Homecoming 2022 Convocation Speaker: Rick Ross
With the levying stature of a goliath and the regal standing of a King, Rick Ross
has lived up to his prophecy of being the "Biggest Boss." The Miami Monster Mogul
has evolved into not just hip-hop's most respected and revered MC (in fact he was
voted MTV's "Hottest MC" of 2011), but as a label CEO and business entrepreneur, his
resumé is as sterling as one of his platinum plaques.
God Forgives, I Don't is Ross' fifth solo album in six years, following in the recent
success of five-star acclaimed masterpieces Deeper Than Rap (2009), Teflon Don (2010)
and classic team efforts with his Maybach Music Group, Self Made Vol. 1 and 2. By
now, everyone that follows what Ross does, has been conditioned to expect nothing
but a prolific output of the highest grade of music.
In a career that reaches new heights every year, God Forgives... is a milestone, the
most anticipated rap project of all of 2012, as well as being the LP that will be
the definitive work of art of the past decade.
"Without exaggeration, you just don't hear this high of quality or precision of music,"
Ross says about his opus. "I've mastered the art of devising classic albums, but this
by far exceeds my prior excellence. I owe this to the fans and I owe it to myself
to be the undeniable best."
God Forgives... has a seamless blend of party hits and street certifiable bangers
surrounded by Ross' passionate reflections on life and articulation of his journey
to be a billionaire. On one of the lead cuts, "So Sophisticated," Ross hammers down
heavy-handed statements with a delivery as graceful as Michael Jackson's penny loafers
lighting up the streets in "Billie Jean." Meanwhile "Touch N You" features multi-time
Grammy Award winner Usher and caters to the women who have crowned Ricky Rozay as
one of the most yearned for sex symbols in all of entertainment.
"Three Kings" feels like Ross' coronation into legend status as he is joined side
by side by the man who has garnered the title of Greatest Rapper of All-Time, Jay-Z
and the Greatest Producer of All-Time, Dr. Dre.
Like every up and coming MC, Ross -- influenced by Golden Era b-boys that reigned
supreme in the late 80s -- just wanted to be heard during his introduction into hip-hop
in the late 90s. While the desire and the artistry have been Ross hallmarks from career
commencement, he had to learn the fine of art of structuring record contracts as well
figure out a way to market and promote himself to the public when his former record
labels couldn't.
Ultimately, Rick Ross' time didn't come until over a decade after he started professionally.
He only needed one song to break through. 2006's "Hustlin" which went from being a
relentless street anthem to a pop culture catchphrase still used today, earned Ross
a record deal with Def Jam, and became the catalyst for his debut LP Port of Miami.
That album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts as did Trilla which came
less than two years later.
And while his core fans already were familiar with the superlatives or Rick Ross the
artist, in 2009, we got to know how strong of man the music Kingpin was. Highly publicized
rap battles and controversy over his street cred that started at the end of 2008,
none of it mattered by the spring of the next year when 2009's Deeper Than Rap dropped.
The few that ridiculed had no choice but to jump on the bandwagon, when Ross elevated
himself with refined raps and musical soundscapes, all the while never worrying about
public misperceptions about his past. While other albums may have sold slightly more,
2010's Teflon Don overshadowed every LP from any genre that year. It was the album
you heard coming out every car, the album that dominated DJ's playlist and the album
that catapulted Ross to international superstardom.
Building on the next level of his fame, Ross' hunger wasn't satiated. He knew it was
his golden opportunity to expand his Maybach Music Group. In late 2010 MMG went from
boutique imprint to a full-fledged label, with the signings of Wale and Meek Mill
as the cornerstones of the roster. Stalley and Omarion have since joined his core
and have helped make MMG the most beloved brand since Jay-Z had Roc-A-Fella records
10 years ago. In early 2012, Ross released a free mixtape containing an album's worth
of new material called Rich Forever. The popularity from the body of work was so fervent,
Ross toured in the U.S. and overseas in support of the new set of songs and Rich Forever
has since went on to be the most downloaded mixtape ever. Now with God Forgives I
Don't, Ross has his sights set on a brand new goal: to be the biggest boss and artist
of all-time.
"When my career is done, people will look back at everything I've contributed, and
not just speak my name in high regard with the best of the best artists, but they'll
also compare my contributions with the greatest executives ever such as Russell Simmons,
Lyor Cohen, Clive Davis and Jimmy Iovine."