American rapper and music executive Rick Ross has revealed the legendary artists he would invite to his ultimate dream collaboration, naming reggae icon Bob Marley, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Nigerian Grammy winner Burna Boy, and British-Nigerian soul singer Sade Adu as the musicians he would bring together for a once-in-a-lifetime musical gathering.
Ross shared the vision while speaking in an interview on African Voices, where he reflected on the artistEs whose music has shaped generations and continues to influence global culture.
According to the rapper, his ideal collaboration would involve bringing together legendary figures whose artistry transcends genres and eras.
“And if I could say one right now, let’s say if I had a dream collaboration right now, it’d be Ricky Ross, it’d be Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and Burna Boy.
“Imagine that right now, imagine one spliff right now, you know, because that’s to me, that’s king level. That’s next level,” he said.
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Ross added that the gathering would not be complete without the inclusion of Sade Adu, whose soulful style he said would add a distinctive texture to the imagined collaboration.
“And we could FaceTime Sade,” the 50-year-old singer said humourously.
However, when asked whether he could realistically make such a collaboration happen, the hip-hop mogul admitted that even his influence might not be enough.
“I mean, I am the boss, but I don’t know about that. That’s what we’re going to do, put it on the wish list,” he said.
A Look At The Line-Up
Ross’s dream line-up brings together musical voices from Africa, the Caribbean, and Western soul, creating a bridge across generations and cultures.
Fela Kuti, widely regarded as the Afrobeat pioneer, changed the game with African sound, mixing traditional Nigerian beats with jazz, funk, and his fearless political messages. His music still inspires artistes around the world today and was recently posthumously honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bob Marley turned reggae into a global movement. His songs about peace, love, and social justice still resonate everywhere, decades after they were first recorded.
Sade Adu brought a different kind of magic. Her mix of soul, jazz, and quiet-storm R&B created a timeless sound that hip-hop and R&B artists keep sampling today.
And then there’s Port Harcourt-born Burna Boy, the “African Giant,” who’s taking Afrobeats to the world stage. By fusing Afrobeats with reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop, he’s showing global audiences just how alive African music has become, selling out arenas and winning international awards along the way.
Ross has previously spoken about other ambitious musical collaborations he would like to see come to life.
During a 2021 Instagram Live session, the rapper revealed another dream concept track featuring the late Whitney Houston, The Notorious B.I.G. and James Brown.
At the time, Ross said he would have wanted Houston’s vocals to run throughout the record rather than appear only on the chorus.
Collaboration: Driver Of Global Music
Rick Ross’s comments also highlight how important collaboration has become in today’s global music industry.
In recent years, partnerships between American hip-hop artistes and African musicians have helped push Afrobeats and related genres to a wider global audience.
These collaborations mix different sounds and cultures, creating music that connects fans across continents.
Ross himself has already taken part in several of these cross-continental collaborations.
He previously worked with Burna Boy and DJ Khaled on the song “Key.”
Over the last decade, Ross has also built strong musical ties with African artistes, especially in Nigeria. One of the earliest major collaborations came in 2012, when he appeared on the remix of “Beautiful Onyinye” by P‑Square.
The record is often seen as one of the first big collaborations between a top U.S. rapper and African artists during the early global rise of Afrobeats.
He later collaborated with Yemi Alade on the 2019 remix of “Oh My Gosh.” In 2022, he also featured on the remix of “5 Star” by Adekunle Gold, another track that connected American rap with Nigeria’s modern Afrobeats sound.
The American rapper has also worked with artistes from other parts of Africa.
He teamed up with South African rapper Kwesta on “I Came I Shared,” and collaborated with Ghanaian star Stonebwoy on the remix of “For The Money.” These projects show his wider involvement with different African music scenes.
Ross recently announced plans for a collaborative project titled “Champagne Moments,” which is expected to feature artists from 12 African countries.
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