Still pushing a public awareness campaign about the realities of his drug-dealing past and time in prison, Freeway Rick Ross recently spoke with AllHipHop about advice he’d give Bobby Shmurda in jail and his current standing with MMG rapper Rick Ross.
Addressing Shmurda’s current incarceration, Freeway Rick Ross recalled his own years spent behind bars and offered up a trio of life-changing book recommendations.
“What I did with prison is I turned my prison cell into a college,” he said. “An old guy told me in prison, ‘You can get your college degree two places: you can get it at Penn State or the state pen.’ With my situation I found out that I was gonna wind up getting mine from the state pen. So I turned my prison cell into a university. I read over 300 books. By the way, I was totally illiterate when I went to prison, had never read a book. I read over 300 books before I left, I don’t know how many magazines, newspapers. I read the L.A. Times everyday. I read the Wall Street Journal everyday. I read the USA everyday. Sometimes I’d read the New York Times. I educated myself and I think that’s what he should do. By the way, I’m gonna give you my three favorite books, same books I sent to Boosie, if I get your address I’m gon’ send’em to you: The Richest Man In Babylon, Think And Grow Rich, and As A Man Thinketh. You can’t go wrong with them three books. If you take them principles they gon’ make your jail cell a lot easier.”
Asked about the possibility of working and squashing his beef with Rick Ross, the original Freeway Ricky said, “I still stick my hand out to him.”
“I think he would be stronger with me than without me,” he added. “I don’t know if he knows it or not or if his handlers are not smart enough to realize that the country is divided. It’s probably getting more divided in my half. I’m out here in the streets, I’m going to the projects, I’m going to the slums. I’m going places that he can’t go or won’t go or for whatever reason…I believe I’m winning the streets over. Eventually it’s gonna be a position to where he’s almost boxing himself in.”
Speaking about whether the MMG founder is losing fans because of his copycat name and persona, Freeway Rick Ross explained the reactions he gets from young people after telling them about his story.
“When I go to schools and they find out that he stole my name and stole my reputation—because you know, Hip Hop is supposed to be authentic,” he said. “A lot of kids believe that it is authentic. When they find out that it’s not authentic, that you just blowing smoke, well they turn off.”
For additional Freeway Rick Ross coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
I bet the fake Rick Ross has some good prison advice too.
that lil nigga still aint made bail? LOL Epic records are some snakes for that after they said they was gonna get him out…
Both the real and the fake Rick Ross are corn balls that nobody should be celebrating by giving airtime to. That said, doesn’t this clown realize the only reason people give a shit about his opinion is because Officer Ricky made his name popular?
thats funny because officer ricky couldnt even make his own name popular so titty man had to steal a real OGs identity to get any shine. tephlon was out here broke living off his mamas paychecks sleepign on niggas couches
Niggas in prison prolly callin him the “thot nigga”
You read over 300 books in all those years? Damn ua stupid nigga
first he had to teach himself how to read first,
That was real talk
I got some advice, DONT DROP THE SOAP, NICCA!!!
Hot Bobby Bitch Nigga probably dancing in front of the other prisoners as we speak.
Some hater commented that he only read 300 books while in prison, while most people in the US will not read 300 books in their entirety over a lifetime. Clearly, the hater who wrote that is not educated.
Which proves 300 is a lot! Youre so bright lmao
Snitch on everybody so you can get out early
mommy call for you @ 8 o’clock to get in the house….lol
Hey Freeway Rick Ross how did it feel selling poison to your people?
Hey William Roberts how did it feel to pretend to sell poison to your people and make the youth think its cool to sell cocaine
Ask that shit to Mcdonalds, Burger King, and every other fast food restaurant out there. Ask that to the alcohol and cigarette companies while you’re at it. Also, ask the consumers how it felt to choose to do that poison in the first place.
good news, but when are we going to prevent people from doing this type of shit, instead of learning how to “survive” it? Shit’s over man.
Google joe Rogan and freeway rick ross. 3 great interviews that go into great detail.
Those three books: The Richest Man In Babylon, Think And Grow Rich, and As A Man Thinketh are pure gold, and all three sit prominently on my shelf, their pages well worn.
The Richest Man In Babylon in particular influenced me, which is why my book “Creating Wealth From Scratch” begins with a story. I wanted to teach people the value of ideas, believing in yourself, compounding, and using leverage to reach your goals.
That was my way of sending respect to George Clason.