The rapper and serial entrepreneur on Saturday held his fourth annual Rick Ross Car Show on the front lawn of The Promise Land, his mansion in Fayetteville.
The daylong gathering attracted car collectors, clubs and enthusiasts to connect through showcasing their custom automobiles and mobile services.
Ross’ estate was covered with custom lowriders, SUVs, speedboats, RVs, trailers, golf carts and motorcycles. There were lines of vintage Chevrolet Caprices and Impalas, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes and Buick GNXs that had shiny paint, chrome engines, electric seats and state-of-the-art sound systems.
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Ross, who was born William Leonard Roberts II, allowed guests to tour his personal collection of over 200 rides, monster trucks and tow trucks parked on his front lawn. Filmmaker Tyler Perry had two custom limousines sent for display.
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Ross told UATL that inviting other car enthusiasts and fans to his property is one way he measures success.
“Where I’m from in Miami, if you have a house, a Benz or a Chevy, you won big. Now, I just buy anything with a motor that cranks up,” Ross said.
This year, traffic was minimal. Guests could park in three lots near the estate and get shuttled to the event.
“We invested more into making sure that people could get in and out smoother,” Ross said.
Car clubs popped their hood and trunks and placed mirrors underneath the custom automobiles to show off the custom engines and interior. Drivers turned on hydraulics, positioned their big-bodied vehicles on two and three wheels and turned up the volume on their speakers.
Keith “Big Whit” Whitner, president of Atlanta-based Obsession Lowrider Car Club and first-time attendee from Los Angeles, brought his restored 1957 royal “Dodger” blue Chevrolet Bel-Air to the show. He said appearing at the car show on Ross’ front porch lets him clarify to car lovers that he owns the vehicle after it generated a buzz online.
“A lot of people think it’s (rapper and actor) Ice Cube’s car, because they’ve seen him driving it at Dodger Stadium, but it’s mine. The car has gone viral the last three years, so I had to bring it back home and represent for all of Atlanta,” said Whitner, a retired pro baseball player.
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Ross co-founded the outdoor event with “57” Freddy Pena, a veteran car builder in Miami. Food trucks and vendors for lifestyle apparel, beverage companies, fashion accessories and car products were present in addition to the displayed vehicles.
Ross’s goal was to help startup companies and Black-owned brands expand their network.
“I wanted to open the gates, put the young brothers who build, paint cars and do interiors next to the heavyweights (in the automobile industry). Sometimes, you just have to sit down with people and discuss your ideas, present it and go your hardest,” he said.
The Slippery Soap, a mobile detailing company founded by retired pro football player Jeremy Lewis in 2017, has appeared at the car show since it started in 2022. Ross became an investor in the brand the following year and helped Lewis land his products in car repair retailer AutoZone this month.
Lewis said word-of-mouth from regularly attending the car show is what increased his visibility.
“The product sold out in the first year. People from all over the world come to the car show and will support you on social media, but you must have to work and grind. This is definitely the platform to showcase your brand,” Lewis said.
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Attendees participated in interactive stations and product demonstrations. Rockford Fosgate, an Arizona-based audio manufacturing company, brought its Pressure Chamber, a bass-heavy mobile listening booth with headphones, plush seats, amplifiers, subwoofers and speakers in the back of a van.
Project manager Rich Agins said he wanted the simulation to resemble an amusement park attraction.
“We wanted to come out, shake our customer’s hand and give them an experience like a carnival ride. They get to see, enjoy top-tier equipment and have a great time” Agins said.
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Ross cut the ribbon for his luxury bag collection with Real Edition 22. The day closed with Ross performing a concert and additional sets from rappers Plies, Fabo, Nino Breeze and IME Casino.
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Ross was presented with a resolution from Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. for organizing the car show and one from state Rep. Debra Bazemore (D-South Fulton) for business and philanthropy. Having the car show is his labor of love that connects him with like-minded people.
“I’m just enjoying life. I wanted to create a fun vibe and leave it in the culture’s hands,” Ross said.
About the Author
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
