Rick Ross on Discovering Luxury, Losing Count of His Massive Car Collection, and His Next Big Purchase

Rick Ross didn’t come to his love for the finer things in midlife. Rather, it’s something he’s cultivated since childhood.

The rapper-turned-mogul recently welcomed Robb Report to his home on Miami Beach’s Star Island to dig into his passion for all things luxury. In the wide-ranging conversation—the full version of which can be read here—he told of first realizing the importance of brands and labels out on the schoolyard, how you have to make room in life for gambles, and the one really big thing he still dreams of buying.

The “Hustlin’” emcee recalled initially becoming aware of luxury as a kid in Carol City, a neighborhood in Miami Gardens. The concept really hit home with the release of the Nike Air Jordan IIIs, the first version of the sneakers to feature the now-iconic Jumpman logo. It was then that he understood that everything from what you wear to the car your parents drive said something about you and your family’s position in life.

Rick Ross

“When you see a dude walk in and they had those $65 Jordans with the snakeskin on the back, or whatever it was,” he said, “it was real clear.”

Now that Ross is fully established as a “boss,” with numerous hit singles and successful businesses to his name, he’s focused on what his purchases can do for him. He may own a 235-acre estate in Georgia called the Promise Land and a car collection so big he’s lost count of the total, but much thought and discussion with his two most trusted advisers—his mother and sister—goes into how he spends his money. The rapper sees his acquisitions, especially the gigantic ones like his new Gulfstream G550 jet, as investments in the Rick Ross brand.

“Honestly, everything Rozay do is for the team,” he said. “That’s for my empire. When I say the team, I’m speaking of my last name, the empire.”

He’s not done yet, either. There’s still one big-ticket item, located mere miles from his home, that he’s got his eye on.

“I’ve always dreamed of owning different businesses and one is an NFL team,” he said. “And that would be the Miami Dolphins.”