A lot of people know rap music as having very brash lyrics, but not many understand how that style originated. Many assume it was because of stories being told in rhyme, but there is much more to it than that. Rap music is actually a form of expression that has its roots in spoken word poetry.
Master P is one of the most well-known artists in hip hop due to his work outside of just rapping. He founded Grouplove, which won a Grammy Award this year, so he knows about success beyond just singing and rapping.
He is also known for founding No Limit Records, which released some of the biggest songs in hip hop history such as “Aww Yeah” by Nelly and Fat Joe and Drake's "Work." This article will talk about three of his less famous songs that were important in his career that have received little attention.
Before we talk about how master p got his start, let’s take a look at what he did to get here! He released his first solo studio album in 1999 called Ghetto Train. Since then, his music has hit number one across multiple genres and charted for over twenty-five years.
He is also known as The Mainstream Guy due to his success outside of hip hop. His songs have been featured in major motion pictures and TV shows such as Clueless, I Got You.
In 1999, Grammy-winning rapper The Lox released an album called Gangsta’s Prayer. On one of his songs off this album, he included a line that mentioned how master p got his start by winning a lawsuit against Coca Cola.
The song is titled “Win A Lawsuit (Master Plan)” and it features lyrics such as:
"You win a lawsuit, you get paid/ You lose a lawsuit, you get sued/ So what are you waiting for? Start acting like a winner."
This inspired many to refer to him as ‘Master Plans Man.'”
It's funny because although he didn't actually sue Coke, people still consider him famous for doing so.
In 1989, he founded G-Note Records out of his home in Southside Chicago. He named it for himself as he wanted to be known as “The General” or just “G!”
He started by signing artists to his label that he felt needed their second chance at success including some newer artists like Bump J (of Beatbox feat. Kanye West – "Bump Dat") and Twista (of Money Make Me Bang -"What You Came For").
He also had two successful singles under his belt at this time with songs Like This and Let's Talk About It featuring then up and coming rapper Future.
His next big break came when he signed an artist who would later become one of the most famous rappers ever, Rakim. At the time, Rakim was struggling to find his place in music after being dropped from his previous recording contract.
He did not have much money and no job beyond selling snacks outside food stores during lunch hours. But G! took him in and helped launch his career.
As we know, rap music has been around for quite some time now! Before there were artists with large followings such as Drake or The Migtht, there was Jay Z, Nas, and DMX. Even before that, people had songs and stories to tell.
Music is a powerful tool in this world. It can motivate you, inspire you, and even entertain you. It has the potential to connect everyone it touches.
But how did an artist like Master P get so famous?
He didn’t have a massive social media presenceor nudes leaked online. He doesn’t have a crazy fan base nor does he have flashy merchandise or gaudy jewelry.
No, what made him popular is his album sales!
Master P isn’t just known for having one hit song either. Most of his songs are well-known and very catchy. His style is also very distinctive – he never sounds too similar to other rappers.
He is always able to add something new to his raps which makes them stand out more. This way, he keeps himself relevant in the industry.
His popularity comes from his consistent work ethic and business acumen. He never stops working to improve his craft and bring attention to himself.
In his earlier years, Master P was known for his work ethic and leadership skills. He took very seriously his duties as a police officer and he carried them with him once he left that job to pursue music full time.
In fact, one of his first major breaks came while working at an undercover detective position within the FBI. His fellow officers got their start from watching what they did and then copying it.
Master P would later go onto have his own show titled The Police Officer Show where he’d teach other cops how to be professional detectives.
Before he was famous, music mogul Pat Patterson (his stage name) worked as an undercover agent for the Central Intelligence Agency. He spent six years working at the agency’s headquarters before deciding to make his way into the music business.
In 1988, Patterson founded G-Note Records out of his house with his best friend Andre “Dre” Jones. The two had met while attending college together and bonded over their love of hip hop music. They started DJing together and eventually decided they wanted to start their own label.
They picked the name G-Note because it rhymed with note and also alluded to the fact that both men loved rap music. Their first release was a song called “Agent 831A” which featured Dre rapping about being followed by agents.
Patterson handled most of the A&R responsibilities for the label while Dre focused more on production. Over time, the duo grew larger team including other artists and managers.
As we know, rapperMaster P got his start by singing for other artists’ songs and then taking credit for them as his own. He started doing this when he was 19 years old!
In fact, one of his earliest recorded songs is actually called “I Need A Girl (Drug Money)” where he mentions how much money he has and what kind of car she needs to be her girlfriend.
He also mentioned that he can help you get into rap music so you can make your career too! Ha!
It’s pretty obvious now that he didn’t really mean that but people took him seriously at the time because it sounded like he had experience in the industry.
At the time, lots of aspiring rappers were trying to climb their way up through the music business ladder and some were even stealing lyrics or copying styles from famous musicians to try and become more well-known.
Before he was considered one of hip hop’s top producers, Dr. Dre had to prove himself as an artist. He needed to put his pen to paper with lyrics and music!
He wrote his first song when he was twenty-one years old while studying business at college. It focused on his life so far and what would happen next.
It made no references to drugs or alcohol but it did mention money. A lot of money!
The song got some good reviews but it was not popular. He rewrote the lyrics several times before it found its perfect form.
After recording his final version, he took it to a friend who helped him edit it down and polish it up. His mentor then gave him his first stage name — The Doctor (his degree title).
Dr. Dre is now famous for writing and producing songs that use a very familiar sound structure we have come to recognize as the boom bap style. This includes sounds such as rattling drums, steady bass lines, and strong vocals.
These elements combine into something that appeals to most people and makes the songs easy to listen to and understand. This is why his style has become popular and copied by other artists.
