Rick Ross Speaks On "Hurricanes" Memoir, Admits To Former Codeine Abuse

BY Erika Marie 6.9K Views
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Rick Ross
The book will be released on September 3.

As Rick Ross has lived his lavish life in the limelight for over a decade, fans believe that they know the ins and outs of Rozay. Still, there is much that the rap mogul hasn't shared with the world, but he's ready to give us an inside look with his forthcoming autobiography, Hurricanes. He announced that he was working on his memoir back in May, and recently he offered more details about the project when he caught up with PEOPLE.

The 43-year-old rapper partnered with writer Neil Martinez-Belkin to pen his book, a completed project that Ross admits he has yet to read. "Everything I said, I lived so I didn’t have to read it,” he said. "I think it’s a triumph. Everybody don’t admit rising from failure." Ross shares details of his childhood in Florida's Carol City and the struggles he's faced as his career began to take shape. "My life really a movie," he added.

And before you ask, yes, he does talk about his years-long beef with 50 Cent, his animosity with Birdman, and the health issues that caused his loved ones concern. Ross admitted that his abuse of codeine is what led to his seizures and shares in Hurricanes that he began using the opioid cough medicine to manage his stress.

"When I woke up in the hospital and I had so many people around me, so many homies, it felt like I was in V.I.P. or some sh*t," he said. "But it was more like, 'Damn, we gotta do some special things.' That mixed with the things I was drinking, the other drugs I was doing, and on top of not resting. [I don’t think] one particular thing would have killed me. But everything combined?"

Ross is now codeine free and has adopted a healthier, cleaner, doctor-prescribed lifestyle. Hurricanes hits shelves on September 3.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.