Some experiences can give you a chip on your shoulder, but they also teach you the value of independence and looking out for yourself.

It's pretty much a given known fact in the industry that before I was successful, I wrote for other artists.

Every day, the approach to life changes. And that's what music is all about to me.

I created MMG years ago. My desire was to create a space where the most talented artists in the world could be nurtured and supported. With that came a commitment. I vowed to support these artists through the good and the bad.

Five years before 'Port of Miami,' I was to a point where I may have even felt like quitting... the style and the wordplay of my lyricism was more complex than what Miami was used to.

Where I come from - it's nothing to glorify.

I always made a few records in the past - 'Aston Martin Music,' 'Diced Pineapples' - that the ladies would always be able to appreciate.

I respect the Grammys, being a writer. But me being an artist representing hip hop? No.

I eat the way I want to eat.

A boss is all about good business, so start with everything that you can control and you can turn up that costs you nothing, then lay all the knobs out, look at all the controls, all the remotes, and just turn them all up. It don't cost you nothing.

Being a big guy, you face certain challenges. Over time, though, women found excuses to find me attractive.

My mom's the best.

Blast my record out the windows of your Honda Accord. And if anyone gives you grief, you look them right in the eye and tell them Rick Ross told you wealth begins in the heart.

I think we all have a right to bear arms, whichever amendment that is.

As artists, we are blessed to be able to make money but, on the same note, are held accountable for our federal tax obligations just like everyone else.

My father watched all the 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars' that you could imagine, along with the martial arts. So I was into all that as a youngster, and I always rooted for the bad guy.

My advice for anyone looking to lose weight is to not make it feel like a job.

I was never good at math.

I realized that my success comes from doing the things I love most.

I love pears. Most definitely - it's a fact.

When Rick Ross made 'Hustlin',' Rick Ross also helped those producers become some of the biggest producers in the world.

My father wasn't there the majority of the time. My father, someone who I always honored and looked up to, had been in the military; he had been to war. I would hear stories about different experiences he went through, but as I got older, my father moved away.

I really savor the times of me and all my best friends and family members getting together.

When you walk in a room, the room should feel that this guy's different. What does he do? Who is he? And that's confidence, not cockiness.

I love my beard.

When I used to sit in the office with Jay Z and L.A. Reid... we would negotiate back and forth and discuss music. You're sitting in front of someone for hours. It's all about being passionate. Everything begins with yourself.

I ain't trying to keep up with the trends - the hats, the hair colours, the dress codes.

When I was sitting at home watching 'Yo! MTV Raps' as a kid, seeing the bright jackets excited me.

John Legend is brilliant. I feel he may be my best collaborator when it comes to delivering that undeniable soulful sound, and he does it in such a classy way.

I feel like I can make records where, you know, I can get in the alley and exchange bars with Styles P, but I can also get in the studio and create a classic with Rihanna.

If you set a regimen up, you can lose weight. I grinded my weight off.

Everybody who know Rick Ross know that, for one, I love creating music, and one of the biggest impacts we have on the game was the fact that when we came into the game, artists was waiting two to three years to put out albums. I was one of the few that put out an album every year along with two or three mixtapes.

What I did in '06 with 'Port of Miami' was classic for that era, for that time frame, and in 2017, 'Rather You Than Me' will be the same.

I ain't gonna lie: I love that cheese.

When someone mentions my name because they're attacking someone that I'm close with, it's my problem now.

I'll always be a supporter of Reebok. That's a forever thing.

DJ Khaled most definitely knows how to rock a party.

The rollout of a classic has to have the heart of all the people working it. There's no way they can have their heart in it if they don't believe in it.

Toomp produced 'White House' on my first record, and we made magic.

Miami is a party city, a go-fast city.

In high school, I played football and became an all-American offensive lineman, but my father hadn't been to any of my games. In those instances, you still hold your head up high. But, when you look up into the stands and you see everyone else's parents cheering and supporting, you have to just stay focused and push through.

What makes 'Maybach Music V' so special was, of course, I put the album out celebrating my daughter's birthday as well, and DeJ Loaf is her favorite artist. So 'Maybach Music V,' I wanted a real airy type of feel. Just a real slow vibe to it that's also going to surprise my daughter. So that's real special.

I was a real avid 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' fan. I think I may know every episode.

My kids love me. I'm blessed.

I'm fortunate enough to socialize with some of the greatest musicians around.

I come from Carol City. The city renamed it Miami Gardens.

For anybody that grow a beard or have hair on their face, I welcome you to the beard game. We're all family. I encourage that. I encourage beards.

I do see a lot of young artists who write records or sacrifice records, because there are a lot of older artists who are preoccupied; they don't have as much time as they used to to be in the studio.