‘I cut grass for about five hours’: How Rick Ross saves $1M a year mowing his own lawn

Rick Ross may have the luxury to spend however he may want, but the rapper and business mogul is making it known he’s not into the profligate lifestyle particularly when it comes to paying people to do things he can carry out on his own.

In a recent interview with Forbes, the Rich Forever rapper disclosed how he saves $1 million a year in maintenance costs for his 235-acre Georgia mansion. The rapper, born William Leonard Roberts II, reportedly bought the large Fayetteville property in 2014 for $5.8m from retired legendary boxer Evander Holyfield. Besides its humongous compound, the mansion also has over 100 rooms as well as a 350,000-gallon swimming pool.

After becoming the new owner of the property, the rapper said he was constantly reminded by residents of how much Holyfield spent a year to cut the grass. And though Ross is known for rapping about dolling out cash for expensive things as well as services, the 45-year-old said he also very well understands how to spend wisely.

“When I bought the Fayetteville estate, locals would see me walk out of a restaurant and scream, ‘You know Holyfield spent $1 million a year to cut the grass.’ So I decided that I was gonna cut my own grass. And that’s what I did,” the rapper said.

“I went down to John Deere and asked to see the biggest tractor, the most efficient tractor. I told them I had 200-plus acres that I wanted to keep cut, and they pointed out the right tractor. I bought it right then and there. I bought the extended attachment on the back that would cut even wider. Once I got it back home, I filled it up with gas. I may have sat in the same spot for two hours before I got everything working, but once I got it going, I didn’t stop. I cut grass for about five hours.”

The rapper also said mowing the sprawling lawn of his mansion is a “whole other level of peace” for him and a “whole other level of connecting with the estate and the animals and the birds and the wildlife.” And the award-winning rapper also gets to carry out his mowing responsibilities in peace as his tractor has air conditioning and tinted windows so he “wouldn’t cause too much confusion with the traffic right next to the estate.”

“I sit there and have my cannabis rolled up, and, man, I look at the property and can appreciate my struggles and my triumphs, those rough days,” he added. “It’s the smallest thing, but it keeps a smile on my face. So, you know, for anybody who doesn’t cut their own grass, I would say take time out every two or three months to cut your grass because it is such a great and peaceful sensation.”

In March, Face2Face Africa reported the Port of Miami rapper rented out the property to be used as the palace of Zamunda for the sequel of the popular comedy movie Coming 2 America. The rapper said he has made $2.7 million from renting out the mansion to movie producers.

Meanwhile, the rapper has also purchased additional land close to his Fayetteville mansion. Nicknamed the “Promised Land”, Ross told Forbes he’s still contemplating on what to develop the property into.