Rick Ross And The Correction Officer Controversy
Mediatakeout.com was the first source to report the news of Rick Ross’ stint at a correctional facility. No, he was not an inmate but a corrections officer.
Rick immediately denied the allegations, claiming “online hackers” put “my face when I was a teenager in high school on other peoples’ body. If this sh*t was real don’t you think they would have more specifics, like dates and everything.”
Well, Thesmokinggun.com called the rapper’s bluff and dug up the documents that showed Rick’s social security number on Florida DOC records. According to the document, Rick worked at the South Florida Reception Center in Dade County from December 1995 to Jun 1997 where he earned $25,794.34 at the time of his resignation.
What does this mean for Rick whose success was due to his fan’s belief that he actually lived what he rapped?
In an attempt to save his career, the rapper told MTV that he would be releasing a track to answer the allegations.
“B----, I'm the boss and I'm laughing at your blogs.” Rick raps over Snoop Dogg’s “Life of da Party. “I'm the glue in the streets, meaning I can get you stuck/ The world knows where the f--- I'm from/ Sell rock, 20 chains and I never lost one .../ Heavy on the block, never on the Net.”
But is that enough to save his career?
Street Credibility: The Maker & Breaker of Rappers
Gangster rap broke into the hip-hop scene during the late 1980s, early 1990s. Since it’s arrival a rapper’s street credibility has become as important as the music he makes. If a rapper is exposed as a phony it can mean the end of his career. (Think 50 Cent and Ja Rule.)
It seems that people now take pride in trying to call each other out when the reality of the situation is no one is doing that foolishness. And even if they were, it certainly wouldn’t be wise to rap about it. You might as well go to the police station and ask them to throw you in jail.
If you haven’t been shot 10 times, involved in armed robbery, or spent years of you life in a federal prison, people won’t buy into what you are selling … unless you keep it real.
Look at Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Andre 3000. Neither of these talented MCs talk about how they sold massive amounts of cocaine, yet they are still respected for what they bring to the table.
Fact is, your average listener is not selling “kilos of coke” either, so they can identify more with a Kanye or Lupe.
The question now becomes: Why do rappers keep trying to be something they aren’t?
Erin T. McMillon - Erin T. McMillon is working hard at making a name for herself in the industry. After graduating from The College of Notre Dame of ...
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