From a Richmond, California, record store founded with a $10,000 inheritance, Master P went on to build a New Orleans-based hip-hop empire. In the mid-'90s, when everyone else was writing off gangsta rap -- and even Dr. Dre was proclaiming it dead -- Master P paid no mind. Instead. he and his No Limit Soldiers -- Mystikal, Fiend, Kane & Abel, Mia X and Young Bleed among them -- stayed on course and proceeded to sell (and make) hardcore millions.
With his brothers Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder, Master P put out platinum solo albums (and LPs as the family trio TRU) alongside other No Limit discs, released end over end and selling hand over fist. He began making movies, and in true corporate style his domain soon encompassed everything from clothing to real estate. But as No Limit's reach grew, its sales -- while still impressive -- fell off; some of P's high-profile soldiers defected, leaving some to wonder if Master P's platinum tank was running out of gas.
But No Limit has learned to adapt to the unpredictability of the industry, and as Master P (joined by his brother Silkk) explained in a recent interview with MTV News' Elon Johnson, rappers come and go while the smart label goes with the flow. With albums on the horizon from Silkk, Snoop Dogg and others -- as well as Master P's newest, Ghetto Postage, ready to roll on November 28 -- No Limit plans to remain true to its name. Click on to hear it all from the Master himself...
