Rick Ross is flying high — literally and figuratively — as he celebrates his latest venture and lifestyle milestone with the launch of Haute Jets’ inaugural issue. On April 30, the rap icon and entrepreneur marked the occasion at an exclusive celebration hosted at The Moore Miami, alongside media tastemakers, friends, and Tequila Don Cruz Platinum.
The lavish event featured a special conversation with TV host and entertainment personality Terrence J, who also interviewed Ross for the cover story. Haute Media Group CEO Kamal Hotchandani and Managing Director April Donelson joined the duo, as did artist Vic Garcia, who gifted Ross a custom painting created during the dinner.
In the issue’s headline interview, Ross opens up about his rise from Miami’s Carol City to becoming the proud owner of a custom Gulfstream G550 jet — outfitted with a $500,000 “Rich Forever” paint job and a tail number matching his childhood zip code.
“Just reflecting on where I come from — right here in Carroll City, Miami — man, it means a lot to me,” Ross shared during the interview inside his Opa Locka hangar. “All the hard work, that positive energy… at some point, it became magnetic. Once it became magnetic, the success became addictive.”
The hangar, which Ross also uses to house part of his luxury car collection, isn’t just for show. “That’s a garage for the jet,” he said. “You could easily go from $75,000 to $100,000 a month just for your hangar. But my 257 Bel Airs, the red one, that’s half a million. I spent a quarter million just for the silver and green one. That’s $750,000 just for those two.”
Among the hangar’s most unique features? A bulletproof wine cellar. “It’s just a funny concoction [the builder] made me,” Ross laughed. “It cost a pretty penny. It is bulletproof. Wine, I don’t need it bulletproof, but he put it on the list.”
Ross was intentional and patient when it came to owning his jet. “For a long time, I was in a position where I could have gone and bought a jet, but would I still have been comfortable being the entrepreneur I am? I wasn’t ready yet,” he said. “So, I flew Delta and whatever else, United, whoever else it took to go get that money. I watched everybody charter the jets to take the pictures… But I just said, I got to be patient. I’m going to do that once I own it.”
Beyond aesthetics, the jet is a business tool. “The Rozay brand… it’s not just rap battles and rhymes,” he explained. “We are global. Last year alone, I was the most booked artist in Dubai. But as you grow, you find ways to make it that much easier on you; your time means that much more.”
Ross also revealed how his latest passion project is transforming smiles. “Everything I’m a part of, I genuinely love it,” he said about his dental business with celebrity dentist Mario Montoya. “Once I got my teeth done, I was like, man, I’ve been smoking weed all that time, had brown teeth, I should have done this five years earlier.”
He saw an opportunity to bring Montoya’s skills stateside. “As a boss, that’s what our responsibility is. How can we make this easier and make it more accessible? And that’s what we did. Sandy Springs, Atlanta — everybody gets that billion dollar smile.”
As for music aboard his G550, Ross curates a playlist to match the vibe and reflect on hip-hop’s legacy. “Once I start going into that real deep shit… that’s when I’m going to pull that Curtis Mayfield out,” he said. “I’m going to play some of that Notorious B.I.G., some of that Tupac. Who gave their life for this shit?”
With each venture — be it jets, jewelry, or jumpstarting dental health — Rick Ross is showing what it means to live “Rich Forever” in every sense.
Photos: Nick Garcia (jet photos)
Photos: Micky Vice (party photos)