Rick Ross has come a long way from being “Officer Ricky.”
For two years, the man born William Leonard Roberts was a correctional officer in South Florida. Initially, Ross denied that he was the officer in question but ultimately came clean.
“Yes, it’s me,” he admitted, per HipHopDX. “I never tried to hide my past.”
Whatever the truth of the matter, Rick Ross has certainly surpassed all the controversies and questions — and all he had to do was be himself.
After initially receiving fame and notoriety as a rapper and a label head — whose Maybach Music Group (MMG) sparked the careers of Meek Mill, Gunplay, and Wale — Ross turned his attention to various business ventures.
And today, those business ventures have paid off. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ross has a net worth of about $45 million. The outlet further reports that throughout the course of his touring career, he made $90 million — and has made clear to Miami Living Magazine that his current legacy is all about leaving behind generational wealth for his four children.
Most important of all, however, Rick Ross confesses that being a boss means being accountable.
“Bosses make mistakes — and learn from them. For Rick Ross, he had to learn how to handle his emotions because leading with the wrong ones was becoming costly and detrimental to his business,” AfroTech previously reported.
And if Ross is teaching us lessons on how to be a boss, then we’re here to learn these lessons — no matter how big or small.
Let’s take a look at all the ways he makes his money.
Editorial note: The net worth listed in this piece is a speculative estimate drawn from a variety of online sources.
Music Career
According to Biography.com, Rick Ross was the first rapper ever signed to Diddy’s CIROC record label. Since then, he’s released 11 studio albums and 145 singles, per Discogs.com — and he still intends on releasing more.
Acting and Voiceover Career
Though he doesn’t act as much as his other Hip-Hop peers, Rick Ross has some pretty sweet credentials. According to BET, he starred in a guest role on the Queen Latifah vehicle, “The Equalizer.”
He also had a small guest role in the Eddie Murphy vehicle, “Coming 2 America” (and, as another fun fact — his Georgia mansion was the location for principal filming of the Amazon super-smash vehicle, per NBC News!).
JetDoc
Rick Ross has a great relationship with JetDoc, and he’s worked with them several times over the years. As AfroTech previously reported, he first partnered with the company to provide millions of Georgians with access to affordable healthcare. He then partnered with JetDoc CEO Tommy Duncan to pledge $1 million in free doctor visits for Georgians, according to another report by AfroTech.
Cannabis
Like many other rappers, Rick Ross is investing in the cannabis space. As AfroTech previously reported, he teamed up with Rap Snacks CEO James Lindsay to release a line of cannabis products called Hemp Hop Smokables — a line of hemp smokables, rolling paper, and functional hemp cannabinoid cigarettes.
NFTs and Cryptocurrency
In June 2021, AfroTech reported that Rick Ross had finally entered the crypto space. Ross teamed up with Cool & Dre to launch the first-ever Porsche 911 art car and an NFT, which they designed with celebrity car designer Rich Caliente.
Rumored Sports Team Investment
In November 2021, AfroTech reported that Rick Ross was rumored to be investing in a sports team. Specifically, he expressed an interest in purchasing an ownership stake in the Miami Heat.
“I’m still interested in getting a small percentage of an NFL or NBA team,” he said. “I’d just invest in the Heat because we got some beautiful additions. And like I say I’m one of those people that can look three seasons ahead… I’m confident, we’ll bring them big trophies back.”
Wing Stop
In 2021, Rick Ross’s son William L. Roberts III turned 16-years-old. But rather than gift him with a car, some cash, or a Rolex, AfroTech reported that the elder Mr. Roberts gifted his namesake with ownership in a Wing Stop franchise. Ross had been purchasing Wing Stop franchises since 2011.
Real Estate
In 2014, Bleacher Report revealed that Rick Ross purchased a 109-room mansion in Atlanta, GA, that was once owned by Evander Holyfield. Ross scooped the property for $5.8 million.
In October of 2020, TMZ revealed that Ross plopped down $1 million for another 87 acres of land near the mansion, bringing his total acreage to 235.
In March of 2021, Architectural Digest revealed that Rick Ross purchased Amar’e Stoudemire’s South Florida mansion for $3.5 million in an all-cash deal. The purchase made Florida history because it closed in four days — the fastest in the history of the gated community.
Prior to all this, Rick Ross owned a mansion in Fort Lauderdale’s prestigious Seven Isles community. He initially purchased it for $5.175 million, then listed it in 2014 for $9.25 million, and ultimately sold it for $6.05 million back in 2016 (per Curbed).
