Rick Ross Charities Inc. Partners with NFL San Francisco 49er Pro-Bowl Running Back, Frank
Gore and 21st Century Hustle Magazine to Launch Pre-IPO, New Global Franchise, "Hip Hop Grub Spot™" in Miami,
Florida
Hip
Hop Venture Philanthropy Paves the Way for Community Development
November 1, 2007
(Miami, FL) – While rapper Rick Ross is promoting his sophomore album, "Trilla," set to be released on
December 18th, he is taking time out his busy schedule to give back to his community. This upcoming Thanksgiving
holiday, Rick Ross Charities Inc., will distribute dozens of turkeys to families in the Miami community who are
in need. This will take place on Saturday, November 17, 2007 in Miami Gardens, Florida at the new global franchise, Hip Hop
Grub Spot.™
Rick Ross Charities Inc. takes on urban community development through venture philanthropy and is aiming
to set an example for others in the Hip Hop community to follow suit. By giving back to his community with concrete objectives,
he is setting a standard. With the success of the 1st Annual Rick Ross Be Out Day this past August, it was confirmation
that the organization is blazing that path to initiate change in the community.
"The best way to stop the violence, crime, and broken homes in the community is through creating jobs
and business opportunities and we are doing that along with Hip Hop Grub Spot.™ I am glad to be a part of this,"
says Rick Ross, Platinum selling rapper from Miami [Slip N' Slide/Def Jam Recordings].
Denise Fonseca Gomes, CEO of HBCUEntrepreneurs.com Inc. and the co-creator of "Hip Hop Grub Spot" states,
"Venture capital is missing in Hip Hop right now. What you find in Hip Hop is a strategy to create artists [rappers] as brands,
then management approaches major corporations to use these brands to market products and services for product placement opportunities.
We are offering venture philanthropy as an alternative to this industry practice as a more profitable long-term solution,
where a percentage of proceeds will be spread to charities around the world." Gomes goes on to say, "The Hip Hop industry
will allow you to believe that Hip Hop consumers just buy music to dance to. [Hustlin'] showed it was bigger than music. Many
in the global Hip Hop community supported Rick Ross because they wanted to see how spending $20 on an album or $.99 for a
ringtone or download changes urban society-- they can see that with Hip Hop Grub Spot™ and Rick Ross Charities Inc.
Hip Hop Grub Spot,™ is a Hip Hop themed, healthy fast-food global franchise which incorporates,
student executive/entrepreneur training, in-store video gaming provided by Microsoft XBOX, with support by Hip Hop artists
and professional athletes. It will also retail magazines, DVDs, mix-tapes, and apparel; while serving fast, fresh, healthy
sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, and energy drinks created for the franchise by Florida A&M University students, faculty
and alumni, Johnson and Wales University students, faculty and alumni, PepsiCo, and Sysco Foods. The menu items also incorporate
the names and likeness of some of today and tomorrow's hottest Hip Hop celebrities. The flagship location will be located
in Miami Gardens, Florida and will serve as a franchisable prototype to franchise investors.
NFL Pro-Bowl Running Back, San Francisco 49er Frank Gore states, "I bought Rick Ross' album in
2006 because I identified with "Everyday I'm Hustlin" and I wanted to support a Hip Hop entrepreneur from Miami that went
through the same struggle I did as a young black male from the inner-city. I knew that once Rick Ross made it, he would be
in a position to help others. I am also in the process of starting a foundation to make it possible for other urban youth
entrepreneurs to attain the, "American Dream" of home ownership, college education, and owning your own business."
Miami native, Ali Muhammad, founder of 21st Century Hustle Magazine, Rain Forest Films Executive and
former Vibe Magazine Advertising Executive adds, "There has always been a segment of hip hop culture that firmly identifies
with the fundamental principles of the American Dream, and is not afraid to live accordingly. Rick Ross belongs to that group
that embodies the spirit of capitalism and philanthropy."
