The Source Magazine sends a big born day shout out to the No Limit general
We want to give a big Happy Birthday shout out to Master P (aka Percy Miller), who was born on April 29, 1970 in the city New Orleans. He used money from a malpractice settlement to open No Limit Records, a store which became the multi-million dollar label and a household name.
His artists crowded the Hip Hop charts in the late 90s and Master P expanded his empire into film, sports management and socially conscious music. He’s constantly on the Forbes list for top earners in Hip Hop, but he made an awakening birthday post announcement on Instagram (@officialmasterp) that says praying and being thankful for his blessings is what keeps him grounded.
“Don’t wait to pray until you need something. Pray and be thankful everyday for your blessings. Amen. #GodisGood@masterpmasterclass”
Happy Born Day to Mr. Miller, as he enjoys today and many more hereafter!
On this date in 2000, West Coast rap giant Snoop Dogg released his fifth full-length studio album entitled The Last Meal, which was released on Master P’s Dirty South, independent powerhouse, No Limit Records, as well as the first album on Snoop’s Doggystyle Records. This album was released during the “dog days” of Death Row, with Snoop and Dre parting ways with their former boss and label owner Suge Knight. The album was leaked on the internet on December 1, 2000, by Suge Knight who made all tracks downloadable in MP3 from the official site of his and Snoop Dogg’s former company Death Row Records, which featured links to tracks from both Tha Last Meal and Dead Man Walkin’ albums, asking visitors to “take The Snoop Dogg Challenge” and decide “song for song” which is the better album.
There was some heavy production on the album, with tracks primarily from Dr. Dre and Master P, adding Timbaland and Soopafly to the unique flavor of this project as well. The most recognizable track from the album was “Lay Low” a melodic track featuring Butch Cassidy, The Outsidaz with Nate Dogg singing the hook and Dr. Dre behind the boards, capturing that original G-funk sound of the 213.
Salute to Snoop, Master P, Dre and the entire No Limit/Death Row teams who helps mold this timeless classic!
On this day in 2003, James Tapp Jr., who is better known to the Hip Hop community as Soulja Slim, was shot and killed in front of his mother’s residence the night before Thanksgiving in his hometown of New Orleans. He was 26 years old.
Slim’s killer, the 22-year-old Gerelle Smith, was arrested on New Year’s Eve for the shooting but was released after no witnesses would come forward, even though the murder weapon was found in Smith’s possession. In August 2011, Smith was also shot and killed.
The New Orleans District Attorney’s office still has Slim’s murder listed as a cold case.
Soulja Slim is best known for his Juvenile assisted “Slow Motion”, which was the premiere track that featured both of New Orleans’ Hip-Hop first families; No Limit Records and Cash Money Records.
Salute to Slim (RIP) and the city of New Orleans for giving the world a chance to hear the voice of one of its kings.
On this day in Hip Hop history, Snoop Dogg released his third LP Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told, his first release on No Limit Records. Although met with mixed reviews from critics, this #1 album may very well be the most important project of Snoop’s career.
Following the release of his sophomore LP Tha Doggfather, Snoop’s relationship withDeath Row Records began to deteriorate. The aftermath of Dr. Dre leaving the label brought the worst out of its co-founder Suge Knight causing his iron dictatorship business model to only tighten its grip. Snoop’s disapproval of Death Row owning and profiting off of everything that he had recorded since signing along with receiving luxurious gifts in lieu of royalties led to his refusal to write another bar for Knight until his contract was up, excluding of course the infamous “F*ck Death Row.” A year later, Snoop finally decided to call it quits and take his talents down south.
Snoop signed with P. Miller in 1998 and officially became a part of the hottest rap syndicate of the time, No Limit Records. The No Limit army had begun to monopolize the rap game in 1997 with the release of Master P’s Ghetto D which peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 and set what would be the labels most successful year. Much like the 2010 signing of LeBron James to the Miami Heat, Snoop Dogg’s joining No Limit brought with it nothing but success and took the label to the top of the rap game.
The anticipation of a Snoop Dogg album without Death Row brought about so much hype that the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 520,000 copies in its first week. Critics had a lot to say about this album as it received mixed reviews across a plethora of publications. With the majority of critics citing the change in style and production of this project to fit the No Limit uniform, many praised the transition Snoop was making from a strictly West Coast G-Funk artist to one that could appeal to a wider range of Hip Hop fans. Snoop’s talent mixed with Master P’s marketing genius brought this tape to make chart appearances in ten countries across the globe and sell 3,985,360 copies in the United States alone.
With this album, Snoop proved that he was more than just another West Coast gangsta rapper. Although his album sales of previous albums were enough to set him apart from his local competition, never before had a West Coast artist been able to step outside of California and retain and gain the respect that Snoop did. His ability to thrive in the dirty south during an era of Hip Hop where factions and tension based on geography were at an all-time high showed that his talent was above the petty beef and could shine on any front.
On this date in 1991, New Orleans rap icon Percy “Master P” Miller released his first album entitled Get Away Clean on his independently established No Limit Records.
Featuring his own NOLA-based crew TRU (The Real Untouchables), who just happened to include himself and his brothers Silkk The Shocker and C-Murder, Get Away Clean was the first release from No Limit Records and distributed through the Oakland, California-based In A Minute Records.
The 14 track, the underground project was a hit in the hustling spots but never received any commercial success like any of the other post “Ice Cream Man” No Limit releases.
Salute to Mr. Miller and the rest of his No Limit family for bringing us such a timeless piece of Hip Hop history!
On this day in 2003, James Tapp Jr., who is better known to the Hip Hop community as Soulja Slim, was shot and killed in front of his mother’s residence the night before Thanksgiving in his hometown of New Orleans. He was 26 years old.
Slim’s killer, the 22-year-old Gerelle Smith, was arrested on New Year’s Eve for the shooting but was released after no witnesses would come forward, even though the murder weapon was found in Smith’s possession. In August 2011, Smith was also shot and killed.
The New Orleans District Attorney’s office still has Slim’s murder listed as a cold case.
Soulja Slim is best known for his Juvenile assisted “Slow Motion”, which was the premiere track that featured both of New Orleans’ Hip-Hop first families; No Limit Records and Cash Money Records.
Salute to Slim (RIP) and the city of New Orleans for giving the world a chance to hear the voice of one of its kings.
Today is the date that Hip Hop celebrates the birth of one its most coveted soldiers; NOLA’s one and only Soulja Slim!
Born on this date in 1977 as James Adarryl Tapp Jr. to Ms. Linda Tapp, Slim was born, raised, and was a recognized hero in the Magnolia section of New Orleans who morphed into an icon of NOLA Hip Hop until his tragic death in 2003.
Even though Slim was shot and killed in front of his mother’s residence the night before Thanksgiving in Magnolia, his legend continues to live through his art and the legacy kept alive by his family. Last summer, Slims’s sister Peaches released a scathing video about who she believed was behind her brother’s murder.
Supreme “Soulja” salute to Slim on his born day and may he continue to rest in peace!
On this day in Hip Hop history, Snoop Dogg released his third LP Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told, his first release on No Limit Records. Although met with mixed reviews from critics, this #1 album may very well be the most important project of Snoop’s career.
Following the release of his sophomore LP Tha Doggfather, Snoop’s relationship withDeath Row Records began to deteriorate. The aftermath of Dr. Dre leaving the label brought the worst out of its co-founder Suge Knight causing his iron dictatorship business model to only tighten its grip. Snoop’s disapproval of Death Row owning and profiting off of everything that he had recorded since signing along with receiving luxurious gifts in lieu of royalties led to his refusal to write another bar for Knight until his contract was up, excluding of course the infamous “F*ck Death Row.” A year later, Snoop finally decided to call it quits and take his talents down south.
Snoop signed with P. Miller in 1998 and officially became a part of the hottest rap syndicate of the time, No Limit Records. The No Limit army had begun to monopolize the rap game in 1997 with the release of Master P’s Ghetto D which peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 and set what would be the labels most successful year. Much like the 2010 signing of LeBron James to the Miami Heat, Snoop Dogg’s joining No Limit brought with it nothing but success and took the label to the top of the rap game.
The anticipation of a Snoop Dogg album without Death Row brought about so much hype that the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 520,000 copies in its first week. Critics had a lot to say about this album as it received mixed reviews across a plethora of publications. With the majority of critics citing the change in style and production of this project to fit the No Limit uniform, many praised the transition Snoop was making from a strictly West Coast G-Funk artist to one that could appeal to a wider range of Hip Hop fans. Snoop’s talent mixed with Master P’s marketing genius brought this tape to make chart appearances in ten countries across the globe and sell 3,985,360 copies in the United States alone.
With this album, Snoop proved that he was more than just another West Coast gangsta rapper. Although his album sales of previous albums were enough to set him apart from his local competition, never before had a West Coast artist been able to step outside of California and retain and gain the respect that Snoop did. His ability to thrive in the dirty south during an era of Hip Hop where factions and tension based on geography were at an all-time high showed that his talent was above the petty beef and could shine on any front.
According to Louisiana’s NBC affiliate WDSU, McKinley Phipps Jr. aka Rapper Mac was granted parole by the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole yesterday after serving over two decades in prison.
Three members of the board voted unanimously to release the former No Limit rapper immediately, however, his release date is still unknown. He will have served 21 years of a 30 year sentence.
Phipps was arrested in 2000 in St. Tamanny Parish when a 19-year-old man was shot and killed at a club where Mac was performing. In 2016, a security guard who worked at the club confessed on tape that he was the one who pulled the trigger. The guard was never charged.
“Today marks the end of a long fight for justice,” McKinley’s wife, Angelique Phipps said. “Today we are looking towards a brighter future for our family. We are grateful to all of those who have never wavered in their support of Mac’s innocence.”
On this day in Hip-Hop history, we celebrate the birth of one of rap’s most successful icons. With a net worth of about $800 million, Percy ‘Master P’ Miller is a pinnacle of work ethic, determination, and financial prowess. From his humble beginnings to being the executive of one of the most powerful record labels of its time, P. Miller has definitely earned his spot among the titans of the culture.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1970, Miller was able to build his empire off of a $10,000 malpractice settlement check he received due to the passing of his grandfather while he was attending Merritt Junior College in Oakland, California. Miller used this settlement money to open his own record store No Limit Records in Richmond, California. He used this record store to get a better understanding of the popular demand of Hip Hop consumers. With this knowledge, he expanded his record store into a record label to fill the desire for gangsta rap and self-produced his debut Get Away Clean in 1991. Unfortunately neither Get Away Clean nor his second project Mama’s Bad Boy responded well in the Bay Area and Miller was forced to move his label back to his hometown.
This move was the best thing for P. Miller and his brand. Following the success of Miller’s next to project The Ghettos Tryin’ to Kill Me and 99 Ways to Die, Miller was able to sign a distribution deal with Priority Records in 1996. This lead to the success of Miller’s fifth album Ice Cream Man which peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Over the next few years, No Limit ran the rap game.
In 1997, No Limit Records toted one of the strongest rosters in its history including, C-Murder, Slikk the Shocker, Mia X, and Snoop Dogg to name a few. No Limit released 46 albums that were among the top of the Billboard 200 Chart.
Aside from music, P. Miller had a hand in many entrepreneurial ventures. In 1997 Master P started up his first enterprise outside of music, No Limit Films. The first film of the production company, I’m Bout It was so successful it earned the label a national distribution deal with Miramax. Miller successfully wrote and directed 14 films that were distributed nationally, including the real-life story of comedian Eddie Griffin Foolish.
Miller’s love for sports also landed him a short stint in the spotlight of professional athletics as both an athlete and an agent. Master P founded No Limit Sports Management in 1997. His biggest signee, Ricky Williams, signed with the New Orleans Saints in 1999 under N0 Limit but later dropper Miller as an agent. Simultaneously, Miller was making an attempt to play in the NBA. He played briefly for the Fort Wayne Fury before earning tryouts on the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, he never landed a spot on either final roster.
In 1998 Forbes Magazine ranked Miller as the #10 highest-grossing entertainer raking in an estimated $57 million a year.
Percy Miller has had one of the most diverse and successful careers in Hip Hop, as both a rapper and a mogul, Miller has made hundreds of millions of dollars off of his dream to be a powerful businessman. His expertise in his field and genius in finance has made him capable of not only attaining wealth but keeping and multiplying it. You know what they say, anyone can get it, the hard part is keeping it.
