Rick Ross Celebrates Longevity at ‘Port of Miami’ 20th Anniversary Show with Trina, Uncle Luke, And More

Rick Ross turned 50 this year, and he’s been thinking about his legacy lately: how to preserve it, how to build it, and how to continue working towards a new goal.

20 years ago, when he was on his indie hustle, “Hustlin’” introduced the Carol City rapper’s deep baritone to the world, confidently sounding larger-than-life. With his debut single as the catalyst, Def Jam and Slip-N-Slide Records signed a joint venture deal with Ross for his 2006 debut album, Port of Miami, which detailed Miami’s dark underbelly through booming trap production. Back then, he told himself he would be a boss and entrepreneur someday. Being in Miami for his tour opener Friday night in front of fans, family, and business partners was a full-circle moment to celebrate two decades of bossing up and living like a self-made king.

Before the show began, Ross shared a story on Instagram about riding in the back of his parents’ car as a “jit” (Miami slang for a young kid) and passing by the James L. Knight Center. “It was big boy shit,” he said when talking about how much this show means to him. Ross is a master of brand marketing and promotion; it doesn’t matter if he is creating hype around the 17-city tour, pushing his third book, Renaissance of a Boss: Notes From a Creative Reawakening, or rolling out his upcoming album Set in Stone, due out July 17. He understands that being rich forever means constantly investing in yourself.

As fans trickled into the theater, nearly filling up over 4,500 seats, they were handed a playbill. In it, a message from Ricky Rozay on “Hustlin’” and the impact of Port of Miami as the foundation for his empire read, “Tonight, we elevate the hustle to the highest level of luxury.” Broken down into three acts, the setlist included his biggest hits (“B.M.F.,” “MC Hammer”), remixes (“Hard in the Paint”), and guest verses (his performance of “Devil in a New Dress” was a chef’s kiss). 

If you needed a history lesson of the 305, this was the night for reppin’ Miami-Dade County, especially when formal black-tie attire was encouraged to toast and raise a glass to his historic career. 99Jamz’s DJ Nasty 305 was Rozay’s DJ for the evening, while radio personality K. Foxx opened the show to do her intro on Port of Miami live. In between Ross’ signature “Huh” ad lib and his latest expression, “it’s too easy,” Ross glided through his boss classics with the Sainted Trap Choir and orchestra, who captured the grandeur of the song’s sonics and brought them to life through movement.

For two hours, Ross soaked in the moment, looking proud as he shook hands with members of the Renaissance Orchestra and band between songs. And for those of you wondering, he did let Drake’s vocals on “I’m on One” play. However, for “Aston Martin Music” and “Diced Pineapples,” Ross cleverly used members of the orchestra to fill in the gap for the audience to sing.

Often, he would thank his mother, Ella, who was seated in the front row, for giving him the game to keep his circle small and do business with family. Later, he expressed gratitude for the people who are no longer with us. During “Tears of Joy,” Ross honored his father, William Leonard Roberts, longtime manager Black Bo, Fat Wayne, DJ Uncle Al, Young Dolph, and Nipsey Hussle in a memoriam tribute.

As Ross performed a Port of Miami medley, he teased the arrival of Beat Novacane for the real day ones who remember DJ Khaled’s former producer name. Ross has a deep Rolodex of friends: DJ Khaled, Uncle Luke, Trina, Nino Breeze, and Ball Greezy all came out to represent the past, present, and future of Miami rap.

There’s always room for setlist changes and tweaks after a kickoff tour opener. Ross performed his new single “Minks in Miami” for the first time, which was not listed in the official setlist, possibly setting up more surprises like the ones we saw Friday night. Is Jeezy pulling up in Atlanta for the “Hustlin’” remix? Would New York get French Montana and Max B? The possibilities just show that Ross’ respect is well earned, a mogul who’s 20 summers in and is still hustln’ every day.