By Ismael AbduSalaam
In the face of an extensive expose from thesmokinggun.com and condemnation from the original Freeway Ricky Ross, rapper Rick Ross continues to deny allegations that his image of a former drug kingpin is a fabrication.
In an exclusive interview with Don Diva magazine, Ross is adamant that his lyrics illuminating the culture of drug dealing is from personal experience and that he’s never attempted to hide details from his past.
“When I’m making my music and talking about blow, it’s because I did it,” Rick Ross maintains. “When I say I’m rich off cocaine it’s because I did it. I never tried to hide my past! I put my name inside of all my CDs. My company has my SS #. I could’ve put a company name.”
Indirectly addressing accusations that he worked as a corrections officer in 1997, Ross tells a different version of what he was doing at the age of 19.
“I was one of the only n***as in the city with a show truck at 19 (years old) on Dayton’s with TVs doing my own independent thing. I done put a lot of losses in this game,” Ross reasons. “I done took losses in the street, losses with the music. I’ve been up and I’ve been down; that’s what makes me who I am.”
Last week Freeway Ricky Ross, the incarcerated former LA drug trafficker and man who inspired the rapper’s namesake, accused the Miami MC of stealing his name to create a fake street persona.
Rapper Rick Ross brushes off these allegations by arguing that his status as a veteran in music and the streets keeps him above having to explain his actions to anyone else.
“I never ratted on a n***a, I never prosecuted a n***a, I never locked up a n***a that is first and foremost,” Ross said. “I always felt being the man that I am and the boss that I am I never owed a n***a an explanation. Every man gotta look his kids in the eye and have a reason for feeding them or not. For that sole reason I believed in the death penalty for rats and informants.”
During the article, Ross issued a challenge to anyone who was brave enough to test his reputation or his street credentials.
“I surpassed my life goals 18 months ago , but you see where I am now; sitting in a new Benz, $100,000 grand cash in my pocket and a dirty white tee,” Ross stated. “You know I’m strapped to the teeth. We got more bullets that we got dollars. That’s just how it goes and that’s how it’s going to go until the day we die…a n***a don’t like it, get at me. I’m the muthf**kin biggest boss that you seen this far.”
Rick Ross’ sophomore album Trilla was released in March and has currently sold over 600,000 copies.
He is ranked fourth on MTV’s 2008 Hottest MCs in the Game list.
His third album, tentatively titled Deeper Than Rap, is due out by the end of 2008 and will feature five production credits from former rival T.I.
The album may feature a collaboration between Trick Daddy, Plies and Rick Ross, all of whom have set their differences aside, in the name of unity.
“I just talked to Plies two weeks ago and we fixin’ that Trick Daddy and Plies thing. That’s small. We all street n***as that got 30 killers behind us and we all rich and we all wild. I love Trick, cause he the one that brought me in the game.”