
Best Hip-Hop Tweets Of The Week, 7/28-8/3
From new bangers from 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Drizzy to major media fuckups from Riley Cooper and Don Lemon to simple appreciations of success—with a couple celebrations of classic releases in between—hip-hop has had a lot to say in the past week, and they took to Twitter to say it. We've coll...
In The Cut: Drake & Rick Ross Made XXL’s Top Songs Of The Week
In The Cut: Drake & Rick Ross Made XXL’s Top Songs Of The Week
In The Cut: Drake & Rick Ross Made XXL’s Top Songs Of The Week
There's no sense in fighting it any longer—Drake has, is and will continue to dominate rap, and we're going to have to openly accept it. And as he showed us earlier this week with his 2 Chainz- and Big Sean-assisted new single, his peers have accepted it too, as their verses on Drake's single got them more attention than anything they've put out as of late (no shots at "Feds Watching").
Robin Thicke’s 10 Best Hip-Hop Collaborations
Robin Thicke’s 10 Best Hip-Hop Collaborations
Robin Thicke’s 10 Best Hip-Hop Collaborations
Today, well-established R&B star Robin Thicke released his sixth studio album with Blurred Lines, after teasing it with the Billboard-topping single of the same name for months. While Thicke has made a name for himself as a blue-eyed crooner with the modern sensitivity of someone like JT but the classy throwback attitude of a Motown star, he's also built up an exciting catalogue of hits with

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