As a young whodie growing up in the Calliope projects, Lil' Romeo witnessed the struggle of his father and uncles to make their mark in the world of hip hop. The boy was only six-years old when his father, No Limit CEO and entrepreneur Master P, as well as his Uncle C and Uncle Silkk the Shocker, were ballin' out of control as representatives of hip hop's most successful independently-owned label. It was therefore inevitable that the family game would fuel Romeo's career aspirations, and one day he would follow in the footsteps of the Miller boys who rocked the mics before him. That day is now upon us with the July 3rd release of Lil' Romeo's self-titled debut album.
"I think he took a lot from everybody," says P of the family influence on his son. "He took a lot of our style, put it together and came up with his own style. He also has a lot of game that the average 11-year old wouldn't have."
P first learned of his son's microphone skills when he arrived home from a business trip to realize that Romeo had written a rap. "I found it amazing just to come home and find out that he had the talent that he had. He would always play around and rap with his cousins. But this is something that he never had to do, so to hear what he wrote--I just thought it was incredible."
"I've been on my dad's records since I was four years old," says Romeo who did many of the intros on TRU and Master P records from the beginning.
At Lil' Romeo's request, P put him in the studio with Diesel of Soulja Music Productions and C-Los Beats "They'd be making songs," says P. "I asked to hear one of 'em and was like, 'Oh yeah, this kid is ready.'"
The first single, "My Baby," features a recreated loop from the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" sitting under Lil' Romeo's fun tale of yearning to remain single amidst crazy female adoration. Also on the album are the Spanish-flavored "The Girlies," and the street-influenced "ABC's."
It's teenage music, but it's also adult appealing. Romeo writes songs for his generation that people don't normally get a chance to hear, which is a No Limit song from a kid's perspective.
Not only does he show exceptional skill as a rapper, but Lil' Romeo may be an even better basketball player. He's the best 11-year old hoopster in the country. Romeo went to the AAU national championship last year with enough game to play in the 12-year old bracket. He was also the MVP of the Michael Jordan basketball camp, impressing some of NBA's premiere guards. "Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury seen him and said the kid has incredible ball handling skills," boasts P. "Like he says in 'My Baby,' he can go from high school straight into the pros."
While balancing music and basketball, Lil' Romeo also manages to pull straight A's in his 5th grade class. "I am enjoying doing music and going on the road, but I know that my education comes first," explains Lil' Romeo. His father echoes the sentiment and also makes sure his son is in church every Sunday. Just two years ago, Lil' Romeo was in a car crash that saw the death of his cousin, Lance. Romeo was inspired to pursue rap in memory of Lance, who also took a special interest in hip hop.
With Lil' Romeo ready to drop this summer, and the single "My Baby" already generating a buzz, Lil' Romeo is prepared for the onslaught of fan frenzy befitting a youngster who is just as talented as he is handsome.
