For Rick Ross, Richer Than I Ever Been is not just the title of his upcoming 11th studio album, nor a testament to his growing economic empire. Fifteen years after releasing his debut project, Port of Miami, and some 20-odd business partnerships later, the 45-year-old rap star says he feels the most fulfilled in his life and career than ever before.

Whether he's setting up his children for their own financial success or finding the joy in mowing his 235-acre Georgia lawn, Rozay is fully enjoying the fruits of his two decades' worth of labor.

"This is when I feel the richest," he told GRAMMY.com about spending time with his family and discovering what matters most to him. "Because usually those are the moments that feed all my creations."

Though Ross often makes headlines for his entrepreneurial ventures (which range from Wingstop, to Rap Snacks, to, most recently, his own line of hemp rolling papers), music is still his number-one motivator. The South Florida native announced the release date for Richer Than I Ever Been on the jumbotron at a Miami Heat game and followed up the news with the album's cover art that features Ross in crisp white gloves with an enormous gold pinky ring and diamond-encrusted brooch — an image he says "just felt godly."

Style and luxury have always been major parts of the hip-hop mogul's brand, but it's his hustle that's kept him in the game. He'll discuss his career and dive deeper into Richer Than I Ever Been during "A Conversation With Rick Ross," presented by the GRAMMY Museum and Culture Impact Agency and hosted by Billboard Hip-Hop Editor Carl Lamarre. After the sold-out event takes place on Dec. 8, fans can watch a recording of the event on COLLECTION:live. 

Ahead of Ross' latest release, GRAMMY.com spoke with the icon about making music with longevity, inspiring the next generation and more.

Back in September, you said you feel Richer Than I Ever Been is your best album yet. What stands out about this album the most?

As artists, we have personal goals when we're putting together a body of work. And for me, coming into my 11th album, the focus has shifted a little bit. It's more personal. My recording sessions were that much tighter.

I actually sat in the studio a few nights by myself, and one thing that kept coming back to me was making sure the music felt timeless. Where it wouldn't just be a dope record in 2021, but in 2026, 2027, as well. Because I have those types of records, like [2012's] "Pop That," which I'm still running out on stage performing and the response is still crazy, you know?

I was just listening to f***ing DJ Quik yesterday. I'm still listening to Bun B, Pimp C — rest in peace. There's no expiration date on incredible music. So, instead of just making a dope banger, let's make a timeless piece of work.

Read More: Bun B On The Fight For Racial Equality & How Artists & Allies Can Help

You mentioned staying overnight in the recording studio — was there anything else you did differently while recording this album?

Well, for the first time in my sessions, I actually had coffee pots in the studio. [Laughs.] We was drinking coffee and smoking weed and s*** in the sessions. The focus was there. We knew what the assignment was. And I just wanted to get it done, and I felt like that's exactly what I did.

The title Richer Than I Ever Been is about more than you being at your peak financially. In what other areas of your life do you feel the richest right now?

Just my direction, going where I need to go. You have to ask yourself, do you feel the best spiritually? Emotionally? A lot of times, we don't even know what the most important things to us are.

If you had to name the three most important things to you, a lot of times people will be like, "Give me a sec." If you're a father, is it to be with your kids? Is it spending time with your mother? Whatever it might be, that's the point where you feel the wealthiest.

This is when I feel the richest, because usually those are the moments that feed all my creations. I've spent time with my loved ones. After I leave my mom's crib, I'm like, "Yo, let's go forth and get it." I don't want to go to sleep for four days, I want to get in the studio and have some fun and do something special.

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV37cNFFH2R/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Biggest Boss Rick Ross (@richforever)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

You released your debut album, Port of Miami, in 2006 when you were 30 years old. With so many rappers coming into the game at such young ages now, how do you think getting started as an adult impacted your career and financial decisions?

That maturity most definitely played a major role. You know, if I would have become a multimillionaire at a much younger age, I could have been in the studio flirting around with drugs — versus me coming in at 28 years old, into my early 30s, and having two beautiful children at the time.

I still had fun. I most definitely made mistakes. I still wanted to travel the world. But I wanted to f***ing do something that had never been done before coming from Miami. I wanted to also make sure the music translated that message, that level of success. And not just for financial purposes, but to show everybody else — the youngsters — like, "Yo, you can do it, too." You don't have to just hit a baseball or slam dunk a ball. You could be creative and make something out of nothing.

How have you instilled those same entrepreneurial lessons in your children?

Just letting them actually watch me accomplish what I've accomplished. Letting them watch one franchise turn to two, to three. Letting them see me spend time in the studio and explaining to them why I won't be there on those nights because I'm touring. Calling them on FaceTime backstage, letting them know I'm finna perform, telling them, "Say what's up to Lil Wayne."

I let them enjoy those moments. On their walls, they have pictures with Cash Money Records, DJ Khaled and so forth, so they understood what the mission was. And I know as they continue to grow, they'll understand it that much more.

Earlier this year you gifted your son his own Wingstop franchise for his 16th birthday. What was that moment like?

Well, him being a young athlete — he's a sophomore on an incredible football team — I'm encouraging that entrepreneurship. College athletes can do endorsements now, with fast food companies or whatever, and we want to encourage that business side of it.

I most definitely wanted to let him know that this is an empire that we're building together. Even though he has a small role in it, because his focus is being a student and an athlete, I want to make sure it's always in the back of his mind that he's a businessman, too.

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Yungeen Ace, a young, up-and-coming rapper from Florida, appears on the album ["Can't Be Broke," also featuring Major Nine]. Did you give him any career advice when you two worked together?

Anytime I can, I let the youngsters know, man, stay focused. Especially when you have this opportunity and these talents, because homie's walking a fine line of doing some incredible s***, both him and Foolio. Just the city of Jacksonville as a whole. Miami is on fire, but I'm seeing some new things coming from J-Ville. And the record that we collaborated on for the album is one of my favorites.

Anytime I can give a young artist from Florida an opportunity, I feel that's my obligation. And that's if you're from Tampa, Orlando, Miami, wherever. Me having an ear that could possibly help another young artist, that s*** is dope. So, I'm glad we got to collaborate on this level of a record.

Did you give him any advice regarding his beef with Foolio?

My peers know I've always went out of my way to try to get homies to squash any type of beef. Like, let's handle our business. Five years from now, y'all could be the same dudes on an incredible record together that changes the game.

I remember getting Gucci Mane and Yo Gotti on the phone and saying, "Man, let's put that s*** behind us, homie. It's our time to take over the rap game." We got to do this together, because if you're gonna do something legendary, you got to do it with your team. You got to put the bulls*** behind you. So most definitely, that's something I encourage.

I look forward to collaborating with Foolio next. You never know what might come from it. I just know when I see two good dudes that I actually can communicate with, that I should extend that olive branch.

What were some of your other favorite collaborations on this album?

There's one record with me, Future and Wale ["Warm Words in a Cold World"], and it's got that heavy swag. You know, that drip. [Laughs.] It's just one of those fly records.

I also reached out to Willie Falcon to open the album up ["Little Havana, also featuring The-Dream]. He's the first collaboration on the album and he's saying some stuff he really needed to say. With us having to be on the phone, we had to do things a certain way. But that's a powerful collaboration. This is a powerful, expensive album.

You released "Outlawz" with Jazmine Sullivan and 21 Savage off the album first. What made you want to lead with that collaboration?

It felt dramatic. I could see the visual — [Jazmine] in a big dress, draping real long, trying to keep up with her beautiful voice. I could've got some younger artist, but no, I wanted a very experienced, vocal-heavy diva to lead that record. And me and 21 Savage, we just kept it real classy street. I wanted to lead with that and give fans something that felt expensive.

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You talked a little bit about creating music that has longevity. You've definitely had several long-lasting hits. What's going through your mind when you're creating one of those records that's going to live on for years?

You know, a lot of it is me getting in the studio with some of the greatest artists and us actually challenging ourselves. It's not just me, Drake and Lil Wayne getting in the studio and chillin' in the corner. Nah, we actually in there popping s***.

I believe that over time, building and creating these relationships, whether it's with producers, whether I'm working with J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League or whoever it is, we keep pushing ourselves. We've done some great things, but we're not relying on our previous records.

Speaking about Drake, have you guys been working on anything for that joint project you teased earlier this year?

Well, just mentioning Drake, I had thought about Astroworld [Festival, where 10 people died this year due to a crowd crush]. I want to send out my prayers to everybody that was affected by that, and I'm sure that's weighing heavy on Drake and Travis [Scott] right now. So, that's my only thought when you mentioned the homie, but I'm sure we'll chop it up soon.

With this being your 11^th studio album, dozens of hits and five No. 1 albums under your belt, it'd be easy for you to stand on that track record. But from what you're saying, it sounds like that day-one passion and drive for the music is still there.

They're still there. Even when you feel like you have nothing to prove, it's still dope music that needs to be made, you know? I don't feel I'm above that bar of having to deliver some dope s***. It's not, "Oh it's just my 11^th album." Nah. I'm finna give them that business. I still approached this record as a young artist, because in those recording sessions, I be geeked the f*** up! If the beat ain't dope or if it's off by just one word, it's, "Yo, we got to re-record this s***."

Looking back, when I was just an artist, it was easy for me to sit in the studio for f***ing 18 hours a day because that's all I had to focus on. But now, we got so many other partnerships, so many other things that we got our hands in. But it's still the number-one driving motivator — the music. It don't make us the most money, but it's the music, baby. That's the number one love. Everything else can be business, but the music is love.

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While 2023 marked hip-hop's 50th anniversary, the year comes to a close with a show that proves the celebration can't, and won't stop. On Dec. 10, the Recording Academy's "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" paid homage to the culture's originators, innovators, and contemporary leaders.

Co-produced by Questlove, the two-hour televised special featured legendary acts and contemporary artists who have cultivated the genre into a pop cultural juggernaut. Icons including LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Jermaine Dupri, Too Short, E-40, De La Soul, DJ D-Nice, Doug E. Fresh and others transformed "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" into an oral and visual commemoration of hip-hop's enduring influence.

From regional tributes to poetic remembrances, the anniversary special was a showcase of adoration for hip-hop's OGs as well as a newer generation of entertainers who are leading hip-hop into a glorious next 50 years. 

Read on for six highlights from  "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop," which aired Sunday, Dec. 10 on CBS Television Network, and on demand on Paramount+.

Queen Latifah and Monie Love┃Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Ladies First: Honoring The Queens Of Hip-Hop

The audience erupted into thunderous applause the moment DJ Spinderella touched the ones and twos and Queen Latifah graced the stage. As the two went back and forth in a performance of "Ladies First" joined by British MC Monie Love, the tone was set: This was a celebration of and for the women in hip-hop. 

As the song closed, early pioneers MC Sha-Rock and Roxanne Shante joined the trio on stage to perform their signature hits. In a continued showcase of women’s evolution in hip-hop, J.J. Fad performed their early crossover hit "Supersonic," while MC Lyte, Remy Ma, and Latto also joined onstage. As a collective, the congregation closed out with a performance of "U.N.I.T.Y." 

DJ Paul and Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia┃Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The South Still Got Something To Say

One could not imagine the impact of André 3000's words at the Source Awards in 1995 when he said "the South got something to say." Since then, rappers from Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Memphis, Miami, and Texas have taken these words as a rallying cry that the East and West coasts aren't the only regions worthy of hip-hop’s crowns. 

Aptly described as "The Third Coast," the South was well-represented onstage. Jeezy and Jermaine Dupri showcased the universal power of Atlanta, while Bun B represented the great state of Texas and the legacy of Pimp C in his performance of "International Players Anthem." Memphis took it back with a performance of "Stay Fly" by Three 6 Mafia, while viewers were reminded of the city’s future by an enthusiastic presentation of "Tomorrow" by GloRilla. 

Boosie Badazz stole the stage with his rendition of "Wipe Me Down," which highlighted the cities outside of the Atlanta, Houston, and Memphis corridor which contributed to the development and prominence of Southern hip-hop. His energy was enlightened by Miami Luke, the man behind 2 Live Crew, who brought booty shaking Miami bass to stage to round out the intergenerational collective of performers from down South. 

(L-R) Yukmouth and Kuzzo Fly of The Luniz, Yo-Yo, The Lady of Rage, B-Real and Sen Dog of Cypress Hill┃Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

…But The West Coast Remains The Best Coast

The West Coast was among the first to differentiate itself from the East Coast with the invention of G-funk — a musical tradition that blended resurrected funk samples with live instrumentation to create a melodic background for the region’s musicians to rap upon. One of the first hits to crossover was "Regulate" by Warren G, which opened the special’s tribute to the West Coast. 

The song was followed by chart topping "I Got 5 on It" by Luniz, a cult classic which received a secondary wave of prominence by Jordan Peele who remixed the song for his film Us. However, it was the performances by The Lady of Rage and Yo-Yo that served as an educational lesson for those who forget about the contributions of women to the growth of the West Coast sound in hip-hop. 

Another standout from the West Coast section was Cypress Hill, the Southern California hip-hop group that blended rock, metal, and Latin music in hip-hop. Yet, it was the presence of E-40 and Too Short that solidified the importance of the Bay Area in the lineage of West Coast hip-hop.

Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, T.I., and Chuck D of Public Enemy┃Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

"Salute" Paid Tribute To Those Who Didn’t Make It To 50

Jay-Z turned 54 days before "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" aired, and it was  somber to consider his contemporaries who didn't make it to see the culture's golden anniversary.

Names such as the Notorious B.I.G., who grew up with Jay-Z, as well as Nipsey Hussle were shared on screen as DJ D-Nice and Doug E. Fresh paid respect to the legions of rappers who passed before hip-hop’s 50th. Among those honored were Tupac Shakur, his friend and frontman of Digital Underground Shock G, New York drill leader Pop Smoke, TakeOff of the Migos, and Gangsta Boo — all of whom were instrumental in making hip-hop the global force that it is today.

Rick Ross, Chance the Rapper and 2 Chainz┃Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Hip-Hop Got A Big "Happy Birthday"

Hip-hop and party culture have been interwoven since DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell threw the first party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx. It's only fitting that the genre’s 50th anniversary would be ushered in with "Birthday Song" by 2 Chainz. As the Atlanta rapper reminded attendees that the best place to celebrate your birthday is in the city's strip clubs, Gunna graced the stage with his verse of "Hot" from Young Thug’s album So Much Fun.

It was the sample of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s "The Message" that brought hip-hop’s back home to the East Coast with a riveting performance by Coi Leray. Although, Rick Ross, Nelly, and Chance The Rapper reminded the East of the party and chart potential of Miami St. Louis, and Chicago with their rendition of "Hustlin," "E.I.," and "No Problem."

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith a.k.a. the Fresh Prince┃Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Got Thanks And Praise

It was the advocacy of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince that encouraged bridge-building between the Recording Academy and the hip-hop community. When the duo received hip-hop’s first GRAMMY Award for Best Rap Performance, the rapper/producer elected to boycott the show. Although they attended the following year, the duo displayed a courageous appreciation of their art that continues to be appreciated by their peers. 

Questlove introduced his fellow Philadelphians and the duo erupted into a medley of their classics. Soon, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, and others jumped up to pay homage to Jeff and Will, two children from Philadelphia who changed the world.

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This article was updated Sunday, Dec. 10, to add the full performer lineup.

The anticipation for tonight's "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" live concert special is buzzing as the lineup welcomes even more rap icons and emerging hip-hop artists to its existing group of star-studded performers. Public Enemy, Rick Ross, Tyga, D-Nice, Doug E. Fresh, Blaqbonez, Boosie Badazz, DJ Diamond Kuts, DJ Greg Street, DJ Trauma, and Kool DJ Red Alert have all been added to tonight's concert. See the full performer lineup.

They join previously announced performers 2 Chainz, T.I., Gunna, Too $hort, Latto, E-40, Big Daddy Kane, GloRilla, Three 6 Mafia, Cypress Hill, Jeezy, DJ Quik, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shanté, Warren G, YG, Digable Planets, Arrested Development, Spinderella, Black Sheep, Luniz, and many others who will perform at the live concert special celebrating hip-hop's legendary 50th anniversary. One of the biggest nights in hip-hop history, the concert and special will feature performances and reunions from GRAMMY-winning artists, hip-hop legends and much more, including a highly anticipated reunion from hip-hop icons DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince — aka Will Smith.

Read More: How To Watch "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop": Air Date, Performers Lineup, Streaming Channel & More

The "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" live concert will take place tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 8) at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert are open to the public and available now.

The "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" live concert special will then air on Sunday, Dec. 10, at 8:30 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on demand on Paramount+. This lively two-hour celebration will pay tribute to hip-hop's profound history, while showcasing its vibrant future and monumental impact around the world.

Tickets for tonight's "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop" live concert are available for purchase now.

Full concert details are below:

Concert:
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 (tonight)
Doors: 6 p.m. PT
Concert: 7 p.m. PT          

Venue:
YouTube Theater
1011 Stadium Dr.
Inglewood, CA 90305

Full List Of Confirmed Performers For "A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop": 

2 Chainz

Akon

Arrested Development

Battlecat

Big Daddy Kane

Black Sheep

Black Thought

Blaqbonez

Boosie Badazz

Bun B

Chance The Rapper

Coi LeRay

Common

Cypress Hill

D-Nice

De La Soul

Digable Planets

DJ Diamond Kuts

DJ Greg Street

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

DJ Quik

DJ Trauma

Doug E. Fresh

E-40

GloRilla

Gunna

J.J. Fad

Jeezy

Jermaine Dupri

Kool DJ Red Alert

The Lady of Rage

Latto

LL Cool J

Luniz

MC Lyte

MC Sha-Rock

Monie Love

Mustard

Nelly

The Pharcyde

Public Enemy

Queen Latifah

Questlove

Rakim

Remy Ma

Rick Ross

Roddy Ricch

Roxanne Shanté

Spinderella

Styles P

T.I.

Talib Kweli

Three 6 Mafia

Too $hort

Tyga

Uncle Luke

Warren G

YG

Yo-Yo

^Names in bold indicate newly added artists.

Purchase tickets here.

Stay tuned to GRAMMY.com for more news and updates about "A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop."

A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Shawn Gee, Dionne Harmon, Claudine Joseph, LL COOL J, Fatima Robinson, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson for Two One Five Entertainment serve as executive producers and Marcelo Gama as director of the special.

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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DJ Khaled closed out the 2023 GRAMMYs with a star-studded squad including Jay-Z, John Legend, Lil Wayne, Fridayy, and Rick Ross on their collab "GOD DID."

Spilling into the street outside L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena, the assembled MCs and singers spit their verses and sang their hooks awash in purple light, with Legend seated behind a piano covered in flowers while the rest sat at an opulent, overflowing table in the style of the Last Supper.

"They didn't want us to win! So I made sure I was on the GRAMMYs stage with the biggest! This is for hip-hop!" Khaled shouted in between verses by Ross and Lil Wayne. And later, Jay-Z stole the spotlight as he testified, "These ain't songs, these is hymns 'cause I'm him/ It's the Psalm 151, this New Testament/ The book of Hov/ Jesus turned water to wine/ For Hove, it just took a stove."

The praiseworthy banger raked in three nominations at this year's awards show, including Song Of The Year, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. The album GOD DID was up for Best Rap Album.

The superproducer scored a sixth nomination in the Best Melodic Rap Performance category for "BEAUTIFUL," the Future and SZA-assisted album cut off GOD DID. He nabbed an additional nomination as a guest artist on Mary J. Blige's Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe), which is nominated for Album Of The Year.

Over the course of 2022, GOD DID earned Khaled his seventh career Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to lead single "Staying Alive" featuring Drake and Lil Baby. It also became his fourth chart-topping album on the Billboard 200.

Check out the complete list of winners and nominees at the 2023 GRAMMYs.