Biography
Romeo, the offspring of Southern rap powerhouse Master P, captured the pinnacle of the R&B/rap charts with his opening single “My Baby” in 2001, issued when the performer—still billed as Lil’ Romeo—had reached just eleven. The track approached the summit of Billboard’s overarching Hot 100, settling at number three. Alongside Lil’ Bow Wow, who was likewise enjoying striking early acclaim, Romeo demonstrated that a substantial audience awaited wholesome preteen rappers distinguished by appealing appearances and lyrics rated PG. In the years that followed, he built a presence as a Nickelodeon performer and displayed skill on the basketball court.
Percy Romeo Miller, Jr., entered the world on August 19, 1989, in New Orleans, where rap music shaped his household from the outset. His father, Master P, operated as both founder and leading artist of No Limit Records, whose remarkable commercial ascent in the late ’90s drew critical disapproval; two uncles, Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder, likewise gained recognition as rappers. Romeo’s first full-length project, Lil’ Romeo (2001), arrived after No Limit had begun to founder, yet the release alone revived the label’s fortunes, yielding the Top Three single “My Baby”—an interpolation of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”—earning platinum certification within a week and ultimately moving close to two million units. The follow-up, Gametime (2002), arrived the next year, outselling its predecessor with roughly two and a half million copies despite reaching only number 33 on the Billboard album chart and producing no sizable hits.
Romeoland (2004) incorporated selections tied to his Nickelodeon series Romeo! and moved merely a quarter-million copies. Greatest Hits (2006) closed the chapter on recordings issued as Lil’ Romeo; thereafter the artist performed exclusively under the name Romeo. Two further albums, Lottery and God’s Gift, surfaced in 2006, the first available solely online; neither registered commercially, although videos accompanied several tracks, among them “U Can’t Shine Like Me.” In 2007 Romeo joined his father for Hip Hop History, credited to the Miller Boyz; earlier, he had recorded Young Ballers: The Hood Been Good to Us (2005) with brother Young V and cousins Lil’ D and C-Los under the Rich Boyz banner.
Percy Romeo Miller, Jr., entered the world on August 19, 1989, in New Orleans, where rap music shaped his household from the outset. His father, Master P, operated as both founder and leading artist of No Limit Records, whose remarkable commercial ascent in the late ’90s drew critical disapproval; two uncles, Silkk the Shocker and C-Murder, likewise gained recognition as rappers. Romeo’s first full-length project, Lil’ Romeo (2001), arrived after No Limit had begun to founder, yet the release alone revived the label’s fortunes, yielding the Top Three single “My Baby”—an interpolation of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”—earning platinum certification within a week and ultimately moving close to two million units. The follow-up, Gametime (2002), arrived the next year, outselling its predecessor with roughly two and a half million copies despite reaching only number 33 on the Billboard album chart and producing no sizable hits.
Romeoland (2004) incorporated selections tied to his Nickelodeon series Romeo! and moved merely a quarter-million copies. Greatest Hits (2006) closed the chapter on recordings issued as Lil’ Romeo; thereafter the artist performed exclusively under the name Romeo. Two further albums, Lottery and God’s Gift, surfaced in 2006, the first available solely online; neither registered commercially, although videos accompanied several tracks, among them “U Can’t Shine Like Me.” In 2007 Romeo joined his father for Hip Hop History, credited to the Miller Boyz; earlier, he had recorded Young Ballers: The Hood Been Good to Us (2005) with brother Young V and cousins Lil’ D and C-Los under the Rich Boyz banner.
Albums
Singles
