ARTIST

Romeo

A textbook example of nepotism at work, Lil' Romeo, the prepubescent son of notorious hip-hop mogul Master P, has become a superstar rapper before his voice has even changed. Obviously having the head of No Limit Records for a father has helped Romeo from the start, but ironically, his success has also revived Master P's career, which had been flagging before Romeo topped the Billboard singles chart in 2001 with "My Baby." Therefore, Romeo's ability to boost his dad's already-high profile indicates that this preteen MC has actually got skills. After all, he grew up in the hip-hop world, surrounded by his dad's No Limit cronies, so it makes sense that he'd eventually take a stab at rapping himself...and that when he did, he'd be a whole lot better than the average 11 year-old.

In the new millennium, Master P's once-titanic No Limit empire was crumbling. Yet PG-rated rap had recently proved a lucrative commodity with Jermaine Dupri's pint-sized protégé, Lil' Bow Wow, so Master P, ever the savvy businessman, knew that his son's kiddie-friendly music was just the shift away from dated gangsta rap that his company so desperately needed. In a questionably distasteful move, he hyped (some say exploited) his easily malleable young son, comparing him to a young Michael Jackson when releasing Romeo's Jackson 5-sampling "My Baby" single. However, P's heavy-handed marketing tactics worked, turning Romeo into an overnight sensation before his 12th birthday. Romeo's self-titled debut album, released soon after, was a fun, chart-busting collection of hip-pop hits that could appeal to both hip-hopheads and the young viewers of his father-son TV show on kiddie cable channel Nickelodeon, proving that Daddy knew best when it came to the record biz.

Romeo's 2002 sophomore album, Game Time, kicked off with a duet single called "True Love" with Solange (sister of Destiny's Child's Beyoncé Knowles) that indicated he might soon be hitting puberty and living up to his amorous moniker. However, only time will tell if Lil' Romeo can make a successful professional transition from boy to man in the fickle rap world (will he drop the "Lil'" prefix, as Lil' Bow Wow recently did?). For now, Lil' Romeo is simply providing a safe, clean-cut alternative for impressionable, grade-school-age rap fans and their concerned parents. And, of course, he's also providing a whole lot of extra income for his dear old dad.

Written by Lyndsey Parker