Is Rick Ross pushing himself Too Hard?

By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Over the past five years, Rick Ross has been delivering new music to the world. Through this period of time, Ross has delivered hits on a frequent basis. All this hard work has paid off, as Rick Ross is considered one of the biggest rappers in the game.

With this title, Rick Ross is constantly in the news, which is how people were able to follow his health over the past few days. Rick Ross, who is currently on tour, suffered a seizure while boarding a plane from his native Florida to Memphis. Determined to perform, he continued his flight.

After sharing a video, which celebrated his recovery, Rick Ross suffered from another seizure. Elise Neal, of "The Hughleys" and "All of Us" fame, who also dated Rick Ross, said he was being pushed too hard. Neal pointed out Rick Ross' age, thirty-five-years-old. Rick Ross' time in the spotlight does not match how long he has truly been in the game. Rick Ross has been rapping ever since 2002, starting his career with Suave House Records. Soon, Ross left the label and joined Slip-N-Slide Records, best-known for boasting Trick Daddy and Trina.

During the early 2000s, Rick Ross had already become a legend in the streets. His music did very well on the street level. In the eyes of many, Rick Ross had already "made it." Rick Ross contributed verses on albums, which were sold around the world, by Trick Daddy and Trina. While all this was great and Rick Ross was a major local rapper, he wanted much more. In 2005, Rick Ross caught the attention of several executives in the industry, including Diddy, Jay-Z, and Irv Gotti. Each mogul wanted to bring Ross in to revive the Southern branch of each of their labels.

In the end, Rick Ross chose to sign with Def Jam and work under Jay-Z's guidance. Before he became one of hip hop's biggest moguls, Jay-Z was the biggest rapper on Def Jam. Not a year went by, between 1997 and 2003, without Jay-Z releasing a new album. Jay-Z advised Rick Ross to do this, in order to keep himself relevant. In 2006, Rick Ross released Port of Miami, through Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam, gaining the attention of the entire hip hop world. However, still Rick Ross was viewed as more of a regional rapper. At this point, it seemed as if Rick Ross had achieved his dreams, being one of Miami's top acts and having fame outside his hometown.

Still, the mission was not complete, as Rick Ross worked to become one of the biggest rappers in the nation, following his Trilla album. During this time, Rick Ross dealt with his album being pushed back in order to make room for Plies. Rick Ross faded into the background for most of 2007, appearing in music videos, primarily. But, Rick Ross soon provided an anthem the world could vibe to, "The Boss," which featured the then-popular, T-Pain. With this buzz, Rick Ross received more invites to all the top networks, gaining regular rotation status on BET, MTV, and other outlets.

Around this time, 50 Cent began taking shots at DJ Khaled, who had been serving as the official DJ for years for Rick Ross. In 2007, DJ Khaled's career took off and he helped Miami become the biggest hip hop scene in the South. For years, 50 Cent and G-Unit had dominated the hip hop scene and now Miami was taking over the game, under Khaled's guidance. 50 Cent had warned Rick Ross about hanging so closely with the movement, which also included Lil Wayne and Birdman. In 2009, Rick Ross shocked the hip hop world when he first dissed 50 Cent.

Surprisingly, Rick Ross was declared the winner against the notorious battle rapper, 50 Cent. In 2010, he took his career to the next level, officially becoming one of the biggest rappers in the game. Rick Ross boasted collaborations with Drake, Styles P, and other power-players in the rap game. While Ross was dominating the game, he still was not viewed as number one, which is what he desperately wanted. At the start of 2011, Rick Ross announced he would be taking the game over. Without a song of his own, Ross was able to do this, being featured on a number of tracks by hip hop's elite.

Perhaps Rick Ross' most impressive feat was adding the number of artists to his Maybach Music imprint without the backing of a major label. A bidding war ensued between several labels and Rick Ross landed a new deal for his label at Warner Bros. Records. After dominating the summer and continuing to push his crew, Maybach Music, Rick Ross began pushing his own new project, God Forgives, I Don't. Since his commercial debut, in 2006, Rick Ross has not taken any time off. Being on the go, consistently, for five years is not good for anyone.

While Rick Ross has achieved the fortune and the fame, he also suffered two seizures in the same day, which obviously is not healthy. Some people can go for years, and continue pushing, but for others it can be a strain. Is Rick Ross pushing himself too hard?