RICK ROSS SCORES THIRD CONSECUTIVE #1 SOUNDSCAN DEBUT WITH "DEEPER THAN RAP"

Def Jam recording artist Rick Ross steamrolls the competition to launch his new Maybach Music label, as DEEPER THAN RAP, his third album debuts at #1 Soundscan on 157,544 first week sales in the physical and digital marketplace. This marks Rick’s third consecutive triumph, following up Port Of Miami (his 2006 debut) and Trilla (2008) – both of which entered the Soundscan chart at #1 with nearly 200,000 first week sales each, both subsequently certified RIAA gold.

DEEPER THAN RAP has just spun off a brand new single, “All I Really Want” featuring fellow Def Jam artist The-Dream, co-written and produced by Tricky Stewart. Ross & The-Dream recently traveled to Medellin, Columbia to shoot a lavish video for the track. “All I Really Want” will premiere on BET with an “Access Granted” special on May 6th. Ross launched DEEPER THAN RAP with week-of-release performances on BET 106 & Park and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman on May 14th.

“All I Really Want” follows DEEPER THAN RAP’s first single pick, “Magnificent” featuring John Legend, which broke inside the Top 5 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts and Hot Rap Tracks chart. “Magnificent” was produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League helmed four songs on Trilla, and four more tracks on DEEPER THAN RAP including the highly anticipated “Maybach Music Part 2” featuring Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne. “Maybach Music Part 2” is the attention-grabbing sequel to Trilla’s “Maybach Music” (featuring Jay-Z).

DEEPER THAN RAP also boasts three tracks produced by The Runners; while The Inkredibles add their hitmaking prowess to the new album as well. There are also productions by BIGG D, Bink, and Drumma Boy.

Rick Ross rose from ruling Miami’s underground rap scene, to become 2006’s buzz-worthiest hip-hop artist with Port Of Miami, his #1 Pop/#1 R&B/#1 Rap major label debut album. Its unstoppable single “Hustlin’” became the first mastertone ever certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million copies before the associated album had even been released. A remix was subsequently issued, featuring Jay-Z and Young Jeezy. Port Of Miami’s second single was “Push It,” whose movie soundtrack excerpts (circa 1990) from Giorgio Moroder’s “Scarface (Push It To The Limit),” evoked the gritty soul of a city that is always on the edge of exploding.

Six-foot-two, 300-pound Rick Ross – a “hip-hop heavyweight,” as described by the New York Times – came into his own on Trilla, whose second single release, “The Boss,” featuring T-Pain, rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot Rap chart, #5 R&B, and Top 20 on the Hot 100. The next single, “Here I Am” featuring Nelly and Avery Storm, also hit inside the Top 10 on the Rap and R&B charts. Trilla got off to a fast start with a release week performance on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live. “The Boss” video went into rotation on MTV, MTV2, and MTV hits, along with BET and FUSE.

Ross recently launched a new website http://www.rickrossdeeperthanrap.com