Rapper Rick Ross and a man who has been described as Ross’s bodyguard were arrested this morning (June 24) at Ross’s residence outside Atlanta, Georgia, at approximately 6:30 a.m. The U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force confirmed that Ross is facing charges for kidnapping, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery, although details of the case remain unclear at this time.
Jim Joyner, a supervisor with the Marshals’ Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, told the The Associated Press this morning that Ross, whose real name is William Roberts II, was taken into custody. Any further information about the charges will have to come from Fayette County authorities, who as of yet have not made a public statement.
Sources close to the situation report that Ross pistol-whipped a construction contractor who was supposedly doing work on the rapper’s mansion property, which he recently purchased. The assault took place about two weeks ago. The same sources state that Ross is also facing outstanding warrants for various other offenses. For example, Ross was picked up earlier this month on a misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge when police stopped him in his car on June 10. The car was a Bentley.
It is still unclear whether Ross has hired an attorney for the case, but he most likely will need one. In addition to Ross’s career as both a rapper and a corrections officer, he is the founder of the record label called Maybeth Music Group, through which he has released many of his own rap albums. Ross has also been known to collaborate with P. Diddy, and in 2012 he was named as MTV’s “Hottest MC in the Game.”
In 2013, Ross was celebrating his 37th birthday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida when he and his girlfriend became the targets of a drive-by shooting. Neither Ross nor his girlfriend were hurt, but they crashed their vehicle into an apartment complex while attempting to escape the shooting. Ross is also famous for his long-standing feud with rival hip-hop mogul 50 Cent. The feud started because Ross allegedly looked at 50 Cent the wrong way at the 2009 BET Music Awards. He has also inspired controversy for condoning date rape in multiple of his song lyrics.