Here's What Madonna's Son Rocco Ritchie Really Does For A Living

Madonna is a legendary singer and pop culture icon with seven Grammys and over a dozen of chart-topping hits to her name. She's also a proud mom of six, welcoming two biological children and four adopted kids over the course of two decades. In 2000, the "Like A Virgin" hitmaker gave birth to her eldest son, Rocco Ritchie, with her ex-husband, British filmmaker Guy Ritchie. Although they seem to get along these days, it's no secret that Madonna and Rocco didn't always have the best relationship, as the two had been famously embroiled in a nasty custody battle after Rocco insisted on living with her father and stepmother in the U.K. In 2016, Madonna surprised her fans when she posted a photo of her with Rocco on her Instagram page, suggesting that they had reconciled following months of estrangement and legal drama. "We Need!" she captioned the since-deleted post, which showed her and Rocco in an embrace, according to NZ Herald.

Since then, Rocco has taken on a career in the spotlight. In 2017, he made his modeling debut in Adidas' athletic-wear collection campaign in collaboration with superstar designer Alexander Wang. In 2021, he also appeared in a "Peaky Blinders"-inspired shoot for The Rake magazine, which referred to the now-23-year-old as the "Scion of Sartorialism" as he posed in a tweed gray suit and other vintage clothing, proving that style indeed runs in his blood. Aside from modeling, Rocco has also pursued a career in the art scene. 

Madonna's son, Rocco Ritchie, has carved out a lucrative career for himself as a contemporary artist. He's the genius behind Maison Rhed, whose works are "unique and brilliantly chaotic" with "expressionist style and street energy" and who has "genuine desire to create an expressive language of emotion and storytelling" through his artistry, according to his profile on Artsy. (Fans have already dubbed him the next Basquiat.) He first entered the art scene in 2018 after taking up fine arts at Central Saint Martins school and now has his own studio in West London. When speaking to Vogue Man Hong Kong in 2022, Rocco opened up about his creative process and the inspiration behind his mysterious moniker.

"Rhed is just a name," he said, matter-of-factly. "The only real meaning and importance of that were so my life and my career weren't confusing each other." He added, "It's not that I don't feel proud to be who I am. ... I couldn't be prouder of my parents and what they've achieved and in turn taught me." Rocco shared how Madonna and Guy Ritchie inspired and nurtured his love of art. "It certainly helped growing up in a house that was passionate about art and culture," he told Vogue HK, noting that while neither of his parents were painters, both are creative geniuses in their own right, so art is in his blood. 

Needless to say, Madonna is one proud mother as her son, Rocco Ritchie, continues to take London's art scene by storm. Not long after it was revealed that Rocco is the brilliant artist behind Rhed, thanks to an expose published by Page Six in 2021, the "Material Girl" singer took to social media to show off some of her son's artwork. "Anyone who knows me, knows my passion for ART—so you can imagine how proud I am to share some of my Son Rocco's paintings with you!!" she wrote. "He goes by the name—RHED! Swipe past video to see some goodies!!" In 2023, she lauded Rocco for taking part in an art exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milan, writing in a caption under her post, "Bravo @roccoritchie. I am so proud of you and certainly the luckiest Mom in the world!"

But, it's not just Madonna who has long supported Rocco in his dream of pursuing a career in art. A source previously told PageSix that Guy Ritchie has been instrumental in his journey as an artist as well and has always supported his endeavors since his son was so passionate about it. They added that Madonna and Ritchie couldn't be prouder of their son for forging his own career path independent of his parents.