Rick Ross' August 2008 Vibe Magazine 'Since I Got Famous' Interview

by **J The Kidd** Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:08 am

Boss Status

He calls himself the "biggest boss that you seen thus far." But William "Rick Ross" Roberts, 31, has come a long way in a short time. From small time Slip-N-Slider MC waiting for his shot to "Hustlin" wonder to full-blown superstar on the strength of his breakout sophomore album, Trilla (Slip-N-Slider/Def Jam), Miami's Ricky Rawss is just getting started.

VIBE: What can you do now that you couldn't do before?
RICK ROSS: The only thing ore important than money is power. To be able to make a phone call and make a collaboration happen without all the technical bullshit is one of the biggest advantages of becoming successful.

What do you miss?
Saturday mornings. i used to just float through the 'hood, make my rounds, post at the car wash, smoke good. Because of my schedule I can't do the simply things I like.

In "Maybach Music," you say, "Some things money can't buy." What are those things?
You can't buy happiness, love, or life. My father['s] dead, I got a slew of homies who [are] dead and gone. I just wish i could see their expression at seeing where I'm at today.

You can probably make campaign contributions now, yes?
I'm going to support Barack Obama, but I'm not gong to straight be a contributor in the campaign because of the way I conduct business. I'ma need some politcal leverage. And if a president ain't willing to get at me, where I can call you at the white house, or where I can come to the white house and get me some Lewinsky---if I need---then I can't really do that.

Do you worry about gas prices? On "The Boss" you say you have 10 black Maybachs...
Actually, I got two Maybachs, but I watch the gas prices because I remember being that little nig putting $2, $3 in the tank. Sometimes you gotta decide---bag of weed? Or the tank?

Would you ever own a tiger, given that one attacked its trainer on the set of your "Here I Am" video?
Not the white one. I want one of the real orange and brown ones with the black stripes. I want to feed it haters.

Describe Rick Ross in 2008.
I've got an appetite for success, a thirst for power, and I never get tired of eating money. When you mix that together, it's like a porno star on ecstasy. Know what I mean?