By: Lola Plaku [contact]

Miami, FL - On March 11th 2008, Miami's self-proclaimed "BOSS" Rick Ross, released his second effort Trilla under Def Jam/Slip-n-Slide records. The album sold 198,000 copies in its first week of sales, 11,000 higher than his certified gold debut album Port Of Miami. The first single off the album was "Speedin" featuring R. Kelly and his current single is "The Boss" featuring T-Pain. There was also a street single "Street Money" featuring Flo Rida released along with a video. "Maybach Music" featuring Jay-Z is said to be his third single.

Ross got his moniker after Cocaine Kingpin "Freeway" Ricky Ross, who was one of the major crack distributors during 1980's. His operation is alleged to have purchased in excess of 400 kilos of cocaine a week selling as much as $3 million of crack every day.

Growing up in Carol City, Florida, nothing like the South Beach we see on TV everyday, Ross reflects his harsh lifestyle in his music. He wants to draw the public's attention to the other side of the bridge, where people can really see what goes on in the streets. Grinding and making music for the past 12 years, Ross is now in a position to make a difference for himself and his city. He started Rick Ross Charities as a mechanism to strengthen the lives of today's youth by creating a solid foundation through educational, social and mentoring programs to ensure a promising future (http://www.rickrosscharitiesin.org). After the release of Trilla, Ross plans to release M.I. YAYO: a documentary looking at Miami's top 10 biggest street hustlers. He is also in the studio working with his group Carol City Cartel (AKA Triple C's) on their album Black Flag,  as well as preparing to release a film as a joint effort with Birdman titled H, which he wouldn't shed any light on as of yet.

HipHopCanada talked to Rick Ross in 2006 prior to the release of Port of Miami and also had a chance to catch up with him in New York at the Def Jam offices prior to the release of Tilla. Pressed for time, we got in as much conversation and questions as we could, before the Boss had to head over to MTV for some more press and appearances.

HipHopCanada.com: Your second album Trilla is coming out on March 11th. What kind of response are you expecting from the fans?
You know the anticipation is big, and I know I put together a well polished classic. I picked up with where I left off with Port Of Miami so I expect it to be huge.

HipHopCanada: How long did you work on the album and why the name Trilla?
Trilla is just a term we've been using down south and I put my own spin on it and kind of drew from Michael Jackson's Thriller and just called it Trilla.

HipHopCanada: Had you been working on it since '06?
No, maybe like 5-6 months.

HipHopCanada: What separates you from other artists in the game right now?
I'm the biggest.

HipHopCanada: Biggest artist…What do you think 2008 is going to bring for you with this album? A different kind of success or more so just a follow up?
Most definitely a different level of success. I believe in making albums that are real solid in the streets and in the clubs where it counts the most at.

HipHopCanada: Were there any disadvantages or difficulties you had to deal with when recording the album?
None. Everything went smoothly.

HipHopCanada: Were there any artists that didn't make the cut and why?
Not really… there were no artists that didn't make the cut. A lot of songs I might have saved to use for different projects. I'm happy with all the records I recorded and the only problem I really had with the recording process was a few sample clearance issues and that's why the date got changed too.

HipHopCanada: That's usually the reason for a lot of delays…
Yeah, it don't be because you don't have music and all that…

HipHopCanada: It's because the records take forever to clear. What was your best collaboration? I read in another interview that this album was more about working with the producers and the other artists you had on there…
Yeah, yeah, yeah… it was more about me collaborating more with the producers rather then just getting a beat CD and picking the beat. I actually told them my ideas and the vibe I wanted and that's what I think made this album more soulful and more polished. When you hear the record I did with Jay-Z, you hear the ladies giggling in the beginning and the opera sounding [singing] "Maybach music"… you know it's not regular. So that's the difference in the album.

HipHopCanada: Dope. Being that physical sales have decreased how will this album be promoted to increase excitement among the buyers?
Oh, you already know, by being a boss and having big records. I'm always in the streets, always in the club, always promoting so they know I'm coming and it's a big day in the game.

HipHopCanada: How do you pick your beats when you chose the ones for the album?
Yeah, yeah, yeah…I'm fortunate enough to have relationships with producers where I can call them up and tell them my direction and what I need in terms of speed and tempo. Usually they'll make two or three beats just off of what I tell them and once I hear them and say I like one of the three, we can really take that and make it personal.

HipHopCanada: Of course… I read in other articles that you have been doing this for 10-12 years and your career has been more low key than mainstream. Since 2006, to have all that success with Port of Miami how did your life change? For the past two years how has your life been different or how do you see things differently?
I see things in a different light because it's a different reality. I'm dealing with different things now and I'm taking advantage of all the opportunities. I planned, plotted and strategized for 12 years and there is nothing that can catch me off guard. I anticipate everything at the same time so no matter which door I walk through, I know what's cracking.

HipHopCanada: Was it exciting at first to kind of go somewhere and be swamped by fans. How did you embrace that?
I love that, and it's not because of my ego, but it's just my reward for all that time and all them hours I stayed up, all the nights I sacrificed everything else and just to see it pay off, that's the best.

HipHopCanada: What kept pushing you to do it for all those years without being able to get the recognition you wanted?
Honestly, [it was] not being able to do anything else. Anything else I'm going to fail at because I don't love it. If I don't love something, I can't do it.

HipHopCanada: Best thing about being Rick Ross?
You know, being a boss…

HipHopCanada: [Laughing] Okay, so tell me about Carol City Cartel. What are you guys working on?
That's the first project to look for from my label Maybach Music Group. I look at that [CCC] like that's the super group coming from the South. We're most definitely going to bring back that NWA era, that Marley Mal, Big Daddy Kane; just that real music that you can absorb.

HipHopCanada: Are you actually working on a project right now?
Yeah, we're in the studio now.

HipHopCanada: I heard you're executive producing the album? Do you have a name for it?
Black Flag.

HipHopCanada: Why the title?
That's just the nickname of my homebody who really motivated me to do music. He's serving 3 life sentences right now. His nickname is Black Boy so we're still waving that flag on his behalf.

HipHopCanada: Any projects you're dropping besides the album?
Yeah, most definitely March 25th, M.I. YAYO.

HipHopCanada: Is that the DVD you're working on?
It's a Top 10 countdown of the biggest street dudes.

HipHopCanada: From Miami or just the streets period?
Yeah, from Miami.

HipHopCanada: And that leads to my next question, what is the advantage of being from Miami rather than cities like Atlanta or New York?
We get to jump in the pool on Christmas…

HipHopCanada: [Laughing] Musically though. I think there are a lot of artists from Miami but you're probably one of the few ones that have been able to make it international (Trina, Trick Daddy) and go platinum. Musically, is it because there aren't so many artists that make things easier… or harder?
That's a good question…I really don't know. It's one of them funny things and I'm so careful with how I absorb titles that people give you. Miami…we're making great music right now. We're also keeping it real with each other and supporting each other and embracing each other; from DJ Khaled to Triple C's, to Flo Rida, to Brisco, Trick Daddy, even Plies and T-Pain. We were cold for so long that once we get the opportunity we don't fuck it up. That's the mentality.

HipHopCanada: And I think that's what made the South blow up and get to where it is because once some people got that shine, everyone just stuck together and made it a huge movement.
Believe that.

HipHopCanada: What do you think gives artists longevity in the game?
Hit records.

HipHopCanada: What do you pay more attention to: performing or studio?
I believe they go hand-in-hand. When you hear a hit record and you go to a show, you pay your money to see a hot performance to go with the hit record. I think over time I've gotten so comfortable on stage that with the reaction and love I get, I give a lot out. I think more importantly though, the focus is the actual record.

HipHopCanada: When you make an album, do you want the songs to make sense together or every song being a hit on its own.
Making sense together. I like some shit that isn't a hit record. I like records that may be totally off and are more personal. When I used to listen to Outkast, they had an R&B song come out of nowhere or a booty club song like you're in a strip club or some shit. That's what made SouthernplayalisticCadillacmuzc a classic.  Because it went from talking about real shit and then it went into other vibes. That's what life is like. When you get up in the morning, you may be driving fast but when you're leaving or heading home you're cruising. You can't have one whole album of "Everyday I'm Hustling."

HipHopCanada: Right, that'd be too many platinum singles.
It's a lot but the overall sound… you have to give them that 360 degrees.

HipHopCanada: If you could have anybody else's position right now, who would it be… if you would even want to be somebody else?
There are a lot of big boys in the game. I'm gonna keep it real. I'll stay in my shoes even though I admire a lot of people in this business that are bigger and wealthier than me, and some smaller and less wealthy than me.  That doesn't have anything to do with me admiring them or being a fan of theirs. That's me being Trilla.

HipHopCanada: When you first started doing music how did you see your career taking shape? Did you think it was going to take off in a year or two or it was going to take 12 years…
I thought it was going to be like next year. When I first started writing and I put out my first mixtape I was like, "Okay…"

HipHopCanada: Who were you working with back then?
Just little producers, little dudes who sold their beats for $200.

HipHopCanada: Is there anybody in the game that has grown with you throughout that whole time?
Yup, Yup. Cool & Dre. Shout-out to Cool & Dre.

HipHopCanada: What other projects are you working on that you want to mention?
Trilla in stores March 11th; be a part of history, cop that. March 25th, the documentary M.I. YAYO is in stores, cop that. This summer look for Black Flag from Tipple C's on my label Maybach Music Group: cop that. Me and Birdman are working on a film called H. I'll make you do your street homework and find out what H means.

HipHopCanada: Alright, I might have to call up Birdman myself for this one. [Laughing]
[Laughing] We also did a project together too that we're going to release so I'm just staying busy and doing what I do.

HipHopCanada: Can you tell me more about the foundation you have, Rick Ross Charities?
That's something that I don't really talk about a lot, but I just want to give back. It's not about me being a good guy because I'm a class A fuck up, but it's about me understanding where I come from and me coming up, not having anything. Me coming up eating mayonnaise sandwiches; me coming up eating tomato sandwiches; me coming up without a father figure; me coming up with a mom working three jobs. We lived in motels. When I was in the streets hustling, I didn't have a charity. But when you're in the streets and you're doing wrong, you want people to see you doing good too. I know my neighbors knew I was selling drugs but my neighbors also saw me pay for them old people who couldn't pay for their grass to get cut, I paid for it. When their cars broke down, I paid for it. They saw the good and the bad and they let me live.

HipHopCanada: Any last words…
Trilla in stores, go cop it. I'm thanking you in advance. M.I. YAYO. Much love to you baby for being a fly super cool motherfucker.

Editor's note: For more information on Rick Ross and Trilla visit http://www.rickrosstrilla.comor check out Rick Ross on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/rickross.

  
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Lola Plaku http://www.myspace.com/lola00 Lola Plaku is currently the Writing Director for HipHopCanada.com. She has been writing for the company since early 2005 and continues to play a strong role in not only conducting interviews, but on the content updates for the website. Lola also work does PR work for several clients, keeping a strong focus on their press material and presentation. In addition to writing for HipHopCanada.com, Lola also writes for Swagg News, and has her own column called Ask Lola, where people write her in for advice on different areas of life and the entertainment industry. Lola is the Toronto Representative for a DVD based out of NY by the name of Epydemik, where she provides content from the industry in Toronto. In addition to hosting for the DVD, she also hosts her radio show I LUV HIP-HOP on Laurier Radio and several shows and events around the GTA. Lola is finishing her last year at Laurier University in media communications and sociology. Her website, ILuvLola.com is set to be launched in the near future.

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