Inside Rick Ross' Life: Details About His Family and Journey, Including a Surprising Job Before Rap Stardom – Photos

A rap empire, a giant estate, several children, and one past job that still makes people do a double-take — Rick Ross' life has had plenty of twists. Scroll through the gallery, because the deeper you go, the more surprising the story gets…

Long before he became the bearded boss with Maybach-level branding, Rick Ross was carefully building a persona that would make him one of hip-hop's most recognizable figures. The deeper you get into his story, the more layered it becomes, from his rise in rap to his sprawling family tree.

He's lived many lives in one: chart-topping rapper, business mogul, father, grandfather, controversy magnet, and, yes, a man with a past that still sparks debate. Keep scrolling through the gallery, because the photos tell the story of how he became Rick Ross, and why people still can't stop talking about him.

The Woman Behind the Mogul

Before there was the empire, there was home. Starting the gallery with Ross' mother gives the story a more personal heartbeat, especially because so much of his public image has been built on toughness, success, and spectacle.

The image below of Ross with his mother is a reminder that, behind the polished luxury persona, there has always been a family foundation. It's a warm entry point into a life story that would later become flashier, louder, and far more complicated.

From William Roberts to Rick Ross

According to Biography, Ross was born William Leonard Roberts II in Coahoma County, Mississippi, on January 28, 1976, before being raised in Carol City, Florida.

He was drawn early to the music of Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Luther Campbell, and Ice Cube. Though he attended Albany State University on a football scholarship for a year, music eventually pulled him in a completely different direction.

The outlet notes that he built the Rick Ross persona out of the kind of drug-kingpin mythology that shaped much of his writing, even taking his rap name from stories he heard about drug trafficker "Freeway" Rick Ross.

Before becoming famous as Ross, he appeared on Erick Sermon's 2000 compilation "Def Squad Presents Erick Sermon" under the name Tephlon on the track "Ain't Shhh to Discuss," later spending time with Suave House Records and then Miami's Slip-N-Slide label before finally breaking through on his own.

Industry Co-Signs and Big-Name Respect

Ross didn't just blow up…he earned serious industry backing. Biography describes him as a respected and prolific artist whose status grew through both solo work and collaborations, with praise from major players including Pharrell.

His game-changing single, "Hustlin'," turned Ross from a developing Southern rapper into a major-label prize. The hypnotic track sparked a bidding war, with Def Jam Records — then headed by Jay-Z — winning the fight to sign him.

That moment changed everything, launching him into mainstream stardom and setting up the success of "Port of Miami" and "Trilla," both of which debuted at No. 1.

More than a Rapper: Building the Maybach Empire

Ross' celebrity eventually stretched far beyond music. Per Biography, he founded Maybach Music Group in 2009, and the label went on to release projects by artists including Meek Mill, Wale, Omarion, French Montana, and Teedra Moses.

He also became the first artist signed to Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Ciroc Entertainment management company, a major business move that helped cement his mogul image.

Looking back at Ross' early performance years makes his rise feel even more dramatic. He didn't arrive as a fully formed mogul; he built toward that image step by step, release by release, until the rap world couldn't ignore him anymore.

Once the success hit, it hit fast. Ross began touring heavily and collaborating with names like R. Kelly, Flo Rida, Nelly, and T-Pain, while shaping the glossy, larger-than-life brand fans now associate him with.

Promise Land and Peak Boss Energy

Ross' lifestyle eventually grew into something almost cartoonishly lavish. As CNN reported, his more than 300-acre Georgia estate, The Promise Land, includes one of the largest residential swimming pools in the United States. The pool holds a whopping 350,000 gallons of water and requires top maintenance by four people.

Ross said he uses the pool not just for fun but even for morning meditations, while also turning the property into a business asset through film rentals, car shows, and pool parties.

The estate, the cars, the branding, Ross clearly understands that luxury is part of his appeal. But as CNN also noted, his wealth story is tied to a wider business portfolio, including multiple Wingstop franchises, a partnership with Luc Belaire, and an interest in Rap Snacks.

Family, Fame, and the Rap Star's First Daughter

Once the career was established, Ross' family life became another source of public fascination, especially when it came to his firstborn daughter, Toie Roberts.

Ross shares Toie with Lastonia Leviston. As People reported, Leviston divulged on "W.A.G.s to Riches," in 2025, "My baby daddy is the one and only Rick Ross. Our daughter is 22 years old, but I left Ross when she was two years old," referring to the daughter they welcomed in March 2002.

Toie Roberts' Complicated past Romance and Child

Later in life, Toie entered a new chapter with late rapper Lil Poppa, and that relationship brought even more public attention once the pair welcomed a child.

According to Marca, Lil Poppa is reportedly the father of Roberts' son PJ, who was said to have been born in 2022. The outlet also noted that Ross celebrated the baby's arrival by referring to himself as "Grandpa Gucci" on social media, a nickname that feels very on-brand for him.

In a widely discussed Instagram reel, Toie seemingly hinted that her relationship with Lil Poppa was not the best, as she reflected on moving in and out of her parents' home and warned other women not to rush into living with a man.

"But don't do it with a man, that's my advice, because my first time I moved out, I did with a man and I hated it. It was like the dumbest thing ever [sic]," she said, later calling another move with a man the "worst decision ever" and revealing that she "had a baby" with that person before moving back in with her father.

Another Son, Another Complicated Chapter

Aside from his daughter with Leviston, Ross also shares a son, William Roberts III, with Tia Kemp, adding another well-known branch to his family tree.

Ross and Kemp's relationship has appeared anything but smooth. As Complex reported in 2025, Kemp publicly slammed Ross and accused him of not prioritizing their son's education.

The previous year (2024), Kemp reportedly even demanded $200,000 for tuition. It was a blunt, messy, very public reminder that Ross' personal life has often spilled into the headlines.

Briana Camille, the Mother of Ross' Younger Children

Ross also shares three children — Berkeley Hermès Roberts, Billion Leonard Roberts, and Bliss Roberts — with Briana Camille, whose own story has included motherhood, military service, and a legal battle with the rapper.

Camille's chapter of Ross' family story became especially public once their disputes turned legal and personal details started surfacing online.

In coverage of Camille's reality show, Complex cited a video in which Ross said, "I can't believe fat girl took the blood test and I'm the daddy." The remark was tied to the paternity of their youngest child, which Ross initially denied.

As TMZ reported in 2021, Ross ultimately agreed to pay $11,000 a month in child support for the three children he shares with Camille, while also covering health insurance and part of their extracurricular costs, which cost north of $7,560. Additionally, Ross reportedly had to contribute additional annual payments of up to $3,000 per child.

Camille has also made clear that her identity stretches far beyond her relationship with Ross.

In a 2023 Instagram post, she wrote, "🎉 9/20 Today is a special day, not just because it's my birthday, but because it's a reminder of the incredible journey I've been on. 🎂 From serving in the military to embracing the beautiful chaos of motherhood, and now stepping into the world of real estate, I couldn't be more grateful for every twist and turn. 💪✨," highlighting the fact that she has served in the US military.

Legal Trouble Has Shadowed Ross' Story in the Past

Ross' success story has always come with a darker edge. Biography notes that he faced multiple legal issues over the years, including charges involving weapons, drugs, kidnapping, and assault, and that he spent a large part of 2015 under house arrest.

The same source also points out that the original "Freeway" Ricky Ross sued him in 2010 over the use of the name, though the case was thrown out.

That tension between the luxury-rap image and the legal baggage is a big part of what has kept Ross such a controversial figure. He's admired, doubted, criticized, and still somehow consistently relevant.

The Old Job Title That Only Adds to the Intrigue of the Whole Story

And then there is the image below — the reveal that still makes people pause. Long before he was known as Rick Ross, he worked as a Florida corrections officer for almost two years.

Rolling Stone reported in 2008 that personnel records showed William L. Roberts had served for 18 months as a corrections officer at the South Florida Reception Center in Dade County. At the time, Ross had pushed back on the claims, even suggesting that a uniform photo had been manipulated, but the records only fueled the fascination.

In the end, that may be what makes Rick Ross such an enduring celebrity subject: he is never just one thing. He is a rapper and entrepreneur, a father and grandfather, a man tied to wealth and controversy, and someone whose pre-fame past still shadows his legend. The music made him famous, but the twists in the story are what keep people scrolling.