Back in the ’90s when a rapper sang about wealth we all knew that they were lying. They did not call it lying but instead they referred to it as aspirations.
But, today, when you hear Lil’ Wayne tell you about buying a house that came with a lift, you best believe it because he did, and he lives in that house. He may make his money from touring but his stable of Young Money Cash Money Billionaires makes tons of dough from merchandise.
If you think for a minute you will realise that somewhere close to you you have seen the YMCMB logo on someone’s back.
Over the years the trends have changed in hip hop as rappers have moved away from Mike Tyson kind of spending to Bill Gates kind of money-making. Look at Jay-Z, the man is a regular in the Forbes 500 rich list pages. From interests in fashion where he gave us Rocawear, Jay-Z also dabbles in other ventures like the The 40/40 Club and The New Jersey Nets.
Rick Ross, who only stepped on the scene a few years ago, has already started having other ideas to make money other than with music. In the MTV Base documentary Maybach Music Group (MMG) v Good Music Weekend, the man is portrayed as a visionary who came from nothing to super-stardom.
In one of his rap verses the Bawws, as he calls himself, talks about how he prayed just to get a record deal and now he signs artists.
Just to show where his mind was set, he named his company Maybach Music Group after the expensive Maybach vehicles. The logos of both entities are almost alike and that is deliberate on Rick Ross’ part.
With every hit song starting with a sexy voiced girl saying “M-M-Maybach Music”, Ross has managed to make the label a well known entity that makes him a rapper of his own.
On the music front, several musicians have been signed by Ross on this label. These include Wale, Megazeen, Stalley, Meek Mill and Omarion.
Outside the music business, Rick Ross, like Wayne and Jay-Z, is cashing in on the clothes front. MMG merchandise can be purchased at top streetwear outlets. He is also said to be partnering with Reebok and together they are set to be forming the Big and Tall footwear which is aptly made for humongous people like him.
• Maybach Music Group (MMG) v Good Music Weekend airs on Saturday at 1pm on MTV Base (Channel 322).