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Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada. Historically it also had exponents in former parts of the British Empire, for instance the Loyalists of British North America who sided with Britain and Crown during the Revolutionary War. The Tory ethics can be summed up with the phrase 'God, King and Country'. Tories generally advocate monarchism, are usually of a High Church Anglican or Recusant Catholic religious heritage, and are opposed to the radical liberalism of the Whig faction.

The Tory political faction emerged within the Parliament of England to uphold the legitimist rights of James, Duke of York to succeed his brother Charles II to the throne. James II was a Catholic, while the state institutions had broken from the Catholic Church—this was an issue for the Exclusion Bill supporting Whigs, the political heirs to the nonconformist Roundheads and Covenanters. There were two Tory ministries under James II; the first led by Lord Rochester, the second by Lord Belasyse. Some were later involved in his usurpation with the Whigs, which they saw as defending the Anglican Church. Tory sympathy for the Stuarts ran deep however and some supported Jacobitism, which saw them isolated by the Hanoverians until Lord Bute's ministry under George III.

Conservatism emerged by the end of the 18th century—which synthesised moderate Whig positions and some of the old Tory values to create a new political ideology, in opposition to the French Revolution. The likes of Edmund Burke and William Pitt the Younger led the way in this. Due to this faction eventually leading to the formation of the Conservative Party, members of that party are colloquially referred to as Tories, even if they are not traditionalists. Actual adherents to traditional Toryism in contemporary times tend to be referred to as High Tories to avoid confusion.

History of the term[link]

Lord Rochester was the first Tory to lead a Ministry in the Parliament of England.

The word "Tory" derives from the Middle Irish word tóraidhe; modern Irish tóraí: outlaw, robber or brigand, from the Irish word tóir, meaning "pursuit", since outlaws were "pursued men".^[1][2] It was originally used to refer to an Irish outlaw and later applied to Confederates or Royalists in arms.^[3] The term was thus originally a term of abuse, "an Irish rebel", before being adopted as a political label in the same way as Whig.

Towards the end of Charles II's reign (1660–85) there was some debate about whether or not his brother, James, Duke of York, should be allowed to succeed to the throne. 'Whigs' was the abusive term directed at those who wanted to exclude James on the grounds that he was a Roman Catholic. Those who were not prepared to exclude James were labelled 'Abhorrers' and later 'Tories'. Titus Oates applied the term "Tory," which then signified an Irish robber, to those who would not believe in his Popish plot, and the name gradually became extended to all who were supposed to have sympathy with the Catholic Duke of York.” ^[4]

With both 'Whig' and 'Tory', the suffix -ism was quickly added to make Whiggism and Toryism, meaning the principles and methods of each faction.

English and British politics[link]

Lord Belasyse was the second Tory to lead a Ministry.

Historically, the term Tory has been applied in various ways to supporters of the British monarchy. The term was initially applied in Ireland to the isolated bands of guerrillas resisting Oliver Cromwell's nine-month 1649–1650 campaign in Ireland, who were allied with Royalists through treaty with the Parliament of Confederate Ireland, signed at Kilkenny in January 1649;^[5] and later to dispossessed Catholics in Ulster following the Restoration.^[6]

During the Exclusion Bill Crisis the word Tory was applied in England as a nickname to the opponents of the bill, called the Abhorrers. The word 'Tory' had connotations of Papist and outlaw^[7] derived from its previous use in Ireland.

English Tories from the time of the Glorious Revolution up until the Reform Bill of 1832 were characterized by strong monarchist tendencies, support for the Church of England, and hostility to reform, while the Tory Party was an actual organization which held power intermittently throughout the same period.^[8]

Currently, the term "Tory" is commonly used in the media to refer to the Conservative Party and its members.

Canada[link]

The term was used to designate the pre-Confederation British ruling classes of Upper Canada and Lower Canada, known as the Family Compact and the Château Clique, an elite within the governing classes, and often members within a section of society known as the United Empire Loyalists.

In post-Confederation Canada the terms "Red Tory" and "Blue Tory" have long been used to describe the two wings of the Conservative and previously the Progressive Conservative (PC) parties. The diadic tensions originally arose out of the 1854 political union of British-Canadian Tories, French-Canadian traditionalists, and the monarchist and loyalist leaning sections of the emerging commercial classes at the time - many of whom were uncomfortable with the pro-American and annexationist tendencies within the liberal Grits. Tory strength and prominence in the political culture was a feature of life in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Manitoba.

By the 1930s, the factions within Canadian Toryism were associated with either the urban business elites, or with rural traditionalists from the country's hinterland. A "Red Tory" is a member of the more moderate wing of the party (in the manner of John Farthing and George Grant). They are generally unified by their adherence to British traditions in Canada.^[9]

Throughout the course of Canadian history, the Conservative Party was generally controlled by MacDonaldian Tory elements, which in Canada meant an adherence to the English-Canadian traditions of Monarchy, Empire-Commonwealth, parliamentary government, nationalism, protectionism, social reform, and eventually, acceptance of the necessity of the welfare state.^[10]

By the 1970s the Progressive Conservative Party was a Keynesian-consensus party. With the onset of stagflation in the 1970s, some Canadian Tories came under the influence of neo-liberal developments in Great Britain and the United States, which highlighted the policies for privatization and supply-side interventions. In Canada, these tories have been labeled neoconservatives - which has a somewhat different connotation in the US. By the early 1980s there was no clear neoconservative in the Tory leadership cadre, but Brian Mulroney, who became leader in 1983, eventually came to adopt many policies from the Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan governments.

As Mulroney took the Progressive Conservative Party further in this direction, with policy initiatives in the areas of deregulation, privatization, free-trade, and a consumption tax called the Goods and Services Tax (GST), many traditionally-minded Tories became concerned that a political and cultural schism was occurring within the party.

The 1986 creation of the Reform Party of Canada attracted some of the neo-liberals and social conservatives away from the Tory party, and as some of the neoconservative policies of the Mulroney government proved unpopular, some of the provincial-rights elements moved towards Reform as well. In 1993, Mulroney resigned, rather than fight an election based on his record after almost nine years in power. This left the PCs in disarray and scrambling to understand how to make toryism relevant in provinces such as Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia that had never had a strong tory tradition and political culture.

Thereafter in the 1990s, the PCs were a small party in the Canadian House of Commons, and could only exert legislative pressure on the government through their power in the Senate of Canada. Eventually, through death and retirements, this power waned. Joe Clark returned as leader, but the schism with the Reformers effectively watered down the combined Blue and Red Tory vote in Canada.

By the late 1990s, there was talk of the necessity of uniting the right in Canada, to deter further Liberal majorities. Many tories - both red and blue - opposed such moves, while others took the view that all would have to be pragmatic if there was any hope of reviving a strong party system. The Canadian Alliance party (as the Reform Party had become), and some leading tories came together on an informal basis to see if they could find common ground. While Progressive Conservative Leader Joe Clark rebuffed the notion, the talks moved ahead and eventually in December 2003, the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative parties voted to rejoin into a new party called the Conservative Party of Canada.

After the merger of the PCs with the Canadian Alliance in 2003, there was debate as to whether the "Tory" appellation should survive at the federal level. Although it was widely believed that some Alliance members would take offence to the term, it was officially accepted by the newly-merged party during the 2004 leadership convention. Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, and the Prime Minister as a result of the January 23, 2006 election, regularly refers to himself as a Tory and has suggested that the new party is a natural evolution of the conservative political movement in Canada.

American Revolution[link]

Mobbing the Tories by American Patriots in 1775-76; the Tory is about to be tarred and feathered

The term Tory or "Loyalist" was used in the American Revolution to include those who remained loyal to the British Crown. Since early in the 18th century, Tory had described those upholding the right of the Kings over parliament. During the revolution, particularly after the Declaration of Independence in 1776 this use was extended to cover anyone who remained loyal to the British Crown. Those Loyalists who settled in Canada, Nova Scotia, or the Bahamas after the American Revolution are known as United Empire Loyalists.

Texas Revolution[link]

In Texas 1832-36 support for the Texas Revolution was not unanimous. The "Tories" were men who supported the Mexican government. The Tories generally were long-term property holders whose roots were outside of the lower South. They typically had little interest in politics and sought conciliation rather than war or they withheld judgment from both sides. The Tories preferred to preserve the economic, political, and social gains that they enjoyed as citizens of Mexico, and the revolution threatened to jeopardize the security of their world.^[11]

Current Usage[link]

In Britain after 1832 the Tory Party was replaced by the Conservative Party, and "Tory" has become shorthand for a member of the Conservative Party or for the party in general. Many Conservatives still call themselves "Tory" to differentiate themselves from opponents, and the term is common in the media.

In Canada, the term "Tory" may describe any member of the Conservative Party of Canada, its predecessor party the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, or any similar affiliated conservative provincial party; the term is frequently used in contrast to "Grit", a shorthand for the Liberal Party of Canada.

In Australia, "Tory" is used as a pejorative term by members of the Australian Labor Party to refer to members of the conservative coalition Liberal and National parties.^[12]

See also[link]

conservatism portal

• Blue Tory
• Cavalier
• Conservatism
• High Tory
• Jacobitism
• Red Tory
• Tory (political faction)
• Traditionalist conservatism
• Ultra-Tories

References[link]

Canada section:

• W. Christian and C. Campbell (eds), Parties, Leaders and Ideologies in Canada
• J. Farthing, Freedom Wears a Crown
• G. Grant, Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism
• G. Horowitz, "Conservatism, Liberalism and Socialism in Canada: An Interpretation", CJEPS (1966).

This article's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (September 2009)

External links[link]

• Tory Act
• Karl Marx on the Tories and the Whigs (1852)

Tory Burch
Burch in India
Born	(1966-06-17) June 17, 1966 (age 46) Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence	New York, New York
Nationality	American
Education	University of Pennsylvania
Occupation	Fashion designer
Known for	Bohemian chic accessories
Awards	2005 Rising Star, Fashion Group International; 2007 brand launch award, Accessories Council of Excellence; CFDA Accessories Designer of the Year, 2008
Labels	Tory Burch

Tory Burch (born June 17, 1966; née Robinson) is an American fashion designer, business woman and philanthropist who was born, raised and educated in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

She attended the Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, PA, and the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the sorority Kappa Alpha Theta. After graduation, she moved to New York City, where she began a career working with fashion designers, including Zoran, a Yugoslavian designer.^[1] She worked at Harper's Bazaar magazine.^[1][2] She was a copywriter for Polo Ralph Lauren and worked for Vera Wang.

She began a fashion label in February 2004. The label was an immediate success and was endorsed by Oprah Winfrey the following year. The label has stores in several large American cities and has lines that are sold in several upscale specialty department stores. Burch has won several fashion awards for her designs. The company has since grown to 36 stores, four of which are outlet stores in Woodbury Commons, NY; San Marcos, TX; Camarillo, CA; and Orlando, FL Premium Outlets. Her fashion label known as "TRB by Tory Burch"—later as "Tory Burch"—began as a business operation in her Upper East Side apartment and quickly blossomed into free-standing boutiques,^[3] now numbering 68.^[4] In February 2004, Tory Burch opened a flagship store in the NoLIta neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City.^[5][6] The store was almost completely sold out on the first day.^[6] Stories about her and her fashion line have been in a broad spectrum of magazines and newspapers,^[7] and in April 2005, Winfrey endorsed her line on The Oprah Winfrey Show.^[3]

Personal life[link]

Born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania,^[5] Burch was raised with her three brothers (Robert, James and Leonard) ^[8] in a Valley Forge farmhouse where her mother, Reva Robinson, still lived in 2008.^[9] The house is a 250-year old Georgian near the Valley Forge National Historical Park.^[1] Her mother is a former actress who dated Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando.^[1] Her father, Buddy Robinson, who was a wealthy investor, is now deceased.^[9] Her father inherited a stock exchange seat and a paper cup company. He dated Grace Kelly and Joan Bennett.^[1] Tory's father was fourteen years older than her mother.^[1] Burch is ethnically half Jewish from her mother's side.^[10]

Burch in Porto Ercole, Italy, wearing a Tory Burch tunic

Tory served as captain of the tennis team and rode horses while at the Agnes Irwin School.^[1] Tory attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She majored in art history, and graduated in 1988.^[1]

In 1993, she married William Macklowe, son of real-estate tycoon Harry B. Macklowe.^[11] They divorced within a year.^[12] In 1997 she married Christopher Burch,^[9] an investor in Internet Capital Group, a venture capital firm founded by Walter Buckley and Ken Fox. They had three children: twins Henry and Nick (b. 1997) and Sawyer (b. 2001). They divorced in 2001.^[13] Burch also has three stepdaughters from her marriage to Christopher Burch: Alexandra, Elizabeth, and Louisa.^[9]

She dated Lance Armstrong in 2007^[14][15] and more recently, she has been linked to Lyor Cohen.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Business[link]

Shoe with Tory Burch medallion

Her company produces caftans, sequined cardigans, tunics, children's swimwear, jewelry, handbags, shoes, and sunglasses.^[3] The style has been described as Preppy-boho and Preppy-bohemian luxe.^[3] Some select styles of sunglasses, such as the Rounded Aviator, have the signature logo printed on the lens.^[5] Her styles are popular with the viewers and fans of the television show Gossip Girl, which they often appear on,^[20] and her style transcends generations.^[21] Her style is known for being easy to wear.^[2][22] In 2007, there were wait lists to buy her fashions,^[23] which are hallmark representations of and homages to 1950s and 1960s fashions.^[1][24] Her fashions are known for including her T-logo medallion.^[2] Her clothing is versatile enough to be part of the wardrobe of a clientele ranging from working women and soccer moms to socialites and wealthy women.^[1][25] Burch named her popular line of Reva ballerina flats after her mother.^[1] Burch is known as one of the leaders in turning the t-shirt into a fashion item.^[26]

In 2008, she beat Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors for the Council of Fashion Designers of America, as the accessories designer of the year.^[27] In 2007, she won the Accessory Brand Launch of the year award from the Accessories Council of Excellence.^[5][28] In 2005, she won Rising Star Award to Burch for best new Retail Concept from the Fashion Group International.^[5]

In 2009, Burch appeared in the fourth episode of Gossip Girl season three as herself.^[29]

Burch at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

As of April 2012, there were 68 Tory Burch stores worldwide, 48 in the US and 20 internationally.^[30] Her fashion line is carried at over 1,000 department and specialty stores worldwide,^[31] including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus^[32] Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's.^[33] In 2009, Tory Burch sold a minority stake in her company to a Mexican private equity firm, Tresalia Capital.^[34]

Philanthropy[link]

In 2008, Burch founded the Tory Burch Foundation, which provides "economic opportunities to women and their families".^[35] The Tory Burch Foundation is currently partnered with ACCION USA to provide domestic microfinance to low income entrepreneurs in the United States.^[36] ACCION USA is a non-profit domestic microfinance provider founded in 1991.^[37] Burch explained the reason for her focus as “I like microfinance in particular because it isn’t charity in the traditional sense. It’s about investing in people who might otherwise not have the chance to pursue their goals and helping families lift themselves out of poverty…It’s also incredibly important to the economic recovery of our country.”^[36] Burch’s stores sell several products whose proceeds support the Foundation’s work.^[38]

Burch is on the board of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and, in 2006, chaired the spring gala for the American Ballet Theatre which raised an estimated $1.8 million. In 2008, Burch was honored at a Colleague Helpers in Philanthropic Services (C.H.I.P.S.) luncheon that benefited the Children’s Institute, Inc.^[39]

Socialite[link]

Burch at 2007 Accessories Council of Excellence awards

Her parents were part of Philadelphia high society.^[9] Now, she is a socialite and businesswoman. She was co-chair of the American Ballet Theater Spring Gala in 2007 along with Caroline Kennedy, Carolina Herrera, Susan Fales-Hill (Misty Copeland's sponsor), Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, and Sloan Lindemann Barnett.^[40] She is also active in a variety of socialite activities such as the passing out gift bags at The Lung Cancer Research Foundation's "Strides for Life" Race.^[41]

Filmography[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Tory Burch main website
• Tory Burch Foundation website
• Tory Burch designer profile at Fashion Model Directory

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2011)

Michael Kors
Michael Kors Photo: Ed Kavishe, Fashion Wire Press
Born	(1959-08-09) August 9, 1959 (age 52) Long Island, New York, United States
Nationality	American
Education	Fashion Institute of Technology
Occupation	Fashion designer
Spouse	Lance LePere (since 2011)[1]
Awards	1999 CFDA award for womenswear designer of the year 2003 CFDA award for menswear designer of the year
Labels	Michael Kors

Michael Kors (born Karl Anderson, Jr.; August 9, 1959)^[2] is an American fashion designer. He is best known for designing classic American sportswear for women.

Personal life[link]

Kors was born Karl Anderson, Jr.^[3] on Long Island, New York, the son of Joan Hamburger, a former model, and her first husband, Karl Anderson, a college student.^[4][5] When his mother remarried when he was five, he was told he could change his name, and he chose to become Michael David Kors.^[6] He grew up in Merrick, New York and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore, New York. Kors' mother is Jewish and his father was of Swedish descent.^[3][7][8][9] Kors currently resides in New York City and married his longtime partner Lance LePere in Southampton, New York on August 16, 2011.^[1]

Career[link]

Michael Kors began designing clothes at the age of 19 and studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.^[10] In 1981, Kors launched the Michael Kors womenswear line at Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Building on his success, Kors was named the first ever women's ready-to-wear designer and creative director for the French fashion house Celine in 1997. In his tenure at Celine, Kors turned the fashion house around with blockbuster accessories and a critically acclaimed ready-to-wear line. Kors left Celine in October 2003 to concentrate on his own brand. Kors launched his menswear line in 2002.

In addition to the Michael Kors runway collection, the MICHAEL Michael Kors and KORS Michael Kors lines were launched in 2004. KORS is considered the mid-tier line, between the runway and MICHAEL collections. The MICHAEL line includes women's handbags and shoes as well as women's ready-to-wear apparel. The KORS line contains footwear and Jeans. Currently, Kors has full collection boutiques in New York, Beverly Hills, Palm Beach, Manhasset, and Chicago. This year, Michael Kors celebrates 30 years in business.

A dress by Michael Kors, 2010

Among the celebrities who have worn Michael Kors' designs are Jennifer Lopez, Rachel McAdams, Michelle Obama, Elissa, Heidi Klum, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.^{[citation needed]} Joan Allen wore his gown when she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the The Contender. In addition, Jennifer Garner wore a custom creation as an Academy Award presenter in 2006. As Creative Director of Celine, Michael Kors designed many outfits for actresses to wear on screen. Gwyneth Paltrow wore Kors' designs in the movie Possession. Cate Blanchett also wore his clothes in the movie Bandits. In addition, he outfitted Rene Russo's character in the 1999 hit remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Elissa wore his dress in the World Music Awards 2005. The ad campaigns for Michael Kors often reflects the jet-set sportswear that Kors fans are fond of. Previous campaigns include the model Carmen Kass on the tarmac of an airport, on a safari in Africa, and relaxing on a yacht.

Kors is a judge on the Emmy-nominated reality television program Project Runway, which aired on Bravo for five seasons; subsequent seasons aired on Lifetime.

Other honors[link]

In 2010, Kors received the Oliver R. Grace Award for Distinguished Service in Advancing Cancer Research, an annual honor bestowed by the Cancer Research Institute, a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing immune system-based treatments for cancer. He received the honor at a black-tie ceremony held June 16, 2010 at The Mandarin Oriental in New York City. In June 2010, Kors was the youngest recipient ever of the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the CFDA and received the Fragrance Foundation’s FiFi Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Legal issues[link]

In January 2009, the estate of artist/designer Tony Duquette sued Kors for trademark infringement after Kors allegedly used Duquette's name and images in promoting Kors' 2009 resortwear collection.^[11]

Pop culture trivia[link]

Michael Kors was referenced in the film 'The Devil Wears Prada' by Meryl Streep's character, Miranda Priestly. In the scene, Miranda sweeps into her office and gives a list of instructions to her personal assistant (Emily Blunt). Miranda commands Emily: "RSVP 'yes' to Michael Kors' party and I want the driver drop to me off at 930 and pick me up at 945 sharp."

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Stern, Gary M., "Kors' Design Leads To More Outlets, Overseas Growth", Investor's Business Daily, May 25, 2012

External links[link]

• Michael Kors biography, Michael Kors Biography
• MichaelKors.com, Michael Kors Official Website
  • Company Mission Statement, Mission Statement
• Michael Kors designer profile at Fashion Model Directory
• Project Runway Season 5
• File:MICHAEL KORS 221.jpg#filelinks, Michael Kors dress

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]