Rick Ross got the perfect welcome back, fit for a hip-hop heavyweight when the streets showed him love on Juneteenth with a sign that was a symbol and also a legacy. On June 19, a street in Clarksdale, Mississippi, was officially christened, “Rick Ross Way,” paying tribute to the home state hero for his sustained impact on music, commerce, and the literal pulse of the community that raised him.
And what better place to reveal this milestone than outside of the music mogul’s own Wingstop, a quiet reminder of Ross’s hustle and origins in the place where he still resides?
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The event attracted a raucous crowd of Clarksdale residents, city officials, and longtime fans. They had come to see the Boss in person but left with something more: a reminder that success didn’t have to mean leaving your roots behind.
Words could never express my gratitude.” And with that, Ross, never one to hold back his thank yous, took to the mic to deliver a straight-from-the-heart message.
“First off, God is great. To come back to the city where my story began and be surrounded by my family, and yours, leaders, and the people who made me who I am, but it’s humbling. Clarksdale, this is more than a street sign. This is inheritance,” he said, the crowd nodding with him.
But it wasn’t only about what’s visible. When CNN asked what is closest to his heart about Clarksdale, Ross alluded to the silent acts of giving back, those done without cameras or headlines.
“Really, it be what I don’t be talkin’ about,” he said. “Some of the things that happen, they happen behind closed doors that you just show a lot of love and that means more to me… Just know Clarksdale is in my heart, you’re better believe it.”
Ross received his flowers from Mayor Chuck Espy, who conducted the ceremony. He did so in service to his mother, father, son, a close family friend, and four others.
“Rick Ross has come back, and it’s not about his music; we’re saluting his heart; we’re saluting what he’s done for this great city,” said the Mayor, drawing raucous cheers from the gathered onlookers.
The moment added another touch of polish to a month that was already shining bright for Ross. In June, he held his fourth annual Rick Ross Car & Bike Show at his sprawling mansion, The Promise Land, in Fayetteville, Georgia. He also received a congressional proclamation and other official resolutions honoring him for his contributions to culture and community.
With new music coming soon, including one with Pharrell, filmed in Paris, it’s evident that Rick Ross is still scripting his chronicle. But it’s equally clear on the newly dedicated “Rick Ross Way” back in Clarksdale: The city has not forgotten where the story started.
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