Hip-hop has long intersected with higher education, and this semester, a Georgia State University law class will delve into the life of Rick Ross.
As spotted by Hip Hop Wired, the class will be lead by Moraima Ivory, professor of practice and director of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Law Initiative at the George State University’s College of Law in Atlanta, and will be titled, “Legal Life of Rick Ross." Per the Miami Herald, everyday the class starts with a Rick Ross track, with the aim of putting students in the mindset of Rick Ross as an artist before digging deep into his business savvy.
“You get an opportunity to see how he has built this empire that he has amassed,” Ivory told the publication, “whether it’s in music, real estate, in brand partnerships, equity, positioning – he has done it.”
Rick Ross' entrepreneurial endeavors will feature as the fourth episode in Ivory's "Legal Life Of" series, following profiles on Ludacris, Kandi Burris, and Steve Harvey.
“People have a perception that hip-hop is one big party and they really dismiss the business and the legal aspect of what goes on in the person’s career,” Ivory said of the class, which coincides with Hip-Hop's 50th. “There’s no way that these figures – the ones that I studied or anybody for that matter that’s in this career – doesn’t have to learn how to become a businessperson separate from their creativity.”
Ross will also make an appearance at the class. "The ‘Biggest’ meets the classroom,” the Grammy-nominated rapper said in a detailed in a statement to the university. “I’ve always been a student of the game, and I look forward to being able to teach the next generation how to keep hustlin’.”
In other Rick Ross news, the Miami legend recently joined LL COOL J's F.O.R.C.E. Tour, making a charged appearance alongside Black Thought. Check it out below.