Master P
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

On Sunday, Master P appeared on the season finale of "Dancing With the Stars" to witness fellow contestant Drew Lachey — erstwhile 98 Degrees singer and Nick's little brother — waltz off with the contest's trophy. The following afternoon, the No Limit Records mogul appeared in a Los Angeles court, where a judge ordered him to stand trial on weapons charges along with younger brother Silkk the Shocker.

The charges against the 38-year-old P (real name Percy Miller), and 30-year-old Vyshonne King Miller — better known by his professional moniker, Silkk the Shocker — stem from their arrests more than a year ago by campus police at the University of California at Los Angeles (see "Master P, Silkk The Shocker Charged With Gun Possession"). The police stopped Master P's car on January 27, 2005, after noticing the rapper's vehicle was missing both its license plates. UCLA police say they subsequently spotted a gun peeking out from under the driver's seat and a subsequent search of the car turned up another gun under the front passenger seat.

Master P and Silkk each face one felony count of carrying an unregistered and loaded gun. On Monday, Superior Court Judge Joseph Biderman determined that there was enough evidence against both men to move forward with a formal criminal trial. Currently free on bail, each faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison if convicted, according to Reuters. They are scheduled to return to court March 13.

Another of P's brothers, Corey Miller — who formerly went by the stage name C-Murder — filed a motion last week with the Louisiana Supreme Court seeking a reversal of his second-degree murder conviction. Corey Miller was convicted of second-degree homicide in 2003 for shooting a 16-year-old boy at a New Orleans nightclub. His conviction was first overturned by a judge in 2004 but was later reinstated by a state appeals court last March (see "C-Murder Loses Latest Legal Battle, Faces Life Sentence").

C-Murder's defense attorney argues that evidence related to the criminal backgrounds of the state's three eyewitnesses was not turned over, reports The Associated Press. There's no word on when the high court with rule on the motion.

• Master P
• Silkk the Shocker

Master P (file)
Photo: New No Limit

Two months after they were both arrested, Master P and his brother Silkk the Shocker were formally charged with carrying unregistered loaded firearms.

Police patrolling the UCLA campus stopped No Limit Records architect Master P's car on January 27, after noticing the 37-year-old rapper's ride was missing both its license plates. What they eventually found inside the car was significantly more interesting to police than the absent tags.

A campus police spokesperson confirmed that Master P, whose real name is Percy Miller, and his brother, 29-year-old Vyshonne King Miller — better known by his professional moniker, Silkk the Shocker — were both formally charged on Monday for carrying unregistered loaded guns following their January arrests for investigation of unlawfully carrying firearms (see "Master P, Silkk The Shocker Arrested On Gun Charges").

The pair is due to appear in court on Wednesday, where both are expected to be arraigned on the felony gun charge. The brothers are currently free on $35,000 bail, the campus police spokesperson said.

According to authorities, the campus cop who stopped P's leased Chrysler 300M — which police said was being driven at the time by Silkk — spotted a gun inside the vehicle, peeking out from under the driver's seat. A subsequent search of the car turned up another weapon under the front passenger seat, where P was sitting.

Another of P's brothers, Corey Miller, better known as C-Murder, is currently awaiting sentencing (see "C-Murder Denied A Retrial By State Court Of Appeals"). He was convicted of second-degree homicide in 2003 for shooting a 16-year-old boy at a New Orleans nightclub.

• Master P
• Silkk the Shocker

Master P (file)
Photo: Tim Alexander/Castle Studio

Master P and Silkk the Shocker are out on bail after being arrested on felony gun charges Thursday in Los Angeles.

The rappers, who are brothers, were arrested after an officer from the University of California Police Department discovered two loaded guns in a leased Chrysler 300M they were driving at UCLA shortly before midnight. One weapon was near the driver's seat where Shocker was sitting, and the other was underneath P in the passenger seat, according to the arrest report, posted on the Smoking Gun.

P and Silkk, whose real names are Percy Miller and Vyshonne Miller, respectively, were pulled over for failing to have a license plate. Two other men were in the back seat but were not arrested.

The 37-year-old P and 29-year-old Silkk were arrested for investigation of unlawfully carrying firearms and then transferred to the West Hollywood Sheriff's station, where they were booked. The rappers spent three hours in custody before being released on bail.

The brothers will be arraigned March 30 at the Felony Arraignment Division in the Airport Courthouse of Los Angeles Superior Court.

Master P has been living in Los Angeles recently, producing a TV show starring his son, Lil' Romeo, as well as directing movies for the two of them. "Uncle P" is due in the spring.

• Master P
• Silkk the Shocker

Master P.
Photo: No Limit/Priority

Before his new album, Game Face, drops on December 18, Master P hopes to have a new phrase drip from everyone's lips.

"I made 'em say 'Uhh,' now I'ma make 'em say 'Oohwee,' " P boasted of his new single, "Oohwee." "It's one of them big party songs, like 'Wobble Wobble' where the girls could shake [to] it, where the guys could have their fun. It's one of those songs where you go into the club and can't sit down."

The "P" in Percy Miller's moniker definitely doesn't stand for procrastination. While the ink on his distribution deal with Universal is just drying, he said Game Face is ready to go (see "Master P Finds New Ally For His Soldiers, Readies 10th Solo LP.").

"I think everybody in the U.S. is walking around with their game face on," Master P said of the title's inspiration. However, the album won't reflect the harsh reality of warfare.

"It's one of those fun albums that's gonna have a lot of party jams," he said. "[There's] a lot of the street bangers on there, and stuff on there for the girls. A lot of new lingo you'll learn on this record. I'm giving back to my fans who want to know what's going on with the New No Limit."

While P has added "New" to the label's name, his blueprint for its direction follows an older sensibility.

"We're definitely going back down to the roots of the company and saying, 'You know what, we're gonna be here forever, because blood is thicker than water,' " Master P said. "This album needs to be me and my family. I have my son Lil' Romeo on there. [My brothers] Silkk the Shocker, C[-Murder]. It's a family-orientated record. That's how No Limit started; it was just me, C and Silkk."

While P is a proponent of family unity, he's thankful that fans and media haven't judged him based on his brother's recent trouble with the law (see "C-Murder Turns Self In, Will Answer Attempted-Murder Charge").

"Hopefully C is getting his life together," he said. "He's been through a situation, and we're praying for him on that end that he's getting his life structure back. I just want to thank all the fans out there for supporting us and looking at us as individuals. Every family has somebody out there who has a problem."

P said his youngest brother, Silkk, hasn't left the studio long enough to get in trouble; he's been in lockdown working on an album to be released next year. Alicia Keys will be featured on the yet-to-be-titled first single, Master P said. Alicia Keys' management was unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, Lil' Romeo has been learning from his father and uncles. P said his son's next album, Game Time, will also be ready to roll sometime next year. The No Limit Colonel hopes that under the new distribution deal it will do even better than Romeo's self-titled debut, which went gold.

"Its just one of those things where we've been in a relationship with Priority for six years, as far as distribution," P said. "I just had to find a new home. It's just business as usual. I went from one contract when it was out to another one. Universal is going to be a great situation. As far as the marketing and promotion side of their company, they're very strong at that side of the game. This new music, this new energy we have, it's just another whole level of the game."

• Master P
• Silkk the Shocker
• C-Murder

Master P
Photo: No Limit/Priority

Universal Records, already home to New Orleans' Cash Money Millionaires, took on even more of the Big Easy's big-money spenders on Tuesday, inking a deal to distribute Master P's label, now dubbed New No Limit.

Master P's distribution deal with Priority Records expired last month, and he's wasting no time in putting out records with his new partner, starting with an album from his most famous artist — himself.

On December 18, P will put out his 10th solo LP, Game Face, according to Universal. As he does on all of his albums, the mogul with the golden teeth and chains will enlist the aid of his No Limit soldiers to blast off on the mic.

Many of them, such as his son, Lil' Romeo, and brother Silkk the Shocker, appear on the first single, "Back on Top." According to Universal, P also spared no expense on acquiring the album's beats, hiring the Neptunes, Timbaland and Dr. Dre.

"This is an exciting new start for me and my company," Master P said in a statement. "I founded No Limit on a philosophy of entrepreneurism that is artist-driven. Universal shares this same vision, so pairing up with them is the next step in our evolution, and it will be one of the biggest partnerships to ever take place."

P's new deal doesn't spell the end of Priority's dealings with the rapper's family, however. On October 23, Priority will release C-P-3.com, the fourth solo LP from P's brother C-Murder.

• Master P
• Lil' Romeo
• Silkk the Shocker
• N.E.R.D.
• Timbaland

Silkk the Shocker
Photo: Carol Sheridan/Priority

After a couple of months of relative quiet, this will be a busy week for rap releases, as highly anticipated albums from Project Pat, DJ Clue and Silkk the Shocker arrive in record stores Tuesday.

Project Pat's third album, Mista Don't Play, is anchored by the playful "Chickenhead" single, which features vocals from La Chat as well as Three 6 Mafia's DJ Paul and Juicy "J." Pat was most recently heard on the chorus of Three 6 Mafia's "Sippin' on Some Syrup," which helped the Memphis, Tennessee, rap group push its latest album, 2000's When the Smoke Clears — Sixty 6 Sixty 1, to platinum status.

Mista Don't Play, the follow-up to 2000's Murderers & Robbers, also features guest vocals from Three 6 Mafia's Crunchy Black. With a huge buzz surrounding the album in such southern cities as Memphis and Atlanta, Project Pat's Mista Don't Play should debut near the top of the pop music chart.

But to hear Pat tell it, as long as Memphis supports his work, everything else will fall into place.

"Memphis [rap fans] don't like a lot of stuff," he said. "Most of the East Coast, West Coast music, Memphis doesn't do that. It's always been like that. They've always been stuck on their own stuff. So if the people in Memphis like you, you can get on anywhere. Memphis is hard to please." If Project Pat's hypothesis is true, DJ Clue's The Professional 2 may need Memphis' help to debut near the top of the chart. The guest-heavy follow-up to 1998's The Professional features performances from Mary J. Blige and Jadakiss ("Back 2 Life 2001"), Jay-Z ("Jay-Z's Freestyle"), DMX ("Who's Next [X-Clue-Sive])," Busta Rhymes and Rah Digga ("Getting It"), Snoop Dogg and Kurupt ("F**k a B***h"), Nas ("Live From the Bridge"), Foxy Brown ("So Hot"), Lil' Kim featuring Junior Mafia and Lil' Cease ("Chinatown"), Redman ("RED") and others.

Although Clue produced some of the album and injected brief commentary throughout the set, he doesn't contribute much mic time on The Professional 2. But that shouldn't hinder sales, as the 23-cut collection boasts the single "What the Beat," which features Eminem, Method Man and Royce the 5-9.

DJ Clue is among New York's most renowned mixtape DJs, having released hundreds of popular mixtapes in the last several years. He also DJed the highly successful Hard Knock Life tour in 1999, providing music between the sets of Method Man and Redman, DMX and Jay-Z. Last year, DJ Clue also spearheaded the release of the tour's soundtrack.

Although Project Pat and DJ Clue seem to have momentum behind the release of their latest albums, the new album from Silkk the Shocker, My World, My Way, arrives at a somewhat curious time for the New Orleans rapper. His label, No Limit Records, has been struggling lately, as last year's albums from flagship acts Master P and C-Murder were released without much fanfare.

But the follow-up to 1999's Made Man has the benefit of the popular, bouncy "That's Cool" single, which features vocals from sexy rapper Trina. The album also includes Silkk trading verses with Mystikal on "Them Boyz" and Master P and Mac on "He Did That."

• Project Pat
• DJ Clue
• Silkk the Shocker
• Three 6 Mafia

Master P
Photo: No Limit

Rapper, actor and entrepreneur Master P has been cast alongside his brothers, Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder, in "Undisputed," a prison boxing film starring Wesley Snipes, Ving Rhames and Peter Falk.

According to Master P's reps, "Undisputed," due later this year, is being filmed in Nevada by Walter Hill, who has directed such flicks as "48 Hours," "Last Man Standing," "Supernova" and "Trespass," which featured Ice-T.

In "Undisputed," Falk plays a gangland promoter who sets up a prizefight between Rhames and Snipes, two former boxing champs who are now doing time in prison. Master P, Silkk and C-Murder will portray some of Snipes and Rhames' fellow inmates, and the three rappers are slated to begin shooting their scenes, including a sequence of them performing, this week.

In related news, "Lockdown," another prison movie that Master P executive-produced for his No Limit Films and which he also has a supporting role in, closed out the Hollywood Black Film Festival on Sunday in Culver City, California.

Considering the soft sales of his last two solo albums, Master P may want to focus on his cinematic career. After selling 2.2 million copies of 1998's MP — Da Last Don, SoundScan figures indicate that sales of Master P's next two albums dropped off considerably, with 1999's Only God Can Judge Me selling 637,000 copies and his newest effort, Ghetto Postage, moving less than 376,000 copies to date.

Master P also has a few small-screen guest spots lined up — he will appear in the Fox sci-fi series "Dark Angel" on February 6, and he'll turn up in the March 11 episode of the HBO prison drama "Oz."

• Master P
• Silkk the Shocker
• C-Murder

Silkk The Shocker, C-Murder, Total, and Snoop Dogg will be among the artists pitching in for the soundtrack to "3 Strikes," an urban comedy marking the directorial debut of hip-hop producer DJ Pooh.

• Tha Eastsidaz featuring Snoop Dogg - "G'd Up"
• Da Howg featuring Lil Zane - "Worldwide Renegades"
• Sauce Money - "Chart Climbing"
• Solo & Kam - "Where I Come From"
• E-40 - "I'm Straight"
• Likwit Crew (Tha Alkaholiks, King Tee, Xzibit) - "Where Da Paper At"
• Silkk The Shocker - "Where Dey At"
• Niomesha featuring Blue - "Gotta Hold on Me"
• C-Murder - "Been A Long Time"
• Choclair - "Let's Ride"
• Total - "Crave"

-- Tina Johnson,with additional reporting by Robert Mancini

• Silkk the Shocker
• Snoop Dogg
• Total

Master P is taking the No Limit Army out on the road for a tour that includes Snoop Dogg, Silkk The Shocker, Mystikal, and others from the rapper's label.

• 8/6 - Dallas, TX @ Starplex Amphitheater
• 8/7 - Denver, CO @ Fiddlers Green Amphitheater
• 8/13 - St. Louis, MO @ Kiel Center
• 8/14 - Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
• 8/15 - Cleveland, OH @ Convocation Center
• 8/27 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Spectrum
• 8/28 - Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Coliseum
• 8/29 - Tampa, FL @ USF Sun Dome

• Master P
• Mia X
• Silkk the Shocker
• Snoop Dogg

Tru, the rap supergroup formed by Master P and his brothers C-Murder and Silkk the Shocker, will see its debut album, "Da Crime Family," debut at number five on next week's "Billboard" album chart.

• C-Murder
• Master P
• Silkk the Shocker
• Tru

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• Silkk the Shocker