Chart-topping rapper Rick Ross might portray the lifestyle of a person focused solely on opulence in his songs, but in reality, the self-proclaimed “Biggest Boss” said he works hard and practices frugality to live in the lap of luxury.
Currently, the 45-year-old rapper resides in a gorgeous home in Georgia that comes with 109 rooms, including 12 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms, as Blavity previously reported. He purchased the estate which belonged to Evander Holyfield for 5.8 million in 2014 after it went into foreclosure.
Ross told Forbes that his neighbors have told him that Holyfield spent a small fortune on lawn care for the property. But the Clarksdale, Mississippi native said he’d rather learn to cut grass himself than pay close to $1 million to maintain the lawn.
“When I bought the Fayetteville estate, locals would see me walk out of a restaurant and scream, ‘You know Holyfield spent $1 million a year to cut the grass.’ So I decided that I was gonna cut my own grass. And that’s what I did,” Ross said in an interview published on Monday.
“I went down to John Deere and asked to see the biggest tractor, the most efficient tractor. I told them I had 200-plus acres that I wanted to keep cut, and they pointed out the right tractor,” he added.
Even though it took him a few hours to understand the controls, the “Hustlin'” rapper said “once I got it going, I didn’t stop. I cut grass for about five hours.”
In October, he added an additional 87-acre property near his multi-million dollar house in Fayetteville, Georgia. Ross monikered his new property “The Promised Land” in a photo on Instagram.
With his enormous estate in mind, Ross said maintaining the lawn allows him to appreciate how far he’s come.
“I realized that this was something I wanted to do. It was subconscious,” he continued. “I sit there and have my cannabis rolled up, and, man, I look at the property and can appreciate my struggles and my triumphs, those rough days. It’s the smallest thing, but it keeps a smile on my face."
The “Idols Become Rivals” artist recommended that people who don’t already enjoy doing lawn maintenance try it out every several months.
“So, you know, for anybody who doesn’t cut their own grass, I would say take time out every two or three months to cut your grass because it is such a great and peaceful sensation,” Ross said.
Despite the wealth he’s acquired, the rapper told Forbes that he’s very thrifty, “finding beautiful things that cost $8 or $20” at swap meets and antique stores. Ross also revealed that he flies commercial on Delta Airlines as much as he can.
“Yes, I’m not about throwing money away, but it’s important that people enjoy the fruits of your labor and stay ahead of the curve,” he said. “I make sure that I am surrounded by love and inspiration and motivation. Through the window I am looking out of right now in the Southwest Ranches, I can see my red-on-red 458 Ferrari, and it is inspiring.”
