Rapper Percy Miller, better known by his stage as Master P and synonymous with New Orleans, is coming home.
Miller was named president of basketball operations by the University of New Orleans on Thursday, and not a moment too soon: Four athletes have been suspended since late January while the school investigates potential NCAA violations linked to sports gambling. With the Privateers sporting a 4-25 overall record and languishing in 11th place in the Southland Conference, Miller said he promises to restore the winning culture to New Orleans basketball.
“As a kid growing up in New Orleans, I can honestly say that basketball changed and saved my life,” Miller said in a news conference.
Master P commits to rebuilding UNO pride
“At that time, UNO was one of the best programs in the country. It was all about Privateer Nation, and there was so much excitement on the Lakefront. As president of basketball operations, I am committed to bringing back that winning tradition to NOLA’s team. But this is bigger than the game — it’s about educating and creating future leaders at the same time. I’m here to make sure that these young student-athletes have the opportunities, resources and mentorship to succeed on and off the court.”
Miller, who started “No Limit Records,” is no stranger to the hardwood. Before sustaining a career-ending knee injury, the “Make ‘Em Say Uhh!” rapper was a basketball scholarship player for the University of Houston, where his son, Mercy, his son, is a guard. In the late 1990s, he played in the NBA Summer League with the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, and Sacramento Kings. He also had spells during NBA preseasons with the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors.
Master P is a star in two spaces — balling and rapping. His 1997 album, Ghetto D, featured the platinum-certified single “Make ‘Em Say Uhh!” and achieved triple-platinum status. The following year, MP Da Last Don debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 1 million copies and becoming his best-selling album. In 2001, Master P was honored as “Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist” at the American Music Awards. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2013, marking a milestone as the first hip-hop artist to receive this honor. In 2020, BET recognized his enduring impact on the genre with the “I Am Hip Hop” award.
