Rick Ross

William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper and entrepreneur.

In 2009, Ross founded the record label Maybach Music Group, on which he released his studio albums Deeper Than Rap (2009), Teflon Don (2010), God Forgives, I Don't (2012), Mastermind, Hood Billionaire (2014) and Black Market (2015). 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.

Life and career

1976–2006: Early life and career beginnings

William Leonard Roberts II was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and raised in Carol City, Florida. After graduating from Miami Carol City Senior High School, he attended the historically black college Albany State University on a football scholarship. Roberts worked as a correctional officer for 18 months from December 1995, until his resignation in June 1997.

In his early years at Suave House Records, Roberts initially made his debut under the pseudonym Teflon Da Don. He made his recording debut on the song "Ain't Shhh to Discuss" on Erick Sermon's lone album for DreamWorks, Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis. In the mid-2000s, he changed his name to Rick Ross. He derived his stage name from the former drug kingpin "Freeway" Rick Ross, to whom he has no connection.

Maybach Music Group

Maybach Music Group (MMG) is a record label imprint founded by American rapper Rick Ross. Maybach Music Group albums were formerly distributed by Warner Bros. Records, which took over distribution following the expiration of a deal with Def Jam Recordings. As of December 12, 2012 the labels releases are now distributed by Atlantic Records. 17 solo and 3 compilation albums have been released by Maybach Music Group, including three certified Gold albums. The label is home to artists such as Ross himself, Wale, Meek Mill, French Montana, Omarion and Gunplay among others. The label has also had 6 albums debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 such as Deeper Than Rap, God Forgives, I Don't, and Mastermind by Rick Ross, The Gifted and The Album About Nothing by Wale and Dreams Worth More Than Money by Meek Mill.

History

2009-2011

Maybach Music Group released its first album in the summer of 2009, which was Rick Ross' third studio album Deeper Than Rap. After the release, Ross focused more on signing artists to his label, in the process discovering musicians such as Masspike Miles & hip hop group Triple C's who consists of members Gunplay, Torch, & Young Breed. On October 27, 2009, Ross released Triple C's debut studio album Custom Cars & Cycles through Def Jam. In 2010, MMG issued Teflon Don, with another album titled Color, Cut & Clarity by Triple C's also scheduled for distribution, however was delayed and has yet to be released.

Kanye West

Kanye Omari West (/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977) is an American recording artist, record producer, fashion designer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the record label GOOD Music and creative content company DONDA. West is one of the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century. He has attracted both praise and criticism for his work and his controversial, outspoken public persona.

Raised in Chicago, West first became known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for musical artists such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, before pursing a solo career as a rapper. In 2004, he released his debut album The College Dropout, to widespread commercial and critical success, and founded record label and management company GOOD Music. He went on to explore a variety of different musical styles on subsequent albums that included the baroque-inspired Late Registration (2005), the electronic-tinged Graduation (2007), and the starkly polarizing 808s & Heartbreak (2008). In 2010, he released his critically acclaimed fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He collaborated with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne (2011), and released his sixth album, Yeezus, to further critical praise in 2013. Following a series of recording delays and work on non-musical projects, West's seventh album, The Life of Pablo, was released in 2016.

Meek Mill

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Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), better known by his stage name Meek Mill, is an American hip hop recording artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was briefly signed to Atlanta-based record label Grand Hustle, owned by record executive and fellow American rapper T.I.. In February 2011, after leaving Grand Hustle, Mill signed a record deal with fellow American rapper Rick Ross' Miami-based Maybach Music Group (MMG) imprint.

Mill's debut studio album, Dreams and Nightmares, was released in 2012, under MMG and Warner Bros. Records. The album, preceded by the single "Young & Gettin' It", debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200. He has also appeared on MMG's Self Made compilation series, with his debut single "Tupac Back" and second single "Ima Boss", being included on volume one.

In October 2012, Meek Mill announced the launching of his own imprint, Dream Chasers Records, named after his popular mixtape series. He also revealed having already signed several fellow Philadelphia-based rappers in 2012.

Music

Music is an art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound and silence. The common elements of music are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes termed the "color" of a musical sound). Different styles or types of music may emphasize, de-emphasize or omit some of these elements. Music is performed with a vast range of instruments and with vocal techniques ranging from singing to rapping, and there are solely instrumental pieces, solely vocal pieces and pieces that combine singing and instruments. The word derives from Greek μουσική (mousike; "art of the Muses"). In its most general form, the activities describing music as an art form include the production of works of music (songs, tunes, symphonies, and so on), the criticism of music, the study of the history of music, and the aesthetic examination of music. Ancient Greek and Indian philosophers defined music as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. Common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres" and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to listen to. However, 20th-century composer John Cage thought that any sound can be music, saying, for example, "There is no noise, only sound."