*Rick Ross says he moved away from owning Wingstop franchises to focus on stock investments, which he believes offer greater opportunities to build wealth. The rapper addressed questions about his restaurant business after an investor reviewed franchise records showing a sharp decline in locations tied to his family’s companies.
Ross spent years promoting Wingstop as part of his business empire, making the findings particularly interesting. But he insists the change reflects a shift in his investment strategy rather than a loss of enthusiasm for the restaurant chain.
“My game went from more franchising to stocks. I was down with Wingstop before stocks,” Ross explained in a video shared on social media. His comments followed a report from investor Eric Jackson that caught the attention of longtime rival 50 Cent.
Rick Ross Says Stocks Offer Bigger Opportunities
Ross defended his years in the restaurant business while explaining why he decided to pursue other investments. As HotNewHipHop reported, he believes the stock market offers financial opportunities beyond what he experienced as a franchise operator.
“A franchise is an amazing experience. I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Ross said, according to Complex. “But the stock game is a whole other game.”
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He then made a bold comparison between the two investment strategies. “And the way I went into the stocks, you could have 200 franchises and not play at that level,” he said, according to AllHipHop.
Ross did not disclose which stocks he owns, how much he invested, or what returns he has earned. He also did not reveal how much money he received from selling or transferring his restaurant interests.
Franchise Records Spark Questions and 50 Cent’s Reaction
The discussion began after investor Eric Jackson examined nine years of Wingstop franchise filings involving Boss Wings companies associated with Ross’ family. Jackson said those businesses operated 21 restaurants at the end of 2016, but the number had fallen to one by the end of 2025.
The remaining location operates in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Ross’ mother’s hometown. Jackson also found that 28 of the 32 restaurant numbers he traced were subsequently listed under other franchisees.
Those findings don’t necessarily mean the restaurants closed or that Ross suffered financial losses. The records track specific family-linked businesses and don’t establish whether Ross maintains other Wingstop investments.
50 Cent seized the opportunity to poke fun at his longtime rival. “See this fool only has one location, LOL,” he wrote on Instagram, according to Complex.
Wingstop Was Once a Major Part of Ross’ Business Brand
Ross entered the Wingstop business in 2011, when the company announced plans for him to open restaurants in Memphis. Over the following years, he regularly promoted the chain and made franchise ownership part of his public message about entrepreneurship.
In September 2021, EURweb reported that Ross gave his son William Roberts a Wingstop franchise for his 16th birthday. The gift reflected how closely Ross connected restaurant ownership with building wealth for his family.
His franchise operation also faced regulatory scrutiny. In 2022, EURweb covered a federal labor investigation involving five Mississippi Wingstop locations operated by Boss Wings Enterprises.
The U.S. Department of Labor found wage and child labor violations, resulting in $51,674 in back wages and damages for workers and $62,753 in civil penalties. Ross publicly acknowledged the problems and said he was taking accountability.
That same year, Wingstop confirmed that Boss Wings had transferred its Memphis restaurants to another operator. No verified evidence connects the labor violations to those transfers or Ross’ subsequent investment decisions.
Despite moving away from franchise expansion, Ross says his loyalty to Wingstop hasn’t changed. He encouraged customers to continue buying the chain’s signature wings while making clear that his personal investment priorities have evolved.
“People in my DM want to know if I’m still a lemon pepper stepper. Of course I am,” Ross said. “I love Wingstop. Always will.”
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