Rick Alan Ross (born 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States named Ricky Alan Ross) is a consultant, lecturer and "intervention specialist," with an interest in exit counseling or de-programming people from cults.
He runs the CultNews.com blog and founded The Ross Institute of New Jersey in 2003, which maintains a database of information about controversial groups (some of which are listed as harmful "cults" by government agencies ) including press articles, court documents, and essays.
He has been accepted in various courts as an expert witness, interviewed and quoted by the media in the United States and other countries in relation to his expert knowledge in cults/cultic methodologies.
Ross has been criticized by some of the groups he lists on his website, by some of the scholars who study new religious movements (NRMs), and by other individuals in relation to the roles he played in the controversial "deprogramming" case of Jason Scott and the ill-fated FBI standoff with the Branch Davidians. Ross' common response is to label such critics as "cult apologists."
William Roberts (born January 21, 1977 in Carol City, Florida) better known by his stage name Rick Ross (alternate form Rick Ro$$), is an American rapper of Haitian descent. Ross' moniker is borrowed from drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross (drug trafficker), who ran one of the largest cocaine distribution networks in the country during the 1980s and early '90s. He signed with Slip-N-Slide, which as of 2007, is distributed under Def Jam Records. Port of Miami, Ross' debut album, was released on August 8 2006, with the lead single "Hustlin'" peaking at #7 on the hip-hop chart and #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. A remix of the single featuring Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, & also achieved some popularity in digital downloads. Port of Miami is certified gold by the RIAA.
In 2006 Richard Ross established Rick Ross Charities Inc. which offers educational, social and mentoring programs.
Rick Ross is also a part of Poe Boy Entertainment, a Miami-based Hip-Hop label founded in 1999 by his manager Eldrin "E-Class" Prince. It was once the home for Florida artist Jacki-O and it presently has many other artists such as:
