Drive Down to the ‘Prom ise Land’ With Rick Ross

Car shows can be a culture shock for those who’ve never been immersed in the environment, let alone had an interest in the automobile industry. Most shows display a large collection of vehicles, including classics that have been restored and given a second chance at life. Car companies also contribute a series of models for enthusiasts.

Ross said he wanted to break out of that exclusivity — and he did. Guests came from neighboring areas such as Fairburn, Union City, Peachtree City, Riverdale and Forest Park; and from other states, including Alabama, Indiana, South Carolina and Wyoming. Still other guests traveled across the globe, including Poland and Colombia. Ross also displayed his own extensive car collection, ranging from a Trans Am made by Pontiac Firebird to a custom 1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS.

The singer drove a golf cart around his palatial grounds, greeting as many people as he could. He then took to the stage to award winners with 24-carat diamond necklaces and decorative plaques. Guests enjoyed food from a colorful array of food trucks showcasing Jamaican food, fresh juices and Masterpiece Desserts, including cheesecake infused with flavors of Belaire and Bumbu rums. But it wouldn’t have been a Rick Ross show without those famous vocal cords. Ross belted out a favorite hit, a collaboration with Meek Mill on “Ima Boss.”

Ross took to Instagram, saying, “Today’s the day we all waited for. Wow, it's amazing. I'm thankful.” During a recent interview with “The Breakfast Club,” the lyricist explained why he felt it was important to host the exhibition. “I felt like the car culture [was] significant with the music culture the same way with fashion culture,” he said. “I just felt like over the last 10 years, the [car] culture has been dying out … It’s like [we're] reinvesting in what we really own.”

Celebrities such as “Love & Hip Hop” alum and rapper Safaree Samuels, along with DJ Envy, Lil Baby, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and 2 Chainz made appearances before the heavy crowd.

Indeed. That’s what Samuels said; “Who doesn’t love looking at cars and getting behind the wheels of lavish interiors?” Ross gave shoutouts on YouTube following the event, thanking participants: “I appreciate all the hustlers, all the big boys, everybody that supported this car show. It was a huge success, you know what I mean?” he said. “We didn’t have one arrest, one incident, one fight. This the ‘Promise Land,’ so I appreciate everybody respecting the vision, [because] this is a vision.”

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Leading up to the show's exhibition, Ross intentionally advocated for Black businesses to be featured vendors for the event. Whether car lovers needed ideas to customize their vehicles from Griffin Designs to specialized frankfurters from the Hot Dog Lady, to energy drinks and bitcoin companies, there was something for everyone. The car show for everyday people, transformed into a multi-faceted affair: reminiscent of a start-up summit, family picnic, car show and a Super Soul Saturday — all rolled up into one. It was a far cry from the first significant automobile show in the U.S. in November 1900 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, mostly tailored toward wealthy white patrons.

In contrast to the privileged origins of car shows, Ross wowed brown and Black attendees with the openness and access he gave them to his house, which was once owned by Evander Holyfield and boasts 109 rooms, along with a theater that seats 135 people and a dining room that can accommodate up to 100 guests. Da’Mont Watson, of Decatur, Georgia, submitted his 1965 Buick Electra, which he calls “K-Ro.” He brought his 11-year-old son along. “What [Rick Ross] did really spoke to me, you feel me?” he said. “It ain’t just about the culture, it's history for the car junkies who love preserving and restoring what’s old to make new again. What other Black person [do] you know letting people on their property like this, showing off chrome wheels, carburetors, Lacs and giving back?”

It’s different for different people — as the show in Fayetteville captured. Watson, for instance, grew interested in cars after learning that his birth father was incarcerated for car theft. Now decades later, he was happy to bring his son to the show. “This was my first time putting up the funds for this [because] at first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be received by the people or what to expect, for real,” he said. “But it ended up better than I thought and my son got to see real people, real cars and have a good time.”