The rapper says cutting his 200-plus acres of grass gives him peace.
Despite owning iconic estates worth millions of dollars, Rick Ross knows how to save money when he can. In a new interview with Forbes, the 45-year-old rapper talks about his incredible real estate acquisitions and revealed some surprising habits he practices.
Ross owns a famed 54,000-square-foot estate in Fayetteville, Georgia, that used to belong to boxer Evander Holyfield. He had long been a fan of the home, originally buying a house two blocks from it and admiring it every day.
"I looked at every curve and every up and downhill on the lawn," he recalls. "I was looking at the geese as I rolled by. I did that for years until one day, I saw the red for-sale sign on the gate and made a U-turn."
Ross has since made significant upgrades to the home -- which includes a 350,000-gallon pool and a dining room that seats 100 -- and bought an additional 87 acres adjacent to the main estate in 2019 for $1 million. But despite his incredibly lavish home, which has been featured in films like Eddie Murphy's Coming 2 America, Ross said he cuts his own grass and has practical habits.
"I don't have a big jet. I try my best to fly Delta," he tells the magazine. "I love swap meets and antique stores. I love finding beautiful things that cost $8 or $20. When I bought the Fayetteville estate, locals would see me walk out of a restaurant and scream, 'You know Holyfield spent $1 million a year to cut the grass.' So I decided that I was gonna cut my own grass. And that's what I did."
"I went down to John Deere and asked to see the biggest tractor, the most efficient tractor," he continues. "I told them I had 200-plus acres that I wanted to keep cut, and they pointed out the right tractor. I bought it right then and there. I bought the extended attachment on the back that would cut even wider. Once I got it back home, I filled it up with gas. I may have sat in the same spot for two hours before I got everything working, but once I got it going, I didn't stop. I cut grass for about five hours."
Ross says the chore gives him peace.
"People still know it's me, but when I get in the tractor, it's a whole other level of peace, a whole other level of connecting with the estate and the animals and the birds and the wildlife," he shares. "I sit there and have my cannabis rolled up, and, man, I look at the property and can appreciate my struggles and my triumphs, those rough days. It's the smallest thing, but it keeps a smile on my face. So, you know, for anybody who doesn't cut their own grass, I would say take time out every two or three months to cut your grass because it is such a great and peaceful sensation."
The rapper stresses he is not "about throwing money away."
"But it's important that people enjoy the fruits of your labor and stay ahead of the curve," he says. "With 17 partnerships, you might wonder how I do that. But I make sure that I am surrounded by love and inspiration and motivation. Through the window I am looking out of right now in the Southwest Ranches, I can see my red-on-red 458 Ferrari, and it is inspiring. The work is inspiring, but it can drain you. So while I want people to understand that everything is possible, you have to separate yourself and find balance."
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