Master P set to give his final performance
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Master P performs at Essence Fest in 2017. Photo: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE Festival
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."
- The choice to perform, he said, would ultimately be up to her.
If you go: Master P's performance will be inside the Caesars Superdome as part of Essence Fest's Sunday night headliners. Tickets.
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