Rick Ross brought Miami back into the center of rap with a larger-than-life style built on luxury, power, and heavyweight Southern production. From “Hustlin’” to albums like Port of Miami, Teflon Don, God Forgives, I Don’t, and Port of Miami 2, he turned that persona into one of the most consistent mainstream runs in modern hip-hop, with chart success as both a solo artist and featured guest.

Born William Roberts in Clarksdale, Mississippi and raised in Carol City, Florida, Ross came up through local rap circles before breaking nationally with “Hustlin’” in 2006. That breakout led to Port of Miami debuting at number one, followed by a long streak of Top Ten albums, the launch of Maybach Music Group, and a steady run of collaborations that helped shape the sound of mainstream rap through the late 2000s and 2010s.

His later run has included Rather You Than Me, Port of Miami 2, Richer Than I Ever Been, and the 2023 collaboration Too Good to Be True. The source also highlights continued high-profile collaborations into the 2020s, showing the same reach and visibility that have defined his career for years.