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A death threat is a threat, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or groups of people. These threats are usually designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behavior, thus a death threat is a form of coercion. For example, a death threat could be used to dissuade a public figure from pursuing a criminal investigation or an advocacy campaign.

In many jurisdictions, death threats are a criminal offense. Death threats are often covered by coercion statutes. For instance, the coercion statute in Alaska says:

A person commits the crime of coercion if the person compels another to engage in conduct from which there is a legal right to abstain or abstain from conduct in which there is a legal right to engage, by means of instilling in the person who is compelled a fear that, if the demand is not complied with, the person who makes the demand or another may inflict physical injury on anyone....^[1]

Methods[link]

A death threat can be communicated via a wide range of mediums, among these letters, newspaper publications, telephone calls, internet blogs,^[2] and e-mail. If the threat is made against a political figure, it can also be considered treason. If a threat is against a non-living location that frequently contains living individuals (e.g. a building) it could be a terrorist threat. Sometimes death threats are part of a wider campaign of abuse targeting a person or a group of people (see terrorism, mass murder).

Here is an example of an actual death threat, from the book Wordcrime by John Olsson. This is a genuine example from a criminal case, provided by the Forensic Linguistics Institute, which analyzes all kinds of text, including traditional letters, ransom demands, hate mail, various texts via mobile phone; SMS device, etc., for authorship:

Boris: I am one of the 4 employees still in the office. I have withheld my identity because I have realised that nothing is a secret any more, the author of the anonymous doc is now a public information. I write as a matter of genuine concern. We in the office are convinced that there is a real threat at your life, some mysterious people are looking for you (different people at different times). They are not genuine people. The cops are also looking for you, they say they want to return you to court, they look like there is more than meets the eye or more that we know of. regards

Death threats against a head of state[link]

In some monarchies and republics, both democratic and authoritarian, threatening to kill the head of state and/or head of government (such as the sovereign, president, or prime minister) is considered a crime for which punishments vary. US law provides for up to 5 years in prison for threatening the President of the United States. In the United Kingdom, under the Treason Felony Act 1848, it is illegal to attempt to kill or deprive the monarch of her throne; this offense was originally punished with penal transportation and then was changed to the death penalty and currently the penalty is life imprisonment.

Osman warning, letter or notice[link]

These are warnings of death threat or high risk of murder that are issued by British police or legal authorities to the expected victim.^[3] They are used when there is intelligence of the threat, but there is not enough evidence to justify the police arresting the expected murderer.^[4]

The warnings are named after a high-profile case, Osman v United Kingdom, of police failing to protect individuals despite some warning signs pointing at impending aggression. The murderer in this case said to the police: "Why didn't you stop me before I did it, I gave you all the warning signs?" The police had known that the murderer had posed a threat to several people, and had carried out criminal acts against some of them, but the police had not informed those at risk of the seriousness of the threat.^[5] In September 1989 the family commenced a civil action in negligence against the police. This was dismissed by the High Court and then upheld on appeal in 1992. Further action was taken by the family in the European Commission of Human Rights beginning in November 1993 with a final report being issued in 1997.^[6]

See also[link]

• Assassination
• Bomb threat
• Coercion
• Extortion
• Assault
• Witness intimidation
• United States Federal Witness Protection Program
• United States Marshals Service
• Terrorism
• Hostage
• Interrogation
• Kidnapping
• Torture
• Secret Service
• Bulletproof vest
• Armour
• Undercover
• Contract killing
• Informant
• Stalking

References[link]

External links[link]

• Judiciary Criminal Charges
• The Forensic Linguistics Institute

Francis Michael Durango Magalona (October 4, 1964 – March 6, 2009), also known as FrancisM, Master Rapper, MC The Mouth and The Man From Manila, was a Filipino rapper, entrepreneur, songwriter, producer, actor, director, and photographer. He was the first Filipino rapper in the Philippines to cross over to the mainstream. He was credited for having pioneered the merging of rap with Pinoy rock, becoming a significant influence to artists in that genre as well. He was also a television host on MTV Asia and Channel V Philippines and on noontime variety television show Eat Bulaga! Magalona died seven months after being diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.^[2] Magalona was later awarded a posthumous Presidential Medal of Merit. The award's citation noted that it had been given “for his musical and artistic brilliance, his deep faith in the Filipino and his sense of national pride that continue to inspire us.” ^[3][4][5]

Family and early career[link]

Magalona was the eighth of the nine children of actors Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran, popular film stars of the 1940s and 1950s.^[2] His grandfather, Enrique B. Magalona, was a politician and served as a Senator of the Philippines from 1946 to 1949 and from 1949 to 1955. He graduated from High School at the Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong City from 1978 to 1981 and studied at the San Beda College in Manila from 1981-1984.

Magalona started out as a breakdancer in the 1980s.^[2] He was cast in several Filipino movies including Bagets 2. He was the resident DJ/rapper in the IBC-13 variety show Loveli'Ness.^[2]

Magalona was introduced by co-actor Richard Gomez to Pia Arroyo at a party in a disco owned by film director Ishmael Bernal,^[6] and the couple got married in 1985.^[7] The couple had eight children, two of whom were Magalona's stepchildren:^[8][9] Unna, Nicolo, Francis Jr. (Frank), Clara, and television personalities Maxene, Saab, Elmo Magalona and Arkin Magalona, who entered showbiz after their father's death.

Music career[link]

Filipino hip hop and nationalistic rap[link]

In 1990, he released the album Yo!, the first commercially released Filipino rap album.^[10] Yo! included several popular singles such as "Mga Kababayan" (Fellow Countrymen), "Gotta Let 'Cha Know", "Cold Summer Nights" and "Man From Manila". With tracks that featured politically conscious and thought-provoking rhymes in both English and Tagalog, Yo! was a big success and helped catapult Filipino hip hop from underground to mainstream status. It also marked the birth of Makabayang (nationalistic) rap in Filipino hip hop.

In 1992, Francis Magalona released Rap Is FrancisM (1992). With tracks addressing the various cultural and social problems that plagued his country such as drug addiction in "Mga Praning" (Paranoids), political instability in "Halalan" (Elections) as well as the detrimental effects of a colonial mentality in "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy" (We Are Filipinos), the record's complexity and conscious message quickly earned it its classic status and became the standard by which future albums of the genre were to be compared^{[citation needed]}. This album helped tag Magalona as one of the most politically conscious voices of his generation.^[11]

Hardware Syndrome and the merging of rap with Pinoy rock[link]

The release of his third album, Meron akong ano! (I Got Something!) in 1993 marked the beginning of Magalona's experimentation with Pinoy rock.^[2] It also saw the birth of Hardware Syndrome--previously known as Cannabis—the band which would, with Magalona at its helm, introduce the merging of Pinoy Rock and Rap to the Filipino music audience. Members over the years included musicians Carlo Sison,Francis Villanueva, Niño Mesina, Boyet Aquino, Elmer Blancaflor, Noel Mendez, Perf de Castro, Benjie "Bagets" Mendez, Albert Tamayo, DJ Kimozave, DJ Radikal MK, Kenji Marquez, Jack Rufo, and Wendell Garcia.^[12]

Magalona was soon cited for excellence in both genres of music. He frequently collaborated with other OPM luminaries such as Joey Ayala, Heber Bartolome of Banyuhay, Ryan Cayabyab, Mike Hanopol of Juan Dela Cruz Band, Andrew E., Michael V., Death Threat, and the band Eraserheads. In the latter part of his career, Magalona worked together with rappers Krazykyle, Gloc 9 and the Pinoy rock band Parokya ni Edgar. In 1994, Magalona moved from Octo-Arts EMI Philippines, which had released all of his previous albums, to BMG Records Pilipinas, the same label as the seminal Pinoy rock group, The Eraserheads.^[12]

Freeman was released the following year, 1995, and firmly established Magalona's legitimacy in the Pinoy rock scene. Tracks like "Three Stars & A Sun", "Kabataan Para Sa Kinabukasan", "Suckin' on Helium/Kaleidoscope World" would become defining touch-points in Magalona's body of work. A track titled "Intellectual Property Rights" would sample a speech by then-president Fidel V. Ramos. Intellectual property rights was an issue that would continue to be an important and very personal advocacy for Magalona.^[12][13] "Kaleidoscope World" went on to win 1996 Awit Award for Best Produced Record of the Year, and the 1996 NU 107 Rock Award for Song of the Year. Its music video was directed by the celebrated director/cinematographer Raymond Red^[14][15]

Magalona's next album,Happy Battle, was released in 1996.^[16] The launch for the video-game themed album at the Hard Rock Cafe in Makati was noted by the press for its wide range of influences: aside from fans of Magalona's music, he had showbiz fans and coworkers from Eat Bulaga!, where he had already started hosting; and two sets of Sony PlayStations with giant screens set up so people could play video games while watching the gig. The album was also notable for a number of significant collaborations: "Unstrung Heroes" with Ely Buendia; "Sapot", with project band Planet Garapata, which included Raimund Marasigan, Jeng Tan and Mark Lakay, who would later form Sandwich; and "Make Your Move" with pioneer Filipino punk band Betrayed. In keeping with the nationalistic theme in Magalona's work, 1-800-Ninety-Six was written in celebration of the centennial of the Philippine revolution of 1896. "Rainy" won Best Folk song, and the album itself would became the first and only album to win Best Rock and Best Rap Album at the Katha Awards.^[12] When Magalona was diagnosed with Leukemia, he and his wife Pia would use the album name "Happy Battle" as a reference to his fight against cancer.^[2]

Later albums with Sony Music[link]

The 1998 album The Oddventures of Mr. Cool saw a move from the last two albums' heavy guitar sound and explored mellow, urban-style rapping. It featured the song "Whole Lotta Lovin'", whose music is a sample of the Eraserheads song "Alapaap".

Later albums with BMG (now with Sony Music) would include Interscholastic (1999) which featured adaptations of various artists' songs; and Freeman 2 (2001), which would echo many of the themes that had made the first Freeman album so popular. In 2002, his greatest hits album The Best of FrancisM was released by Musiko and Sony BMG Philippines. 2004 in turn saw the release of a single titled "Pambihira Ka".

Independent projects[link]

In 2002, with the assistance of then FUBU Philippines' management employees Carlo Maniquiz and Nick Tuason, Magalona launched a compilation album of the same name.^[17]

Magalona founded his own record company called Red Egg Records, and a production company, Filipino Pictures Inc., where he served as the resident Director. Through his production company, Magalona produced and directed music videos for several bands and solo artists such as Ely Buendia. His work on Sponge Cola's "KLSP" won Best Rock Video at the 2006 MYX Video Awards.

Shortly before his death, Magalona collaborated with Ely Buendia and other Filipino artists on an album with the working title The Sickos Project, which was later named as "In Love and War", and released posthumously.^[18] Both Francis M. and Ely Buendia were having health problems at that time. The album's carrier single is "Higante" (giant) which is about illness and strengths. Its music video was released on September 2009.

In an interview, Ely Buendia described his self as a "ticking timebomb" and Francis Magalona as "on borrowed time." The album will include a documentary about Ely and Francis, shot by Magalona's very own production company Filipino Pictures.

Magalona at Ninoy Aquino Airport in Manila

Television career[link]

In 1997, Magalona played the lead role in the made-for-TV movie Kamada by Raymond Red. The film, a full length feature shot on 16 mm, received awards from The Philippines Broadcasting Television and Asian TV Awards duyring the same year.^[19]

And in addition to co-hosting LoveliNess, Magalona was one of the original members of the youth oriented show That's Entertainment in 1987. He was also a co-host of the Philippine noon-time variety show Eat Bulaga! as well as being a VJ for MTV Asia and Channel V.^[11] He was MTV Asia's first Filipino VJ and remained with the network from 1996 to 2000.

He was also chosen by Fremantle Media, owners of American Idol as one of the judges of in the first Philippine Idol season that aired on ABC (now TV5). Magalona and his fellow judges Ryan Cayabyab and Pilita Corrales were not retained when the franchise transferred to GMA Network in 2008. Aside from television, he also hosted live events and presentations.

Other endeavors[link]

Magalona was a photographer and submitted pictures to magazines for publication. News reports note that he was overjoyed when he was accepted as a member of the Camera Club of the Philippines, and eventually received critical acclaim for his photographs.^[2]

Magalona also established a clothing line named FMCC, standing for "FrancisM Clothing Co." FMCC also operates it's stores under the "3 Stars & A Sun" brand.

He also started a foundation with Ely Buendia called Heartist Foundation, which aims to help Filipino artists with health and commercial concerns.

Illness and death[link]

Magalona was diagnosed on August 8, 2008, with acute myeloid leukemia at the Medical City Hospital, Pasig City. Appealing to the media and the public, Magalona said:

I don’t want a media circus, [...] I want privacy with my family. What I’d rather talk about is how we can solicit blood donations to replace the supply that I have consumed in the hospital.

—Francis Magalona, August 2008^[20]

After his first treatment and discharge, he made his return on Eat Bulaga together with Ely Buendia, who had also been recently discharged. His daughter Maxene stated that "He always did what he wanted to do. He never let anyone or anything stop him from doing what he loved to do. He still went to the Camera Club, he still took pictures, every time he was discharged from the hospital, he recorded songs with Ely Buendia. He taught us that life is short but it can be well lived. Don’t waste your time in the world."^[21]

His wife, Pia, later described her husband's battle with the disease, saying "Francis was a very passionate person. When he was angry, he was very expressive. He would get angry with his cancer. That was his way of coping with it. But he didn’t give up. I remembered that he told me, 'I'm going down fighting.'^[22]

On March 6, 2009, at 12 noon, Magalona succumbed to multiple organ failure secondary to septic shock, secondary to pneumonia in the immunocompromised (immediate cause); acute respiratory failure secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome (antecedent cause); underlying cause: acute myleogenous leukemia blast crisis.^[23][24] He had undergone several chemotherapy sessions since he was diagnosed the previous year and had been expected to undergo a bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT).^[24][25][26]

The announcement was first made over Eat Bulaga!.^[25] News of his death sparked a surge of web traffic to several Philippine news sites, causing a momentary slowdown in their operation.^[27] Guests at his wake included former president Corazon Aquino, along with other politicians and artists who paid tribute to Magalona's contribution to Filipino music and to national pride — the dominant advocacy theme in FrancisM's music.^[28] Fans arrived in droves to pay their last respects, some of them making a point to wear shirts from Magalona's FMCC line. Numerous television programs, ranging from noontime variety shows to primetime newscasts and late night news documentaries, paid tribute to Magalona.

He had been slated to appear as a special surprise guest at the Eraserheads' "the Final Set" reunion concert on March 7, 2009. Since he died the day before, the band instead dedicated the concert to Magalona. Buendia rapped the 22-bar portion in "Superproxy" which Magalona wrote,^[29] and the concert's penultimate song was the reprise of "Kaleidoscope World."^[23]

Magalona was cremated before daybreak on March 11, 2009. Hours later, his ashes were laid to rest at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City, causing traffic to stall in the Marikina Riverbanks area near the park as fans and numerous people from the entertainment industry joined the convoy. The Philippine Army rendered military honors to Magalona in recognition of his patriotism and service as a sergeant in the reserves. His widow, Pia, received the flag draped on his coffin.^[30]

Post-death crisis[link]

The Magalona family was also firm against any attempts to capitalize on FrancisM's death and persona. On March 17, 2009, a group of Filipino expatriates in Dubai, UAE and Saudi Arabia, announced plans to hold tribute concerts where performers will sing his songs, with the proceeds supposedly going to a foundation set up in his honor and to the Philippine Red Cross. Pia and Maxene later came out and denounced the organizers, saying that neither concert had the family's blessings and the foundation did not exist. They particularly admonished the concert organizers for using the Red Cross to attract attendees.^[31] Pia also asked the public not to patronize sellers of fake FMCC goods, which started to appear within days of Magalona's death. Their house had been broken into a number of times, the apparent main targets being Magalona's personal items, along with his children's belongings. One of the stolen items was a laptop computer on which unpublished FMCC designs were stored.^[32]

Honors and legacy[link]

Magalona would ultimately be cited not just the "King of Philippine rap" but also "The Father of Pinoy Hip Hop".^[11] Magalona's contributions to the genre have been featured in several international hip hop publications including the All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap and Hip-Hop (2003) published by Backbeat Books; as well as the May 2004 issue of the U.S.-based publication The Source. He was also given the Pioneer Hall of Fame Award by Empire Entertainment at the 1st Annual Philippine Hip-Hop Music Awards in 2005.^[33]

Magalona was the recipient of the MTV Pilipinas Video Music Awards Generations Award in 2006 "in recognition of his career that has spanned decades and broken boundaries, and for his music which continues to inspire generations of artists and music fans both here and abroad." He was the second person so honored, the first having been singer Gary Valenciano at the 2005 rites.

On March 18, 2009, the Philippine Government - through the efforts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts^[3] -- recognized Magalona with by awarding him a posthumous Presidential Medal of Merit. The award's citation noted that it had been given “for his musical and artistic brilliance, his deep faith in the Filipino and his sense of national pride that continue to inspire us.” ^[4][5]

Several supporters of Magalona launched a online petition to award him, the Order of National Artist, which is the highest recognition for Philippine artists. However, nominations for the National Artist award will have to be done after three years as nominations for the order are closed.^[34]

His daughter Maxene has indicated that she intends to continue Magalona's projects, including his The Sickos Project album with Buendia, and a documentary about his battle with cancer. The young actress stated: "We will coordinate with the people he had been working with, [...] I understand that Papa is a big part of history."^[22]

Discography[link]

PolyEast Records

• 1989 Francis M. (Extended of Loving You)
• 1990 Yo!
• 1990 Mga Kababayan (E.P. Dance Remix)
• 1990 Gotta Let 'Cha Know (E.P.)
• 1991 Man From Manila (E.P. Dance Remix)
• 1992 Rap is FrancisM
• 1993 Meron akong ano! ("I have something!")

Sony Music Philippines

• 1995 Freeman
• 1996 Happy Battle
• 1998 The Oddventures of Mr. Cool
• 1999 Interscholastic
• 2001 Freeman 2
• 2002 The Best of FrancisM
• 2004 "Pambihira Ka" (single)
• 2010 In Love and War (aka ILAW, originally The Sickos Project) (with Ely Buendia, Hilera, Hardware Syndrome and other artists)

Independent

• 2008 F Word

Television appearances[link]

• MTV Pilipinas Music Video Award 2006
• Philippine Idol (ABC "now TV5", 2006) "Judge"
• Student Canteen
• Balikbayan (QTV, 2009)
• Eat Bulaga!
• Maynila (2008)
• A Telefantastic Christmas: The GMA All-Star Spcecial (2005)
• True Love: Eat Bulaga Special (2005)
• Fam Jam (QTV, 2005–2006)
• Bubble Gang (2005)
• Myx Live (2005)
• Show Ko 'to (2004)
• Astigmatism (2004) as Victim 1
• The Manager: Eat Bulaga Special (2003)
• GMA Mini Series
• GMA Love Stories
• MTV Talk
• MTV's Life’s A Beach
• GMA Telecine Specials
• Spotlight Drama Specials
• Chibugan Na! (RPN)
• Dear Mikee
• Mikee
• Music Bureau (ABC)
• Kamada (1997)
• Maalaala Mo Kaya (1995)
• Channel V: Sigaw Manila (1995)
• That's Entertainment
• Lovingly Yours (1986–1996)
• Regal Romance (GMA Network)
• The Sharon Cuneta Show (IBC & ABS-CBN)
• Mother Studio Presents
• Young Love, Sweet Love (RPN)
• Plaza 1899
• U. F. O. (Urbana, Felisa & Others)
• Loveli Ness (co host)
• Vilma In Person (co host)

Filmography[link]

• Anak ni Brocka (2005, his last movie)
• Kwentong kayumanggi (2002) as Narrator - Hundreds Island and the Bravery of Datu Mabiskeg
• Saranggola ni Pepe at Juan (1999) as Juan San Miguel/Juan Tamad
• Tong-its (1997)
• Totoy Buang: Mad Killer ng Maynila (1994) - DJ
• Ano ba 'yan 2 (1993) - Kiko
• Mama's Boys (1993)
• Engkanto (1992) as Uban
• Estribo Gang: The Jinggoy Sese Story (1992) - Elmer
• Boboy Salonga: Batang Tondo (1992)
• Ano ba 'yan (1992) - Kiko
• Joey Boy Munti, 15 anyos ka sa Muntilupa (1991)
• Pangako ng Puso (1991)
• Iputok mo... dadapa ako!!! (1990)
• Gumapang ka sa lusak (aka Dirty Affair) (1990)
• Ang Pumatay ng Dahil Sa Iyo (1989)
• Hati tayo sa magdamag (1988)
• Action Is Not Missing (1987)
• Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Lahat Sa Akin (1987)
• Family Tree (1987) as Edwin
• Ninja Kids (1986) as Tone
• Bukas ng Sabado agi Buka sa Sabitan (1986)
• Okleng Tokleng (1986)
• Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (1985)
• Doctor, Doctor, We Are Sick (1985)
• Bagets 2 (1984) as Ponce

Endorsements[link]

• Nescafe RTD
• Sun Life Insurance
• Lucky Me! Instant Mami
• Royal Tru-Orange
• FUBU Brand Urban Clothing
• Head and Shoulders

References[link]

External links[link]

• a Free Mind, Francis Magalona's official website
• FrancisM's Happy Battle, blog by Magalona and wife Pia focusing on his battle with leukemia
• Francis Magalona at PinoyRap.com
• Francis Magalona at the Internet Movie Database
• Francis Magalona at Allmusic

William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), better known by his stage name Rick Ross (often stylized as RICK RO$$), is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection. Ross founded the record label Maybach Music Group, on which he released his studio albums Deeper Than Rap and Teflon Don, Ross was also the first artist signed to Diddy's management company Ciroc Entertainment. In early 2012, MTV named Ross as the Hottest MC In The Game.^[3]

Early life[link]

William Leonard Roberts II was born in Coahoma County, Mississippi.^[1] and raised in Carol City, Florida, near Miami.^[2] After graduating from Carol City Senior High School, he later attended the historically black college Albany State University on a football scholarship.^[4]

Music career[link]

After being signed to Suave House Records, former label for rap duo 8Ball & MJG, he eventually signed a deal with Slip-n-Slide Records, which has been under the Def Jam umbrella since 2006. While signed to Slip-n-Slide, Ross toured with fellow rapper Trick Daddy and made guest performances on other Slip-n-Slide albums.^[2]

[edit] Port of Miami (2006)

His debut album Port of Miami was released in August 2006 and debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart, with sales at 187,000 units after its first week.^[5][6] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone magazine predicted that it would be "the summer's biggest rap record".^[7] The second single was "Push It", which samples "Scarface (Push It to the Limit)", the theme song off the gangster film Scarface.^[8] The music video for "Push It" was modeled after the film.^[9] During that time, Ross made guest performances on two singles from DJ Khaled's debut Listennn... the Album: "Born-N-Raised" and "Holla at Me". Port of Miami received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on November 8, 2006.

[edit] Trilla (2008)

In March 2008, his second album Trilla was released and, as its predecessor Port of Miami had, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200.^[10] Its lead single "Speedin'" featuring R. Kelly peaked at #121 on the Billboard Hot 100; the next one, "The Boss" featuring T-Pain peaked at #17 on the Hot 100. The third single "Here I Am" featured Nelly and Avery Storm.^[11] MTV News ranked Ross on the fourth spot in its 2008 "Hottest MCs In The Game" list among ten rappers.^[12] The fourth single "This Is The Life" featured Trey Songz and was released in July.

[edit] Deeper Than Rap (2009)

"I look at the game and the business and all different aspects, it's a lot of great lyricists on the corner that will never properly understand the business and know how to market themselves and get in a position where they can gain capital. I look at all the strategies people use and what made them successful. What made Birdman just as relevant today after selling 50 million records? That intrigues me. To see the class of Jay-Z, his accomplishments and see how he sits backs and accurately makes his moves."^[13]

A track from the album called "Valley of Death" was what stood out to MTV reporters. In the song, Ross speaks briefly on his controversial stint as a prison guard. "Keep it trilla, nigga, never had a gun and badge," which he stresses, leaving the word that he was indeed an officer of the law. "Kept a nice watch, smoking on a hundred sack/ Back in the day I sold crack for some nice kicks/ Skippin' school, I saw my friend stabbed with an ice pick/ Can't criticize niggas trying to get jobs/ Better get smart, young brother, live yours." Later, he implies that while he was working as a corrections officer, he was on the streets. "Only lived once and I got two kids/ And for me to feed them, I'll get two gigs," he raps. "I'll shovel shit, I'll C.O./ So we can bow our heads and pray over the meatloaf." Although, he still provided no explanation for lying about being a C.O. to begin with, nor did he explain why he failed to pay child support for his children.^[14][15]

The cover of the May 2009 issue of XXL magazine, titled "Rick Ross Up in Smoke", featured Ross wearing a pair of Louis Vuitton sunglasses. After publication, a spokesperson for the luxury-goods maker contacted XXL to inform them that Ross was sporting fake sunglasses in the cover image.^[16] It was later revealed that the rapper was wearing authentic Louis Vuitton sunglasses which were altered by Jacob Bernstein, known as "The Sunglass Pimp". Bernstein defended his customizations despite Louis Vuitton's insistence that such modification and resale of trademarked property is not legal.^[17]

[edit] Teflon Don and other works (2010)

Rick Ross released his fourth studio album entitled Teflon Don, which was released on July 6, 2010. The lead is "Super High" featuring Ne-Yo. Actress Stacey Dash made an appearance in the music video. A second official single was released titled "Live Fast, Die Young" which features and is produced by Kanye West. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 selling 176,000 copies in its first week.

In November 2010, rapper and frequent collabourator, Diddy, who in 2009 signed Ross to a management deal with his Ciroc Entertainment, announced from his YouTube account, that him and Ross are working on an EP together, which is going to be released in 2011.^{[dated info]} A single has been released for the project, called "Another One".^[18]

[edit] God Forgives, I Don't (2011 - present)

Rick Ross had also announced the release of his next album, "God Forgives, I Don't", for December 13, 2011, however it was confirmed on November 17, 2011 it has been pushed back for release in 2012.^[19][20]

Rick Ross premiered two songs from his new album "God Forgives, I Don't", titled "You The Boss" and "I Love My Bitches".^[21]

Along with his music projects, Rick Ross was nominated by The Source as its "Man of the Year".^[22]

Rick Ross performed at BET Awards 2011, which aired on June 26, 2011.^[23] He also received a nomination for Best Male Hip Hop Artist.^[24] In early 2012, Ross was named the Hottest MC In The Game.^[3]

Personal life[link]

Correctional officer photos[link]

In July 2008, The Smoking Gun produced details linking Ross' social security number to an eighteen month stint as a correctional officer at the South Florida Reception Center, along with a photograph purporting to be Ross in his correctional officer uniform.^[25] Ross initially denied that the photograph was of him;^[26] after overwhelming evidence of his past came into the public's eye, Ross later admitted that he did work as a correctional officer in Florida during the early 1990s.^[27] In a 2008 interview with AllHipHop.com,^[28] "Freeway" Ricky Ross, claimed offense that Roberts used his name and identity when he learned that The Smoking Gun posted documents revealing Roberts' previous employment as a Florida correctional officer.^[29]

Legal issues[link]

Mugshot of Rick Ross taken in 2008.

In January 2008, Ross was arrested on gun and marijuana charges. During a deposition of Officer Rey Hernandez, a Miami Beach cop who arrested Ross, Ross's lawyer, Allan Zamren, asked Hernandez why Ross’s case was assigned to the gang task force. The officer stated that it was because Ross claimed affiliation with Carol City Cartel and other known gang members. Zamren then pressed Hernandez for a personal link between Ross and the gang members, but ultimately one could not be established.^[30]

In August 2008, YouTube entertainer DJ Vlad filed a lawsuit against Ross for assault and battery. Vlad claimed Ross organized an ambush on him at the 2008 Ozone Awards in Houston, Texas for asking questions about his past as a correctional officer.^[31]

On June 18, 2010, Freeway Ricky Ross sued Rick Ross for using his name,^[32] filing a copyright infringement lawsuit in a California Federal Court.^[32] Jay-Z had been called to testify in the lawsuit, as he was CEO of Def Jam when Ross/Roberts was signed.^[32] The reformed drug kingpin was looking for 10 million dollars in the lawsuit.^[32] Also, the release of his album, Teflon Don, was threatened to be blocked by Freeway Ricky Ross. A week after the filing of the lawsuit, Rick Ross responded to the charges: "It’s like owning a restaurant, you’re gonna have a few slip and falls. You get lawsuits, you deal with them, and get them out your way…sometimes you lose."^[33] He then denied rumors that he would change his name to "Ricky Rozay" as a consequence of the lawsuit. The lawsuit was thrown out of court on July 3, 2010^[34] and his album, Teflon Don, was released on July 20 as scheduled.

On March 26, 2011, Ross was arrested in Shreveport for possession of marijuana. According to the police records, a strong odor of marijuana was detected from his room at the Hilton in Downtown Shreveport.^[35]

Religion[link]

Rick Ross is a Christian,^[36] and in an interview with Corey "Coco Brother" Condrey on Lift Every Voice, he indicated that "I had told myself at one point no matter what I go through, I never question God."^[37] In addition, Ross indicated that he prays every time he goes on stage to perform.^[38]

Seizures[link]

On October 14, 2011 Rick Ross suffered two seizures in the same day, once in the morning and once again early evening. Following the morning seizure, he was unconscious and CPR was being performed. He did, however, post a video to his Twitter account later in the day saying that he was OK.^{[citation needed]} Ross boarded another plane later in the day and suffered another seizure. On October 14, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital confirmed that Ross had been admitted to the emergency room. TMZ, who first reported the seizure, updated their story originally posted at 4:45 PST, stating that Ross was in stable condition.^{[citation needed]}

Feud with 50 Cent[link]

In January 2009, Ross started a feud with rapper 50 Cent because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards. 50 Cent told news sources that he did not remember seeing Ross there.^[39] In late January, "Mafia Music", by Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seemed to diss 50 Cent. Days later, 50 Cent released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Ross's disparaging remarks on his "Mafia Music" song.

Before going to Venezuela, 50 Cent uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot," wherein he stated: "Rick Ross- I'mma fuck your life up for fun." In addition, 50 Cent released the first of a series of "Officer Ricky" cartoons. Early in February, 50 Cent once again made a video which he uploaded to YouTube in which he interviewed "Tia", the mother of one of Ross's children. She verifies that he was a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake and fraudulent.^[40] On Thursday, February 5, 2009, Game, who 50 Cent has a long-standing "beef" with, called up Seattle R&B station KUBE. When asked about the beef between 50 Cent and Ross, Game sided with 50 Cent and said that things are not looking good for Ross. He offered to help, stating, "Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man," and, "50 eating you, boy."^[41] On his album Deeper Than Rap, Ross references 50 Cent in the song "In Cold Blood". A video for the song was released that portrayed 50 Cent's mock funeral. Upon release, Ross stated that he has ended 50 Cent's career.^[42] That same day Ross released a new diss track called "Push 'Em Over The Edge". The next day 50 Cent released the controversial video "A Psychic Told Me", dissing DJ Khaled. On February 12, 50 Cent responded with "Tia Told Me", along with Lloyd Banks' response "Officer Down" and Tony Yayo's "Somebody Snitched".

In an interview, 50 Cent said Ross is "Albert From CB4. You ever seen the movie? He's Albert," he added. "It never gets worse than this. You get a guy that was a correctional officer come out and base his entire career on writing material from a drug dealer's perspective."^[43]

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

• 2006: Port of Miami
• 2008: Trilla
• 2009: Deeper Than Rap
• 2010: Teflon Don
• 2012: God Forgives, I Don't ^[20]

Maybach Music Group Albums[link]

• 2011: Self Made Vol. 1 (with Maybach Music Group)
• 2012: Self Made Vol. 2 (with Maybach Music Group)^[44]

Collaboration albums[link]

• 2009: Custom Cars & Cycles (with Triple C's)
• TBA: Bugatti Boyz (with Diddy)^[45][46]

Compilation albums[link]

• 2007: Rise to Power

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rick Ross

• Rick Ross Official Def Jam Website
• Rick Ross at the Internet Movie Database