Image via Complex Original
You've heard Rico Love before. Usher's "There Goes My Baby"? Rico Love wrote and produced that Grammy Award-winner. The same is true of Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams," Nelly's "Just a Dream," and dozens of other chart busters. Recently, Rico has been grooming Young Chris for further greatness. Young Chris, along with Sofi Green and Cherlise, are signed to Rico's Division 1 label.
Division 1 is based out of Miami, the city where Love resides. Complex spoke with Rico about what he's digging when he's not in the studio, which, according to him, is infrequently. These are some of his favorite spots. This is Rico Love's Guide to Miami.
Red, the Steakhouse
"I had my launch party at Red [119 Washington Ave]. Literally, it’s some of the best steak I’ve ever had. Prime, Angus-cut beef. I feel like whatever I'm eating there was alive 10 minutes ago. And the service is amazing; they explain everything to you, exactly what you're eating, how fresh it is."
"They have these seasonal prawns. They’re as long as my hand. But the steak is the best. I think it’s that they take such pride in the food, especially the preparation. You feel like they give a fuck."
Queen of Diamonds
"I love going to strip clubs, especially in Miami and Atlanta. You get to hear all of the new music. It puts you on to different slang. You talk to the girls, you know; how else am I going to keep up with new terminology? Me, I’m in a place where I don’t live in the inner-city anymore. Going to Queen of Diamonds [17450 Biscayne Boulevard] is a way to stay connected to the culture, musically.
"For example, I heard Young Jeezy in Atlanta strip clubs years before he blew up. I heard Soulja Boy, I heard guys like Brisco. It’s a place where you can break your records, hear what’s going on. You'll be there, saying, 'What is this?' Then, like two months later, you’ll hear that shit on Hot 97, and you’ll be like, 'I heard this back in the strip club.'
"It's always exciting to hear our own music played in the club, but especially in the strip club. Because in a strip club, they’re not playing shit just cause you’re there—they don’t give a fuck that you’re there. If your record doesn’t work there, they won’t play it. If you have a hit record and you hear it in the strip club, that means it touched all markets. I wouldn’t hear 'Just a Dream' in there.
"Right now, in the streets, there’s a guy by the name of Ice Berg. He used to part of this group called the Dunk Ryders. That was Trick Daddy’s group. But the kid Ice Berg, a young kid; he’s amazing. All the kids love him in Miami. This kid is the next thing. Dope flow, dope energy. He’s hot; not on the radio, though, but in the streets.
"Also, there’s a guy by the name of JW. They call him J Dub, but it’s spelled JW, just the letters. They play him a lot in the streets and in the clubs."
Pier Park
"Pier Park. It’s a beach down by Sunny Isles. I like to hit that beach and relax. Most people hang on the strip in South Beach; that’s more touristy. But when I want to hit a beach or rent a boat, I like to go to Pier Park. Boating is something I do some of the time. You know, I’m not gonna start fronting like, 'Oh, I boat all the time.' But every once and a while my friend gets a boat and we just ride out for the day. I rarely get the free time though."
Bal Harbour
"I love shopping at Bal Harbour [9700 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Fla.]. It’s got Gucci, Louis Vuitton—high-end stores. It introduced me to a lot of things I hadn't been exposed to. I got hip to it at Bal Harbour. It’s an outdoor/indoor situation. I just bought some Louis sneakers there a couple days ago. Green, kinda fatigue loafers. For May, something light. I love Louis Vuitton. And I love Marc Jacobs. I love how exclusive he keeps his gear."
Circle House Studios
"I work at Circle House Studios. That’s like my home. Fab was in there last week. I’ve worked with Beyoncé there, I’ve worked with Usher. I did most of Mario’s album there. My artist Young Chris. My artist Sofi Green and my artist Cherlise. Kelly Rowland. Nelly [recorded] “Just a Dream.” I had Leona Lewis."
