S. Samuel
Maybach Music Group head Rick Ross recently revealed one of his biggest music inspirations prior to becoming the self-proclaimed "Boss" and how much he tried to convince this New York legend to join his team.
According to Ricky Rozay, rap icon Kool G. Rap had an opportunity to join MMG before the label blew up around late 2010.
“You hit it right on the head,” Ross said when asked if Kool G. Rap is one of his early influences. “It was a point I flew G. Rap down to Miami and I offered G. Rap a deal, this was years ago, this was before Maybach Music Group had really took form. I was such a huge fan and we got into the studio and we did maybe three records in a couple hours. I was like, ‘Man.’ We did one record we released titled ‘Knife Fight.’ It was just good to see the homie on his feet, still doing good. [Why didn’t it work out?] For different reasons. I’m not really sure. We both agreed to certain things but through time or whatever, he was doing his thing.” (“Juan Epstein”)
Ross also delved into how much they bonded and what knowledge G. Rap broke him off with.
“It most definitely was like, ‘D*mn.’ He came down because you know, that era, it was Kool G. Rap, it was Big Daddy Kane that I loved. I loved artists like Cool C from Philly. They were top hustlers. If you were just talking that talk, I loved what you was doing but I just remember watching the ‘Symphony’ video and I was like, ‘Yo….that’s how it got to feel. That’s how we got to look.’ I always loved movements from then on so when I got him to the crib, we smoking one, we talking, he’s telling me, you know I want to hear all the stories, I’m just hearing classic stories and we doing music, so on and so forth. And I’m just like, ‘Man, you’re a legend, homie. You’re a ‘G’ forever. Any time you need me, I’m here.’ We spoke, it was maybe, it was a few months ago.” (“Juan Epstein”)
Back in 2010, G. Rap said Ross’ pre-rap career employment carried little relevance today.
“I don’t pay attention to all that sh*t,” Kool said in an interview. “To me, if dude was a C.O. or whatever, dude was making a living. And I ain’t gonna get too much into this sh*t because I’m not trying to make a circus out of this sh*t, because I’m not one to promote controversy and I’m not one to try to down another man out there doing his thing. What I will say is, I don’t see a problem if he woulda just said, ‘Yeah, I did that, but I’m doing this now.’ Rather than people trying to use that to bring him down, he coulda just came clean and just said it like, ‘Yo, I’ma real dude. I used to do this, but I’m doing this now.’ So I would never try to down [him] for what he do or anything like that, I just think – hip-hop is a game where people appreciate you when you’re more honest.” (Hip Hop DX)
Kool G Rap previously spoke to SOHH about co-signing Ross’ music.
“As far as my relationship with Rick Ross, that just happened, that’s how it built,” Kool G told SOHH. “Both of our managers bumped heads and they got to talking about who they represent and it was a mutual level of respect on both sides. So when Ross’ people reached out to him about G Rap, I guess his eyes lit up and vice versa. It was supposed to expand further into a business venture, but, it didn’t materialize. So we did a couple collabos together.” (SOHH)
Check out Rick Ross’ interview:
