Rick Ross finds joy on the farm he calls the ‘Promise Land’

The rapper opened up about returning to his 235-acre farm in Georgia to recharge.

Rick Ross is in his farm boy era. 

What started with a cow, followed by the purchase of a bull named Thor last year, has turned into a full-blown farming operation for the artist commonly known as “Ricky Rozay.” 

Earlier this year, Ross’ farming endeavors made headlines when several bison escaped his property. He made headlines again when he debuted a new cowboy ‘fit, complete with hat and boots, on social media. Now, speaking to People magazine, he’s gushing about life on his 235-acre farm on his estate in Fayetteville, Georgia, which he’s dubbed the “Promise Land.” 

The rapper-turned-farmer, who admitted to being a “cowboy at times,” said returning to his homestead provides him with “a different vibe” than the studio or his various business dealings. 

“You just wish many others get to try this,” he said. “Sit your f—ing phone down and just sit back and relax. Let’s feed the cows some carrots. Let’s talk to the horses. Let’s fish for four hours. Let’s do that.”

He added, “Maybe that’s how I recharge my battery, and when I get around music, I’m ready to go because I do a little bit of it all.”

Ross is a jack of many trades, from Maybach Music to luxury beard and haircare to chicken wings and beyond. Ross is also far from the only Black celebrity to take up a life of agriculture. From Lenny Kravitz’s compound in Brazil to Kelis’ California farmland to Questlove (who was advised by Ross), many famous faces are getting their hands dirty these days. 

The rise in Black celebrity farming may reflect a broader trend. Recent reports have sounded the alarm that the Black farmer has nearly vanished in less than a century. In 1920, Black farmers made up roughly 14.3% of the industry. By 2017, they made up something closer to 1.3%, per CNN, inspiring a new generation of Black Americans to get back to basics and reclaim the tradition. 

Leah Penniman, co-director and farm manager at Soul Fire in Rensselaer County, New York, told CNN, “We are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who fled … all of the oppression associated with life on land in the South. There’s a bit of our cultural heritage and our soul heritage left behind.”

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