Rick Ross is excessive by nature, sometimes when it's not even necessary. To be fair, he was forced to be this way after the feud with 50 Cent and being outed as a correctional officer through those infamous photos. After the flames, Ross decided to expand his myth and rattle off one No. 1 album after another (the critically acclaimed Teflon Don is the only album to peak at No. 2).
The appraisal has waned since then, but Ross topped the Billboard charts again with Mastermind. "I lived on Billboard, where the fuck to go next?" he asks on the album. Who knows? But even though he's extremely rich and popular, he just can't stop himself from building his myth up. Mastermind contains a lot of boasts as per usual Ricky Rozay. For as much as people like to criticize him for his inability to be forthright, a lot of these boasts actually have some truth to them. Some of them — like his alleged stake in the drug game, for instance — aren't one of those truths, though.
We've decided to go through some of his braggadocio on Mastermind and see which claims have some truth and which ones are simply for the sake of the story he's built.
Lyrics:“If you cut it, call it Jam Master Jay/ No Adidas but I rock a brick a day”
Song: "Rich Is Gangsta"
That’s a pretty false claim. The past couple of months have been filled with Ross promoting Mastermind and the Belair Rose brand, shooting music videos, doing performances, and plenty other activities. It’s highly doubtful he was diverting his attention to make sure the coke business was moving swell. He’s probably spent more days rocking adidas than pushing bricks, however. That’s a bigger certainty than this line.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Before the crib you gotta clear the guard's gate / Elevators like Frank's on Scarface”
Song: “Rich Is Gangsta”
Ross has a 109-room mansion down in Georgia. Wouldn’t it be possible for a crafty thief to hide out in one of them and start stealing valuables when the coast is clear? You gotta keep that security up against such circumstances, right?
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Middle of the night, my nigga wanna Skype / I just count money for him, that shit just get him hype”
Song: "Drug Dealer's Dream"
Not only is the image of Ross lustily counting money while in a robe Skyping his man utterly ridiculous; he contradicts this ideology in the “Dope Bitch Skit,” in which the stars say you have to leave a stack on the ground if you dropped it by accident. There's no time to pick it up. Your minutes cost more anyways, you see. Nobody has time for counting money for the sake of a bromance.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Your checking account available balance is $92,153,183.28. This reflects the most current information available on your account”
Song: "Drug Dealer's Dream"
There’s no evidence of Ross’ bank statement that’s as concrete as that picture of him as a correctional officer. Celebrity Net Worth is a pretty reputable source, however. There is a slight chance the site may be a little off by listing Ross at $25 million, however, it’s hard to believe they’d be off by $70 million...Wingstop can’t possibly be turning in that great of a profit?
Gallery #3
Lyrics: “Nigga vision the clearest, I get shooters on clearance/ Barely fit in a Lambo but did it for the appearance”
Song: "Drug Dealer's Dream"
This is one of those truthful outrageous boasts (well, we're not so sure about the "shooters on clearance"). Ross is known for posting pictures of his car collection on Instagram, and he does post Lambos. He’s also a man of massive girth.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Time to elevate, we re-open shop/ Wale a genius, Meek Mill a superstar/ My new crib in Phoenix, ten car garage”
Song: "Mafia Music III"
Ross' praise for his MMG labelmates could be slight exaggerations, but that’s debatable. Also debatable is if he actually has a new place in Phoenix with a ten-car garage. He definitely doesn’t need one since he already bought himself a 109-room mansion in Georgia, but it could be true.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Speedin' in the Ghost on the phone with jewelers / My new bitch out of D.C., call me Ricky the Ruler”
Song: "Supreme"
There’s no known speeding arrests on Rick Ross’ record, but he can be saying he’s at the high-end of the speed limit while he’s in that Ghost. While we surmise Rozay is telling the truth here, it’s remains doubtful as to whether or not he'll become widely known as Ricky the Ruler any time soon.
Gallery #8
Lyrics: “Keys to my success, I get new keys and new address/ Bitches that I date don't get degrees but they can dress”
Song: "Sanctified"
He does, you know. He bought Evander Holyfield’s mansion for a bargain in January. Ross hasn’t been known for praising women based on educational pedigree either. A Bachelors degree isn’t a requirement to be a Black Bottle Girl.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Pull up to your trap strapped in my armored truck/ Your mami house next, tell that bitch to duck”
Song: “Walkin on Air"
Again, there’s too much going on with Ross for this to possibly be true. Rick Ross isn’t Scarface.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Wake up out my sleep in another cold sweat/ I lived on Billboard, where the fuck to go next?”
Song: "Thug Cry"
This is kind of the story of his career. Five out of his Ross’ six albums debuted at No. 1 despite only having one single cracking the top 30 of the Hot 100. Still, a major knock against him is if he can ever create music outside the false Mafioso bravado that many are tired of. However, he may indeed be waking up sweating because large men have a tendency to perspire.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Did some thangs for my niggas which I can't explain/ Versace slippers, 20 chains, bitch I'm Dana Dane”
Song: "War Ready”
Who knows? Ross may have actually done "some thangs" somebody and never got caught before he became famous. But he’s flossing right now, so the past is in the past (for now?). Versace slippers and 20 chains, on the other hand, are definitely believable.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “On that lean, you know I fuck her fantastic/ Work white as Rita Ora in that plastic”
Song: “Blessing in Disguise”
“White” as in white lie. Pushing drugs while you’re a multi-mullion dollar-making musician/label head is a poor business decision anyways.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Wingstop, fat boy need a 10 piece/ Say a nigga name and the car start”
Song: “The Devil Is a Lie”
Rick Ross isn’t too good to buy a good set of wings, he even confirmed that he wasn’t jiving for RapGenius. He also refers to a 2014 Rolls Royce, which isn’t just another expansive car in Ross’ collection: it’s considered the most technologically-advanced car in the world.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “I let her see a hundred ki's, a gift from St. Nick/ Moving bricks like it's Black Friday”
Song; "Mafia Music III"
Pusha T used similar Santa Clause/Snow metaphors in “Christmas in Harlem.” His usages do have more truth in them, however.
Lyrics:
Lyrics: “Money over bitches, first nigga with a Wraith”
Song: "Mafia Music III"
There’s no confirmation of this being true, but Ross is definitely one of the first to cop a Wraith. The 2014 Rolls Royce Wraith hit the market early this year, and Ross posted a video stunting in his in mid-December.