Rick Ross Threats Spark Police Probe, Fans Divided (VIDEO)
Rick Ross recently denied canceling the remainder of his tour over gang threats, but the Chicago Police Department is still investigating the incident, which has since divided fans of the rapper.
Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts II, has received a series of threats in recent weeks from a Chicago-based gang which is attempting to extort the rapper over allegedly unpaid dues. Despite fans linking his tour cancellation to the threats, the 36-year-old insists that the cancellation was the result of poor communication.
"I canceled the rest of the tour due to the promoter, he wasn't really handling his business," Ross recently told Miami-based radio station 99 Jamz.
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The Maybach Music Group founder claims that tour promoter Shawn Gee canceled three of his shows without notifying him, which prompted him to cancel the remaining shows.
"I just felt like that was some power that I needed to take away from homie, so I canceled the rest of the dates that I had arranged with him," he explained.
A street gang known as the Gangster Disciples recently took to social networking site YouTube to explain its grievances with Ross for name-dropping the gang's chairman Larry Hoover on the chorus of his 2010 single "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)." He is also accused of copying the group's Star of David logo for the cover of his latest mixtape, "The Black Bar Mitzvah."
The gang has urged the rapper to settle the matter, but Ross has openly refused to fulfill their requests.
"So if you screaming, 'Cut a check, we need a check.' Ain't no checks gettin' cut. Ain't never no checks gettin' cut. I don't play those games," Ross said. "I consider that extortion, we don't play like that."
Threats aimed at Ross have since increased with gangs in other states like North Carolina and Alabama, with them calling on the rapper to pay his dues. Concerned critics have since flocked to Twitter, with some urging Ross to take the threats seriously, while other fans have supported his decision not to pay up.
"Just watched about 8 diff videos from different GD's from diff states who really want Rick Ross Head. smh he better pay up or get bodied," Mac Nel tweeted.
"Good for you Rick Ross! Dont let em bully you! You work hard for your success, why should you pay those broke clowns? #boss" Kial L. Tweeted.
"Rick Ross is in a lose lose situation... If he pay, he gone look like a b----.. if he dont pay, Maybach Music will never have a concert lol," CJ tweeted.
