Def Jam president Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has announced the signing of Miami rapper Rick Ross, whose single “Hustlin” has generated a nationwide buzz on hip-hop airwaves.
Ross, who has repped the Miami underground scene since the late 1990s, endured short-lived stints on Suave House and Slip-N-Slide Records before recently becoming a free agent. Rumors of bidding wars began circulating in early January, including talks with Atlantic Recordings, Cash Money Records, and Bad Boy Entertainment. Last year when Young Jeezy stepped away from the Atlanta group Boyz N Da Hood, Ross was considered his potential replacement after appearing on their 2005 self-titled album, but the deal never came to fruition.
"I sat down with a lot of people and ultimately [Def Jam] came with the best situation," Ross explained. "I feel comfortable with their system. It's obvious they know what they're doing. We wanna win big. They wanna win big. So we knocked it out.”
Ross’s debut album, Career Criminal, is already scheduled to hit stores by summer, and is set to feature a vocal appearance by Jay-Z.
Ross, who has repped the Miami underground scene since the late 1990s, endured short-lived stints on Suave House and Slip-N-Slide Records before recently becoming a free agent. Rumors of bidding wars began circulating in early January, including talks with Atlantic Recordings, Cash Money Records, and Bad Boy Entertainment. Last year when Young Jeezy stepped away from the Atlanta group Boyz N Da Hood, Ross was considered his potential replacement after appearing on their 2005 self-titled album, but the deal never came to fruition.
"I sat down with a lot of people and ultimately [Def Jam] came with the best situation," Ross explained. "I feel comfortable with their system. It's obvious they know what they're doing. We wanna win big. They wanna win big. So we knocked it out.”
Ross’s debut album, Career Criminal, is already scheduled to hit stores by summer, and is set to feature a vocal appearance by Jay-Z.
