BONUS: Ari & Rick Ross on BLM, hustle, book & if Drake is "the past"'

Summary

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The Beat with Ari Melber – BONUS: Ari & Rick Ross on BLM, Hustle, Book & If Drake Is “the Past”

Date: May 18, 2026
Guests: Rick Ross
Host: Ari Melber

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Episode Overview

This special bonus episode of The Beat with Ari Melber features an in-depth and lively conversation with hip hop mogul and entrepreneur Rick Ross. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album "Port of Miami" and promoting his new book "Renaissance of a Boss," Ross discusses his multi-decade career in music and business, his approach to creativity and hustle, race and activism, and candid reflections on hip hop's evolving landscape—including thoughts on Drake, personal growth, and the meaning of success.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Hustle, Creativity & The "Renaissance"

• Defining Creativity and Hustle

  • Rick Ross reflects on his 20-year career and the importance of staying creative and proactive:
    • “20 summers in the game and still being excited, still waking up, remaining creative and actually contributing something to the game which is greatly needed.” [03:28]
  • On starting:
    • Ari shares from Ross's book: “To be creative, you gotta start somewhere… It's engaging in the process of creation that ignites the imagination.” [03:38]

• Manifesting Success

  • Ross describes how he spoke “boss” status into existence long before he achieved it:
    • “I was dead broke when I started calling myself the biggest boss.” [05:31]
    • “I began manifesting. I put it out into the universe. I'm the biggest Boss. I'mma have 40 cars and MC Hammer. That's what I said.” [06:08]

• Risk-Taking and Delusional Optimism

  • On buying Evander Holyfield’s estate, Ross recalls skepticism from others, but credits results:
    • “I understand I'm a little delusional at some times. Everybody won't understand that.” [04:34]

2. Art, Politics & The Black Lives Matter Moment

• On the Song “Marathon” and BLM
  • Ross addresses the difference between performative activism and real engagement:
    • “You gotta join the fight. You gotta join the struggle. It's like it came a time where…some of the worst things could be happening and everybody just wanna FaceTime or go live…instead of getting in the battle, getting in the fight.” [07:19]
    • Ari notes parallels to Kendrick Lamar's critique of "overnight activists.”
  • Ross challenges shallow online solidarity:
    • “You either could get involved or you just stand around and take your photos. Go ahead, go live.” [08:31]

3. The Drake Question and Hip Hop Competition

• About Drake and “Iceman”
  • Ari probes Ross about his relationship with Drake and competitiveness:
    • Ross responds calmly:
      “I don't believe anyone's nervous about Iceman. I don't believe no real mc, no real bosses, no real hustlers.” [09:04]
  • On supporting peers:
    • “If you put out an amazing album. Congratulations. If it's mid, it's mid, you know, Respect. Yeah, that's what it is.” [09:40]
  • On Drake:
    • “My close homie. Drake. The Past.” [14:23]
  • Suggests focus remains on his own projects, not beef or bitterness.

4. Longevity and Aging in Hip Hop

• Ross shares the meaning of artistic evolution after two decades:

  • “It's 20 years later, 20 summers later. I could have never imagined this.” [10:39]

• On the evolution of the hustle:

  • “We still hustling. There's still new goals to achieve. You know, of course, they're much different than the younger Rose, but there are new goals, there's new platforms. … Possibly our third New York Times bestseller.” [11:10]

• Essential attitude:

  • “I'm at a different age and success, but you are just channeling the same voice, the same energy.” [11:40]

5. Business Moves and Wealth

• Diversifying and Building Empire
  • Response to jokes and speculation on his wealth via Joe Budden’s podcast:
    • “Every day I wake up and I'm moving. …Every day we creating equity…value…breaking new grounds.” [13:17]
    • On a potential biopic: “And you know, when that book becomes a film and we get Scorsese to direct it, Neil, hopefully. You ready for that?” [13:17]

6. “Lightning Round” – Ross on Iconic Moments

• Quick Associations:
  • “Wingstop?” – “Lemon Pepper.” [14:15]
  • “Drake?” – “The Past.” [14:23]
  • Choosing Between Bangers:
    • “Hustlin or BMF?” – “I'm gonna say hustlin because came first.” [14:55]
    • “I'm Not a Star or MC Hammer?” – “I'm not a star. Wow.” [15:01]
  • On the creation of “MC Hammer”:
    • “Stop the car. Play the beat. Ten minutes later, the song was done.” [15:28]
  • On “Devil in a New Dress”:
    • Studio process with Kanye West, pushing to a higher level:
      • "I let ye hear it, and he was like, I can see you taking it. And I said, oh, don't even finish. Then give it to me. I went back, came back, took it out 30 minutes later." [17:03]

7. Philosophy of Success and Failure

• “Being broke means…we gotta start all over.” [18:37]
• “Being rich means…we can't this up.” [18:39]
• “Being a boss means…shot caller. Real bosses. No. Everybody depends on you.” [18:51]
• “The difference between money and success is…money you have. Success is an opinion.” [19:01]
• “Failure means you bloated. Success means everything. All right.” [19:15-19:20]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On taking action now:
  • Rick Ross: “The time is now. You can't postpone nothing. We have no time to waste. Not a day, not a second. Apply it all right now. If it's heavy on your heart, let's execute.” [04:11]
• On hip hop’s deeper power:
  • Ari Melber: “Hip hop does that. You were identifying success before you achieved.” [05:31]
• On performative activism:
  • Rick Ross: “You're not in there at the battle. You're not in it. Yeah, you want to stand around. I get it.” [07:56]
• On longevity:
  • Rick Ross: “We still hustling. There's still new goals to achieve. Of course, they're much different than the younger Rose, but there are new goals, new platforms, new levels.” [11:10]
• On success:
  • Rick Ross: “The difference between money and success is money you have. Success is an opinion.” [19:01]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:14] – Rick Ross on creative longevity
• [04:11] – The urgency of action and execution
• [05:31] – Manifesting "boss" status and visualizing success
• [07:19] – BLM, activism, and “Marathon” lyrics unpacked
• [09:04] – Ross on “Iceman” and current views on Drake
• [10:39] – Creating and evolving with age in hip hop
• [13:17] – Responses to Joe Budden’s podcast speculation on wealth
• [14:15] – Lightning round: business, bangers, and the meaning of “Drake: the past”
• [15:28] – The spontaneous creation of “MC Hammer”
• [17:03] – Studio story: Ross & Kanye, “Devil in a New Dress”
• [18:32 - 19:20] – Rapid-fire philosophy: money, success, failure, being a boss

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Tone and Style

The conversation is insightful, honest, and laced with humor and mutual respect. Ari Melber brings a genuine appreciation for hip hop’s cultural relevance, while Rick Ross shares wisdom, wit, and a willingness to reflect on both the grind and the rewards.

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This episode stands out for its blend of hip hop history, motivational philosophy, industry insight, and contemporary consciousness—offering listeners both inspiration and an inside look at a modern rap legend’s worldview.

Transcript

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[Interviewer / Host]

Americans are facing higher prices this gas crunch. Plenty of questions about how to hustle in these hard times. Well, our next guest is known as much for his artistry as his business acumen. A hit maker, Grammy nominated rapper entrepreneur Rick Ross has really defined the hip hop soundscape with anthems you know or you've danced to at weddings and bar mitzvahs, Hustlin the Boss, bmf, I'm Not a Star, the wider Maybach Mutation music series. He's celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the debut album that changed everything. Port of Miami, Florida. Boy, what's up? He has also led what has now become a really popular move where brand name stars launch their own brands and businesses. He's got a fleet of Wingstops, the Spirits business, a car show, a real estate portfolio. And here in newsland for political junkies, I should mention Ross is an Obama level artist joining then President Obama in the Oval. A great moment considering that Ross has rap thought it was Obama. The way I came through, I'm talking different commas from them lame dudes. That's the kind of Ross bar that you know sticks in your mind. In fact, they come up often on this show so much that we played a few to Ross. The last time he joined us, my team was like Ari, you do Rick so much, you got to at least show him some of them. So you are one of our most. You're one of our most quoted artists here. This is a little sampling of when we cite Ross to explain something happened in the world. Take a look. Was it not Rick Ross who said I am flawed? Walking in the courtroom sipping on a beverage. I know the judge so I got a Lot of leverage. Every day is another opportunity to touch the paper, count the profits. You could bring them in a Nike box, grinding in my Jordans, kick them off, they might be hot. Shoe box, no shoes in it. And the implication is there's drugs in the shoe box. Now I. We have fun, even if it's a little meta to play Ross, our Ross catalog to the extent that news shows have a catalog. Well, the Boss is here. He has a new book, Renaissance of a Boss, Notes from a Creative Awakening and joins us now. Welcome back.

[Rick Ross]

Good looking family.

[Interviewer / Host]

You look great. You feel great.

[Rick Ross]

Oh, man, I feel wonderful. Celebrating the book release.

[Interviewer / Host]

Got the book right here, the Renaissance. I have so much to talk to you about. But first, this is all about creativity, facts. What does that mean to you now?

[Rick Ross]

Just 20 summers in the game and still being excited, still waking up, remaining creative and actually contributing something to the game which is greatly needed.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah. And I want to read. You say to be creative because there's a lot of. Nowadays on the Internet, everyone's talking about what they say they can do. You've done it. And you say to be creative, you got to start somewhere. People think it's the other way around, waiting for lightning to strike. That's not the way it goes. It's engaging in the process of creation that ignites the imagination. I'm curious how you apply that because people look at you and say, okay, he's done it, he's successful. And you got folks sitting around sometimes saying, someday I'll rap, someday I'll write. I got a book idea, but I haven't written a page. What are you getting at there?

[Rick Ross]

The time is now. You can't postpone nothing. We have no time to waste. Not a day, not a second. Apply it all right now. If it's heavy on your heart, let's execute.

[Interviewer / Host]

Did you have a time earlier when you were saying, I'm going to be. I know you say I'm not a star, but part of you also said, I'm going to be a star or rapper or a business owner and someone in your life said, no, that's not going to happen.

[Rick Ross]

Oh, most definitely. It's a lot of times. You got to remember when I was first purchasing the promised Land, Evander Holy, still Evander Holyfield's former estate. 300 plus acres, hundred rooms, everyone. I had that discussion with. What are you going to do with that? It's not a great investment. Great investment. This, that. Yes, it is. And we did it. Five car show later. You know the car show going down the 12th, 13th of June, so we have 15,000, close to 15,000 people in the front yard. Once again, having a good time, feeding them music, feeding them the vibe, the positive energy, and enjoying the cars. So it's. I understand I'm a little delusional at some times. Everybody won't understand that.

[Interviewer / Host]

As you know. I got to go there once. I didn't know what was bigger, the pool or the. Or the house.

[Rick Ross]

You need to be there this car show. And I'm gonna give you your personal God.

[Interviewer / Host]

I got you respect because the pool is like. The pool's like an ocean. Yeah. You also write from the new book, Speaking my dreams into existence. Facts has always been my modus operati. I was dead broke when I started calling myself the biggest boss. And I love that because your music is like this. Movies are like this. People watch Scarface. They identify with the star, with the rich person. Maybe not all of the worst parts of him, but we identify with that. And hip hop does that. And so you were saying now you were identifying success before you achieved.

[Rick Ross]

Without a doubt. I understood that I was willing to go to the greatest heights to achieve my goals, which is to be successful, which is to be a writer, a author, whatever it was that I had ideas of. I knew that I would do exactly what it took and even much more. So I began manifesting. I put it out into the universe. I'm the biggest Boss. I'mma have 40 cars and MC Hammer. That's what I said.

[Interviewer / Host]

And now here it is.

[Rick Ross]

Here it is.

[Interviewer / Host]

I was listening to some of the songs here, and we've talked before, but one I've never asked you about was interesting because there's a toughness in your voice, the way your voice sounds, and sometimes in the way you deliver a message. And I wanted to ask. So you talk here in Marathon. You say Judas was a politician made up like a Ronald Reagan. This is just a war on drugs. Tell me how you feel about it. And then you sort of seem to be challenging. I want you to explain what you mean. You say black lives really matter now. Tell Emmett Till about it. George Floyd was face down. As you all stood around it, did your little face times, left the neighborhood astounded. Who are you addressing there? What are you getting at?

[Rick Ross]

I'm really addressing everyone who's listening to the vibe. You gotta join the fight. You gotta join the struggle. It's like it came a time where, you know, some of the worst things could be happening and Everybody just wanna FaceTime or go live. Let me Get a little content instead of getting in the battle, getting in the fight.

[Interviewer / Host]

So that's deep. And we see that in politics and we see that across. You can see that on whatever your politics are.

[Rick Ross]

Exactly, exactly.

[Interviewer / Host]

That's pejorative. You're saying, doing your little facetimes like you, you want to get clout or content on this, but you don't actually want to deal with. With the important part.

[Rick Ross]

No, you don't. You're not in the. You're not in there at the battle. You're not in it. Yeah, you want to stand around. I get it.

[Interviewer / Host]

Respect. It's interesting.

[Rick Ross]

It's difference.

[Interviewer / Host]

Well, it's a little bit like, you know, Kendrick has that line, the overnight activists facts, and that idea that people who live this. If you're teaching, because I grew up on hip hop, so I'm listening to hip hop, learning, but people who aren't from that community coming in and saying, oh, I'm gonna post this while it's. While it's hot. And then years later, we don't hear much about blmp. It's almost like some people just moved on.

[Rick Ross]

It's like they do it while it's popular and they move on when this is the life we live. This is our culture, this is our vibe. And we gotta use this to communicate to the rest of the world. So you either could get involved or you just stand around and take your photos. Go ahead, go live.

[Interviewer / Host]

Just step out the window. Respect. You're out on the book tour. We know Iceman is coming. You've had a rich and complicated history with Drake. Where are you with that today? What are you thinking about the new project?

[Rick Ross]

I'm focused on my project. You know what I mean? I don't believe anyone's nervous about Iceman. I don't believe no real mc, no real bosses, no real hustlers. So I'm focused on the book release and my album, because my album is going to most definitely be a bomb. It's going to be a bomb because

[Interviewer / Host]

in one of the recent interviews, because, you know, I follow this stuff, people were noticing, oh, now Harrah said he said something like, well, you know, I'm happy to have him win. Don't want to see him lose Facts. So is that a different place than when, yo, we're. When you were putting him on wax?

[Rick Ross]

What that was was basically behind the scenes. It's like people want to hear me say that I hate Drake or there's a conspiracy against him. No, it's not. You know, if you put out an amazing album. Congratulations. If it's mid, it's mid, you know, Respect. Yeah, that's what it is.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah. Thinking about the way you have succeeded. You know, people say aging like flying wine or gracefully. And hip hop is. Is newer. But now hip hop, they say, is about 50. We're looking at artists like yourself, about 50. Hov is, you know, 56. Now we've got this Nas young man.

[Rick Ross]

Hov.

[Interviewer / Host]

Young. Hov young. Nas 52.

[Rick Ross]

Youngster. Youngster.

[Interviewer / Host]

And Kendrick, who a lot of people know. And Grace in the Super Bowl, a little bit younger at 38, both in your business, your book, and your music. What does it mean to still be creating at this age? And do you feel like it's different than you when you were younger or it's just authentic, no matter what?

[Rick Ross]

It's most definitely the music that I make. I have no ulterior motives, you know, I just want to make dope music, music that's appreciated. Like my first album, it's 20 years later, 20 summers later. I could have never imagined this.

[Interviewer / Host]

Let me. Let me press you on that, though, because first album's like the hustling was. You really were hustling fair. You now might bring that mentality, but you don't literally need to hustle now. You're in a different space.

[Rick Ross]

We still hustling. There's still new goals to achieve. You know, of course, they're much different than the younger Rose, but there are new goals, there's new platforms. You know, there's new spaces and new levels that we gotta hit. This is our third release. We could have never imagined this. Possibly our third New York Times bestseller.

[Interviewer / Host]

Possibly or probably.

[Rick Ross]

These are new goals that we must execute.

[Interviewer / Host]

So you feel you're basically. You're at a different age and success, but you are just channeling the same voice, the same energy.

[Rick Ross]

We out of doubt. That's what it is.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah. Respect.

[Rick Ross]

That's what's driving me.

[Interviewer / Host]

You ever listen to the Joe Button podcast?

[Rick Ross]

Joe Button has a dope podcast?

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah.

[Rick Ross]

I love what Joe doing.

[Interviewer / Host]

They were talking about, how is Rick this wealthy? That's what they were talking about last week. I don't know if you heard that yet. We cut it for you. Yeah. So they're like. I mean, Joe knows your work, he knows your artistry. And by the way, a lot of people have done great. What they're saying is, wait. Seems like he's like another level. So Joe's asking. Joe's funny. He's funny. You know, the way he talks he's saying, where's he getting this money? So this is new. Take a look.

[Rick Ross]

Where is Rick Ross getting all of this money? He got a bunch of investments. He got a bunch of bricks. That's where that passive money come from. Yeah, man. He used to roof. He got wingstops.

[Interviewer / Host]

Oh, yeah, they own a bunch of wingstops.

[Rick Ross]

It was a long list of things.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah.

[Rick Ross]

Yeah. I'm gonna pit him into just having all the MMG money forever.

[Interviewer / Host]

Oh, you ain't see the little shot?

[Rick Ross]

You ain't hear the shot. Every dollar I see him with, I think, oh, man, you ain't hear this sh. Is a comedian underneath all everything. Ross got a lot of on him.

[Interviewer / Host]

Your response?

[Rick Ross]

Joe Budden is a smart person, and I can't miss another Joe Budden podcast.

[Interviewer / Host]

Cause he's really. He's like, ruminating on, and he's. He's both. He's a rapper and a podcaster in the media, and he. He's like, where are you getting this? And. And what's it all doing? And is it because you've had such a diversified business portfolio?

[Rick Ross]

Without a doubt. I made a lot of great moves. Every day I wake up and I'm moving. And. And the thing about it is, to me, to me, I try my best to make it so clear to everybody how we're moving. I discuss 20 different partnerships on my platforms every day we creating equity. Every day, we creating value. Every day, we're breaking new grounds. Every day. That's exactly what we're doing. And you know, when that book becomes a film and we get Scorsese to direct it, Neil, hopefully. You ready for that?

[Interviewer / Host]

Who's going to play Rick Ross?

[Rick Ross]

Good, good. Good question.

[Interviewer / Host]

Good question. All right, I'll let you think on that. I want to do a lightning round starting with. In a word, we'll finish some sentences, but this is just in a word, too easy. Miami Flamingos. The promised land in Fayetteville. Rich Wingstop.

[Rick Ross]

Lemon Pepper.

[Interviewer / Host]

Lemon Pepper. Freestyle. DJ Colin. My brother Meek Mill.

[Rick Ross]

My brother Future Man. My close homie Drake. The Past. The biggest Rick Ross ledger.

[Interviewer / Host]

These are some choices. And these are gonna be hard because, you know, they. They. Okay. They do verses with other artists. You did, of course, yours with chains. But this, I'm pitting Ross bangers against Ross bangers. So you gotta pick one. Hustling or bmf?

[Rick Ross]

I'm gonna say hustler because came first.

[Interviewer / Host]

First. I'm not a star. Or MC Hammer.

[Rick Ross]

I'm not a star. Wow.

[Interviewer / Host]

All right. I just gotta be honest I'm not a star. What does that mean when you say, cause I'm not a star? Cause I'm really hot.

[Rick Ross]

So I was riding in la. I had my homeboy Spiff playing instrumentals for me. And I had the driver just ride me through the hills, show me the $50 million home. He showed me Michael Jackson's. And he came across one. That's where MC Hammer lived.

[Interviewer / Host]

Damn.

[Rick Ross]

Stop the car. Play the beat. Ten minutes later, the song was done.

[Interviewer / Host]

Wow. So my MC Hammer is one of my favorite Ross joints of all time.

[Rick Ross]

Mine too.

[Interviewer / Host]

We go. My high school friends and I would do this annual trip, and we're out, like in cabins, nothing going on. Campfire friends. That's it. No distraction. And one time we were hanging out and it was the evening and I had fallen asleep. That can happen. I'm with my friends, chill, whatever. And. And they wanted to rouse me, you know, they were like. Wanted me back in the hangout. So they just put MC Hammer, like, they just played it on the speaker because they know it's my jam. And I just woke up out of nap and just was immediately. And it's like, better than coffee.

[Rick Ross]

Oh, man, this is better than a lot of. I can't say.

[Interviewer / Host]

You can say whatever you want. All right. Made men or money in the grave.

[Rick Ross]

Made men so good.

[Interviewer / Host]

Because you sound, again, just as a listener, you sound so excited. Michael Jackson moonwalk, Put it on a napkin, Let it cool off. And it's just.

[Rick Ross]

Let it cool off.

[Interviewer / Host]

Respect. Now these are two lyrical joints. Sixteen or devil in a new dress. Devil because you bodied it. People talk about it to this day.

[Rick Ross]

Yeah. The production, the breakdown, just so much was put into that record production wise.

[Interviewer / Host]

On these. On these rap podcasts, you know, we all tell the same, like, four stories. So they. Everyone tells the story that ye said, oh, you gotta take it up a level. Is that true? Did you send in the verse twice?

[Rick Ross]

Yeah, it's facts. No, I was in Hawaii with Kanye.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah.

[Rick Ross]

So we had maybe eight different rooms going at once. Ye would be in one. No ID would be in one. You know, it was just so many different people. Nicki Minaj over here. And I came in and no Id played the beat. Boom, boom, boom. Okay, cool. This what we gonna do. I took it back into a room, wrote a verse, came back 30 minutes. I let ye hear it, and he was like, I can see you taking it. And I said, oh, don't even finish. Then give it to me. I went back, came back, took it out 30 minutes later.

[Interviewer / Host]

Yeah, it was done because to me, the. We know so many sides of you and we know the boss, you know, just the man. But that one has a. It's almost baroque. There's a little like when he's sipping rose all alone. And there's a. There's a note of melancholy amidst the glamour.

[Rick Ross]

Without a doubt, I most definitely tapped into, you know, that open side. Let a little emotion in and you know, that's what took that record to me, my verse wise to another spot. But what Bink did, what ye did, what the producers did, the production, I could do it again without a problem.

[Interviewer / Host]

Amazing. This is. Finish the sentence. These are my last ones. Finish the sentence.

[Rick Ross]

Too easy.

[Interviewer / Host]

Being broke means

[Rick Ross]

we gotta start all over.

[Interviewer / Host]

Being rich means we can't this up. Being a boss means shot caller. Real bosses. No.

[Rick Ross]

Everybody depends on you.

[Interviewer / Host]

The difference between money and success is money you have.

[Rick Ross]

Success is an opinion. Hmm.

[Interviewer / Host]

Wealth or respect? Wealth. Last two. Failure means you bloated. Success means

[Rick Ross]

everything. All right.

[Interviewer / Host]

Respect. The book is Renaissance of a Boss. Everything's all right right now. I really appreciate you coming in, sir.

[Rick Ross]

Thanks. Once again, true hip hop head salute to you. Respect show always on fire.

[Interviewer / Host]

Thank you, Rick. Thank you.

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