Romeo Follows in P's Footsteps
12:00PM ET June 7, 2010
Contributor : Jecquea Howsie

Rapper/actor/athlete Romeo has watched his dad P. Miller (formerly Master P) rise from nothing to superstardom and most recently active philanthropy. P even helped his son start a rap career before he traded it in to play basketball full time – just like his dad.

On the heels of P being spotlighted at Hip-Hop Honors, the Miller family has released the following email to media detailing the passing of the throne from father to son.

My dad passed the No Limit torch to me and I'm prepared to continue his legacy and make the next generation better. I've seen family and friends turn on each other behind money. Most African American athletes and entertainers make money for a few years, but lose it due to lack of education and financial literacy. And I've been groomed to break that cycle. My dad gave me four things that most parents don't give their kids: education, time, love, and shared experiences whether good or bad. I've seen life through my father's eyes, that's why I'm focused and prepared. I know it's my time to take over in this Entertainment business, but more importantly, I realize that I must continue my education at USC.

My dad taught me that people will love you when you're up and hate you when you're down. The music business has changed. If you want to make it in this game, you have to do viral marketing. The Internet is a new form of revenue, but truly connecting to your fans will give you longevity.

I was honored to perform on my dad's behalf at the VH1 Hip Hop Honors Award Show. He has overcome so many obstacles in his life and accomplished so much throughout his career while still managing to help others and make a true difference in so many lives. Although I witnessed my father's actions firsthand throughout my entire life, I was still blown away as I watched the presentation of his story in creating southern hip-hop. The only thing he wants for me is to be better than him. My dad is the hardest worker and the best hustler in the game. I know that's where I get my work ethic from, but what I plan to do different is to be the smartest hustler in the game. He taught me that fame come and go, but knowledge lasts for a lifetime. And thanks to him, I have a billion dollars worth of knowledge. Most entertainers are running a race, but the Miller dynasty is running a marathon to success.

I've learned when chasing your dreams you have to be realistic. I invested two years of my life to chase my hoop dreams while passing up opportunities to be in movies like Twilight, Transformers, and Disturbia due to NCAA regulations. Even though we won the PAC 10 Championship and made history with USC, the following year, our team was placed on probation due to an incident that took place years before I played for USC. This probation would setback the basketball program for at least a decade in rebuilding process. After my shoulder injury, the doctors and specialists advised me that it would take at least a year to heal, but if I reinjure it, I would never be able to play on it again. Therefore, I recognized that realistically it was time for me to switch my focus from being a student-athlete to being a college graduate. And now I can achieve my degree in three years instead of four. In addition, I'm free to pursue my Entertainment career opportunities at the same time without breaking any NCAA rules and have the best of both worlds.

Can you see Romeo taking No Limit Records back to the top of the charts?