Rick Ross is bringing his life story to the masses.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the Grammy-nominated hitmaker inked a deal with Hanover Square Press to publish his autobiography, Hurricanes. According to an Entertainment Weekly exclusive, Ross (whose real name is William Leonard Roberts) has teamed up with The Autobiography of Gucci Mane co-writer Neil Martinez-Belkin to recount the rapper's rise to fame, including his coming-of-age in Miami's Carol City neighborhood.
"My story has always been deeper than rap," Ross said in a statement to EW. "With this book I wanted to go deeper than I ever have. I wanted to tell people about the life of William Leonard Roberts."
The book's transparency will shed new light on Ross' early years, as little is known about his life prior to his life as a rap icon. Ross' kingpin persona has often been called into question, thanks in large part to the infamous "Officer Ricky" scandal.
As Ross began his rap ascension, rumors began to surface that Ross was a Corrections Officer at a South Flordia jail prior to dedicating his life to rap. Because this would debunk the drug dealing, street hustler tales that lace his raps, Ross vehemently denied the accusations. But, in 2008, documents as well as photos surfaced of Ross working as a C.O. Still, Ross claimed there was a more "sinister" reason as to why he was there and it wasn't until 2014 that the rapper fully admitted to having the job.
"That particular line most definitely referred to me being a C.O.," Ross told Sway when describing a lyric from the track "Rich is Gangsta." "And that being a job and just understanding the grind and the hustle and anything else I may have done. It's just a job, it's a hustle."
Because of his previous veil, some fans might be skeptical about how honest Ross will be in this memoir. But in a synopsis of Hurricanes provided by Hanover Square Press, the company assured fans that it will be an intimate look at the person behind the mask.
"Ross moves beyond the headlines, opening up about the experiences that inform his creative process. His upbringing in Carol City. His past as both a drug dealer and correctional officer. His scuffles in the streets and in the industry," the description reads. "The seizures. The drive-by shootings. The 2015 arrest on kidnapping and assault charges. It is a remarkable story of not only surviving the storms of life but reaching the highest levels of achievement in spite of them."
Hurricanes is set to hit shelves on Sept. 3 and is available to for pre-order at Amazon.
