Latest news with #MasterP
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Master P Responds To Mia X's Refusal To Perform With Him At ESSENCE Fest
With ESSENCE Fest right around the corner, Mia X is refusing to hit the stage for No Limit Records founder Master P's highly anticipated set, claiming disrespect and janky business is to blame. Taking to her Instagram account Sunday (June 29), the New Orleans artist let followers know that, despite being featured on advertising materials, she will not be hitting the stage with her former label head due to being contacted on short notice and dismissed when she mentioned her performance fee to the 'Bout It Bout It' rapper's team. 'It's still unbelievable that I'm actually saying this. I will NOT be performing at Essence Fest as a featured artist in Master P set,' Mia X, born Mia Young, wrote. 'We started talking about my involvement last week. At first his management didn't want to entertain my performance fee.' She went on to say she spoke with P, born Percy Miller, on June 26, and that he said their lack of communication was due to his busy schedule. She was then sent a contract on June 27, but with the festival beginning July 4, feels it is too late to produce a quality set worthy of such a large platform. 'I felt disrespected because the show had been booked for many months, and I had been advertised as a featured artist,' she wrote. 'No schedule in place for rehearsals, no contract, no deposit, and the fear of a repeat of 2018.' The MC then added that she was also upset with ESSENCE for using her within marketing materials without confirmation of her participation. 'I felt like once again, no matter who's saying protect and respect Black women, they always sell us out to the boys club,' she wrote. See her full post below. Master P has since responded to Mia's complaints, essentially chalking it all up to a misunderstanding. 'I don't know where the miscommunication came from, but Mia X @themamamiax can get whatever she wants from me,' P captioned a clip of him speaking on the matter via Instagram. 'This a Master p celebration! Mia can perform or don't have to. This will be the MASTER P farewell show at Essence Fest.' The businessman added that he told Mia to 'give him a number' regarding her fee and he'd be more than happy to pay it, but chose not to pressure the spitter into agreeing, as it is short notice. Check out his post below. The 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture will be hosted by Anthony Anderson and Kenny Burns from July 4 through July 6, with performers including Boyz II Men, Maxwell, Davido, The Isley Brothers, GloRilla, Buju Banton, Summer Walker, Donell Jones, Muni Long, and Nas. Tickets can be purchased here via Ticketmaster. More from Master P, Boyz II Men, Maxwell To Headline ESSENCE Fest 2025 Master P Named President Of Basketball Operations At New Orleans College Master P Gives Powerful Keynote Speech At Grambling State University
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Master P Bids Farewell To Hip-Hop With Final Performance At 2025 Essence Fest
Hip-hop icon and No Limit Records founder Master P officially closed the chapter on his music career with a celebratory farewell concert at the 2025 ESSENCE Fest, held at New Orleans' Superdome—a fitting location for the hometown legend's final performance. The event marked the end of nearly four decades of Master P rocking stages worldwide. Joined by special guests including Romeo Miller, Mercedes, Choppa, Big Boz, Keri Hilson, and Cymphonique Miller, the concert served as a tribute to his legacy and impact on Southern hip-hop. In an interview ahead of the performance, P reflected on his journey. 'It's a blessing now to be able to transition into doing something that's bigger than me,' the decorated mogul said. 'Being a servant is my most important job. I feel like hard work got me here, even though I didn't know I was going to get this far in life. God spared my life and put me on this journey.' As he steps away from the mic, Master P enters a new phase focused on community and service, leaving behind a celebrated musical legacy. Here are some of the memorable moments captured during Master P's farewell performance at the 2025 ESSENCE Fest. More from Master P Responds To Mia X's Refusal To Perform With Him At ESSENCE Fest Coco Jones, DESTIN CONRAD, Sasha Keable And More New R&B For Hard Launches Master P, Boyz II Men, Maxwell To Headline ESSENCE Fest 2025 Best of 10 Rap Albums Snubbed Of The Grammys' Album Of The Year Award 21 Black Entertainers Who Are Almost EGOT Winners 11 Black-Owned Games To Play At The Next Function Or Kick Back
Forbes
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
From Calliope To Courtside: Master P's Ultimate Guide To New Orleans
Percy 'Master P' Miller is evolving from Master P to Coach P in his new position as President of ... More Basketball Operations. Rap legend Master P has seen the world. His lifetime of careers, from founding and running No Limit Records to stints in the NBA and numerous entrepreneurial ventures, has afforded him the opportunity to be a globetrotter. However, to him, nothing beats the streets of New Orleans. "I was 8 years old," Master P recalled of his first time participating in a "second line" with Forbes in a digital interview. He reminisced about the excitement he felt partaking in his first traditional NOLA street parade. "They had a second line on Martin Luther King and I was so excited. To see people out there dancing in the streets, having fun and jumping on cars... everybody was happy. Those are the parts that make me proud to be from New Orleans." Born Percy Miller, Master P was raised by his grandmother and grandfather in the B.W. Cooper Public Housing Development, famously known as the Calliope Projects. The housing projects stretched across 56 acres and 24 city blocks in New Orleans' 3rd Ward. Within the iron gates, Friday night card parties and fish fries set to the soundtrack of jazz and R&B music cultivated a sense of community and resilience. The Calliope Projects, also known as the B. W. Cooper Public Housing Development, in New Orleans, ... More Louisiana on June 2, 2007. (Photo by) Growing up with music as a staple in his household inspired Miller to enter the music industry as a promoter curating performances for local acts. It wasn't until a Halloween concert at the now-demolished Riverboat Hallelujah Auditorium that the then-19-year-old Miller grabbed the mic for himself. "The people who were supposed to perform didn't show up. I ended up getting up there and just saying some stuff. People were like, 'Man, that's dope,' and I was just on the mic talking. But it showed me that I had something and people were paying attention," he said. He began making his rounds around the city as a performer, even hitting the stage at the infamous Club Rumors, a prominent hip-hop venue in the city's 9th Ward from the late 1980s to the late 1990s. His early efforts both on and off the mic laid the foundation for what would become No Limit Records. With artists on the label representing several areas across the city, Miller was intentional about showing the world the true essence of New Orleans. "You had to be from the East Coast or the West Coast to be successful in the music business and our music was just different," Miller said. He added that his label of over 10 artists was pivotal in changing the "mindset" of what people thought about Southern hip-hop. 'No Limit brought resources and money to hip-hop. When MTV came to see my crib and saw that we weren't riding horses and cattle, we had Rolls-Royces; we have mansions... and we did it off of hard work. We had all these different people and all these different personalities. But we had one mission. We were going to change and get better. That was what No Limit was and that's what we stood on.' Percy "Master P" Miller receives a key to the city of New Orleans from Mayor LaToya Cantrell on June ... More 28, 2021 In February 2025, Miller cemented his affection for the city and the creatives who made it special with the unveiling of the New Orleans Walk of Fame. Along Canal Street, the embedded plaques recognize the city's cultural icons and trailblazers. We're telling these stories, we're painting this picture for the next generation to walk by and say, 'Those guys come from nothing. I can get a fleur-de-lis on Canal Street. I could be like Lil Wayne. I could be like Todd Graves with a multi-billion-dollar company or Tom Benson and own a football franchise.' We wanted to celebrate these people who came right here from New Orleans so these kids could actually dream and dream big," Miller expressed of the sentimental project. Master P spearheaded the construction and unveiling of the New Orleans Walk of Fame, honoring the ... More city's trailblazers. (From left to right: Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Lil Wayne, Percy Miller) For over 30 years, Miller has been at the helm of taking fans on sonic tours of The Big Easy. In the role of the General of the "No Limit Soldiers," he consciously introduced people to the glamour and grit of the city that raised him. On Sunday, July 6, Miller will take the stage at the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture in the Caesars Superdome. In his signature army fatigues, Miller will give what he is calling his final performance. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Master P performs onstage during the BET Awards 2023 at Microsoft ... More Theater on June 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor BET) "This is not a concert. This is a celebration," Miller says of the planned extravaganza. "This show is going to take you on the journey of my life as Master P, this is where it all started." Before he lays his "soulja rag" down as a performer, Miller has curated a personal guide to New Orleans that highlights the best of the city for tourists and natives Seafood House in New Orleans impeccably blends Southern hospitality and Gulf-fresh cuisine across two iconic locations: the historic JAX Brewery in the French Quarter and the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. The locations offer traditional New Orleans charm with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide sweeping views of the Mississippi River or Lake Pontchartrain. Live jazz is the perfect soundtrack to seasonal craft cocktails and menu standouts such as char-grilled oysters, blackened swordfish, crawfish bread, Gulf fish and other signature Creole Bakery and Tavern is a true New Orleans institution. Located in Mid‑City, Parkway is beloved for its perfectly crusted Leidenheimer French bread and overstuffed po' boy sandwiches. Since 1911 and especially after introducing the iconic "poor boy" in 1929, Parkway has built its reputation on hearty, no-frills fare served in a welcoming community setting with indoor, outdoor and bar seating. Miller's favorite is their James Brown sandwich, which combines fried shrimp, hot BBQ beef, pepper-jack cheese and a spicy Crystal hot sauce mayo on crusty bread. This messy yet delicious creation won "Best of Fest" at the 2018 Po'Boy the heart of New Orleans at the lively corner of Bourbon and Conti Streets in the French Quarter is Oceana Grill. Housed in a captivating historic building, the restaurant offers tourists and locals classic Creole and Cajun flavors that reflect the city's rich culinary tradition. The seven themed rooms and sun-drenched courtyard are the perfect places to enjoy their famed crab cakes, traditional gumbo, BBQ shrimp & grits and signature bread Lakefront Arena is the home of the University of New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team. With 9,000 seats, fans visiting the massive arena will get to witness Miller transform from Master P to Coach P as he steps into his newly appointed role as the university's President of Basketball Operations. With previous experience as an NBA and IBL player combined with his undeniable ability to lead and create winners, witnessing Miller take this ambition and ability from the stage to the court is going to be Armstrong Park, in the heart of the historic Tremé neighborhood, is a cultural oasis that celebrates New Orleans' African American heritage and its role as the birthplace of jazz. Spanning over 30 acres, it holds the historic Congo Square, where enslaved and free Black people gathered on Sundays in the 18th and 19th centuries to drum, sing and dance. Visitors can congregate under the sculptures honoring jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden, Mahalia Jackson and others. Adjacent to the park are the Mahalia Jackson Theater and the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, which amplify the unforgettable legacy of music through performances and educational of the easiest ways to experience New Orleans' hauntingly beautiful past is to take a cemetery tour. Known as the "Cities of the Dead," these cemeteries are filled with ornate tombs, crumbling mausoleums and century-old oaks that hold the tales of voodoo queens, jazz legends and ordinary souls who shaped the city's rich culture. Tours of notable graveyards such as St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 or Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 are an intriguing way to learn about the folklore, architecture and local legends, making every storied pathway feel like a living a full day of exploring the city, the perfect place to retreat to is the Bienville House Hotel. Located steps away from Bourbon and Royal Streets, the Bienville House Hotel offers a captivating mix of old‑world charm and modern comfort in a building dating back to 1835. The hand-painted murals, ornate wrought-iron balconies and antique appointments personify Southern flair and opulence. The hotel's well-known flagstone courtyard is favored by locals for its picturesque backdrop and the heated saltwater pool creates the ambiance of a private oasis amid the Quarter's chaotic energy. The 83 rooms range from European-style suites to spacious accommodations overlooking the cobbled streets of the French Quarter, featuring antique-style French furnishings with a modern twist.
Axios
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Master P set to give his final performance
Master P says he'll give the final performance of his music career this week at Essence Fest. Why it matters: The No Limit Records founder is a cornerstone of New Orleans' early rap scene. Catch up quick: Master P is a self-made legend. He grew up in the Calliope Projects and, as he later told the New York Times, used $100,000 from a malpractice settlement after his grandfather's death to build an empire. By his late 20s, he was a self-made millionaire, had found and cultivated early New Orleans rap royalty, set new standards for guerrilla marketing in music and even backed successful movie projects. What they're saying: ''Master P has established himself in a very short time as a hip-hop icon,'' music editor Ricky Leigh Mensh told the New York Times in 1998. ''He's become a hero to a lot of people who have come from tough backgrounds and said, 'Whatever it takes, I'm going to make something of myself.'" Zoom in: In recent years, Master P has stepped into city business as Mayor LaToya Cantrell's entertainment ambassador. One of his projects since taking on the (unpaid) title was the NOLA Walk of Fame. The plans called for a major installation by February's Super Bowl, which did not pan out. The city is celebrating this week as Master P week, according to a press release. Behind the scenes: Master P's farewell performance at Essence Fest has resulted in a bit of a kerfuffle as No Limit's first female rapper, Mia X, called out the fest for disrespecting her. Despite Mia X being part of the promotions for Master P's Essence Fest performance, she says she wasn't sent a contract until June 27. She said on Instagram that by then it was "too late ... to give the largest, most celebrated festival for us what they deserved. ... And I was also still insulted by the dismissal of my fair fee considering Essence paid big." The other side: In an apparent response, Master P posted to social media saying he'd talked with Mia X and would give her "whatever she wants."
Axios
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Everything you need to know about Essence Fest 2025
Essence Fest returns to New Orleans July 3-6, with events throughout downtown and inside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and Caesars Superdome. Why it matters: The massive festival celebrates Black culture, beauty and music. Catch up quick: New Orleans has been Essence Fest's home since its inception in 1994 (except for 2006 following Hurricane Katrina and the 2020 and 2021 editions, which were held virtually). This year marks two anniversaries: The 55th year of Essence Magazine, and the 20th year since Katrina, which Essence has already marked with a special edition of the magazine. What they're saying: "We just wanted to be really thoughtful" about programming for this year's event, said Essence Ventures chief content officer Michele Ghee. "The cultural affirmation that we have tied to this Essence Festival is ' made like this ' because we know the times that we're in." "We're not blind to the fact that this community is under attack. But that doesn't mean that we don't have the right to still amplify, celebrate, educate, inspire everybody. We wanted to give ode to this amazing community that has withstood way more than what we're seeing right now." How it works: The Essence Festival of Culture is best thought of as a massive umbrella brand for dozens of attractions, performances and showcases. During the day, they include sponsored activities and celebrity appearances for sub-brands like BeautyCon, the Essence Food and Wine Festival, AfroPunk BLKTOPIA, the Global Black Economic Forum and the Essence Film Festival. Most are free and center around the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Some daytime events also feature headlining political and cultural speakers, some of whom are announced last-minute. Recent years' examples include then-Vice President Kamala Harris and Oprah, though the 2025 lineup hasn't yet featured any surprise names. And at night, the party amps up with ticketed, headlining acts in the Superdome. Caesars Superdome lineup The Caesars Superdome lineup includes Babyface, Jill Scott & Friends, Patti LaBelle, Jazmine Sullivan, Erykah Badu, Ari Lennox and others. Tickets. The intrigue: The lineup also includes a show billed as Master P's final performance. "Who bigger than Master P?" Ghee says. "What he has accomplished and what he's done and how he's built businesses from the trunk of his car to ... owning his masters, and his family legacy? ... We're excited about all of it." Fun fact: The Superlounges are back, too. The spaces are carved out inside the Superdome and for a long time offered a nightclub vibe separate from the main stage, but the fest did away with them during venue renovations in recent years. "This is the grown and sexy spot," Ghee says, while the main stage "is where you're having a good time family party." Yes, but: Superlounge access is limited to those with VVIP tickets, according to Essence Fest's social media. Parking Street parking is available, and various downtown lots are within walking distance of both the Superdome and the convention center. Superdome parking can be purchased in advance. What to wear However you attend, just make sure to dress the part. Essence Fest is as well known for great music as it is for celebrity spotting and high-fashion looks. Where to eat and drink
